"Small islands not capable of protecting themselves, are the proper objects for kingdoms to take under their care; but there is something very absurd, in supposing a continent to be perpetually governed by an island. In no instance hath nature made the satellite larger than its primary planet, and as England and America, with respect to each other, reverses the common order of nature, it is evident the belong to different systems;
England to Europe, America to itself."
The historical insight I received from reading this pamphlet was quite meaningful. It was very interesting to read about the situation America was in. Paine tells of the suffering that Britain inflicted upon the settlers of America. He explains that those who had lost their homes, families, or livelihoods to the British, and still wouldn't fight for freedom, were cowards. More than just experiencing the events of pre-revolutionary America through a vivid description, Paine provides the reader with actual numbers. He equated the power of the British, and explained how America would soon surpass all countries as the leader of commerce and shipbuilding. Thomas Paine's logical, and at times mathematical, pamphlet is insightful and turned out to be an incredibly important document.
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