The Man Who Sold the War: Tom Paine's Journey from Common Sense to Global Firebrand
History Unplugged Podcast
History Unplugged
4.2 • 4K Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2026
⏱️ 48 minutes
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Summary
Most of us only know Thomas Paine for one thing: writing Common Sense in 1776, which helped kickstart the Revolution by selling hundreds of thousands of copies. But he was far more than a writer. Paine actively served with George Washington's army during its darkest days and then used his pen to advocate for global freedom in both the French Revolution and against organized religion. His revolutionary fervor spanned the globe, leading him to champion the French Revolution with Rights of Man and challenge religious orthodoxy in The Age of Reason/
Paine's later involvement with the French Revolution, his Enlightenment opinions, and his unorthodox view of religion plunged his reputation into a controversy that continues to this day.
Today’s guest is Jack Kelly, author of “Tom Paine's War: The Words That Rallied a Nation and the Founder for Our Time.” We look at how Paine shaped the war. He convinced the colonies that war should grow from a reform movement to a full revolution: The entire British system of hereditary monarchy and aristocratic rule was a form of tyranny, making the case that separation from Great Britain the only logical course for America.
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Transcript
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| 0:34.7 | This guy here with another episode of the History Unplugged podcast. |
| 0:38.0 | Most of us only know Thomas Paine for one thing. |
| 0:40.6 | Writing common sense in 1776, which helped kick-start the revolution by selling hundreds of thousands of copies, |
| 0:46.7 | and giving this simple explanation of why the American College should not only reform its relationship with Britain, |
| 0:52.0 | but sever its ties altogether and completely reject the |
| 0:55.2 | idea of a king or hereditary monarchy. |
| 0:57.8 | But Payne was far more than a writer. |
| 0:59.4 | He actively served the George Washington's army during its darkest days, and then use his pen |
| 1:03.5 | to advocate for global freedom in both the French Revolution and official state religions. |
| 1:08.2 | His revolutionary fervor span the globe, leading him to champion the French |
| 1:11.3 | revolution with rights of man and challenged religious orthodoxy in the age of reason. Now, |
| 1:15.9 | his enlightenment ideas and unorthodox views of Christianity plunged his reputation into a |
| 1:20.4 | controversy that continues to this day. Today's guest is Jack Kelly, author of Tom Payne's War, |
| 1:26.1 | the words that rallied a nation, and the founder |
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