Lesson 1 (from Prefaces)
In Rights of Man, Thomas Paine defended the French Revolution against the criticism it was receiving at the time, mainly from Edmund Burke. This lesson is about how the backgrounds of both Paine and Burke set the stage for their disagreements over the Revolution and government in general.
1) Class Discussion: Where was Thomas Paine originally from? What inspired him to move to America and support the American Revolution? How did his support help America win its Independence? Why was he uniquely qualified to understand what was at stake during the war? Where did Paine live when he wrote Rights of Man? What are the main reasons he supported the French Revolution?
2) Writing and Analysis: Have the class take 15 minutes and write down 3 similarities/differences between the backgrounds of Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke. Afterward, talk about the answers and how their backgrounds contributed to...
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