The Crisis No. 1

I think that Paine wrote this piece of work to explain why the Americans needed to go to war with the British. Paine talks about many of the things the British are doing to them such as "Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right(not only to tax) but "to bind us in all cases whatsoever"; and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then there is not such a thing as slavery upon earth"(Paine 134). This is Paine's idea of what kind of situation the Americans are in. Paine thinks that they are enslaved by the British because she can tax them and boss them around and they cannot do anything about it(Paine 134). Paine does not necessarily come out and say it, but I think he wants to go to war and fight for their freedom.

"It is surprising to see how rapidly panic will sometimes run through a country"(Paine 135). I think that Paine has wrote this because he knows that America cannot do panic and still expect to win a war against the British. When people panic, they can get scared and lose control and sight on what is important to the mission at hand. The Americans would need to stay focused and agile to win a war against the strongly built British Army and the enemy. I know that this is piece of writing represents the Rationalism period because this piece of writing is more factual. It explains with facts what the Americans must do to win a war against the British instead of being Puritan and writing about God and that everything they do is in the hands of God. Paine uses a reference to God every once in a while though because of how important God was to the lives of people in this time period(Paine 135).

I like this piece of writing because Paine can support what he is saying and the fact that he wants America to go to war with Britain. "Not all the treasure of the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me or those that are in it, and to "bind me in all cases whatsoever" to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?"(Paine 136). This statement makes me smile because of how well written and said it is. Paine means that he would not support a war started for no reason, but then he begins to list the things that the British are doing to them that are not right and it is now a justified war. Paine says that his people should not have to suffer and that they should have the freedom to choose what they do with their lives and how they live them(Paine 136). Paine is able to prove his debate and support his argument which makes it Rationalism writing.

Paine, Thomas. "From The Crisis, No. 1" Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 97-99. Print.