Who was Thomas Paine? What was his early life like? How did he end up writing Common
Sense?

Thomas Paine was an England-born political philosopher and writer who supported revolutionary causes in America and Europe. Published in 1776 to international acclaim, “Common Sense” was the first pamphlet to advocate American independence.

Thomas Paine was born in Thetford, England, in 1737, to a Quaker father and an Anglican mother. Paine received little formal education but did learn to read, write and perform arithmetic. ... He did not excel at this job, nor at any other early job, and his life in England was, in fact, marked by repeated failures

Common Sense is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government.

mount st. helens in washington erupts, causing a massive avalanche and killing 57 people on this day in 1980. ash from the volcanic eruption fell as far away as minnesota. seismic activity at mount st. helens, which is 96 miles south of seattle, began on march 16.