Common Sense - Thomas Paine

In part one of Common Sense, Thomas Paine persuades colonial America to revolt against Britain by arousing both positive emotions towards this goal and negative emotions towards British tyranny. Paine begins by arguing that British rule can not benefit the colonies in any way. He reasons that Britain both neglects the interests of the colonies and abuses its power over them. Paine explains that Britain forces the colonies into conflicts with British enemies, but will …

…the reader of his right to take vengeance upon his oppressor. The final argument Paine makes in part two opposes hereditary succession. In this argument, Paine compares hereditary succession to Adam’s original sin, and claims that the two parallel each other. This argument brings up the emotion of spirituality by referring back to the biblical story of Adam and Eve, and claiming that their sin, which condemned all of mankind, coincides with hereditary succession.