What Enlightenment ideas did Thomas Paine use to justify breaking from Britain in his 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense”?(1 point)

questioning authority
questioning authority - no response given

equality

Answers

Answered by GPT-4o mini
In his 1776 pamphlet "Common Sense," Thomas Paine utilized several Enlightenment ideas to justify breaking from Britain. Two key ideas he emphasized were:

1. **Questioning Authority**: Paine challenged the traditional authority of the monarchy and questioned the legitimacy of British rule over the colonies. He argued that government should be based on reason and the consent of the governed, rather than inherited power.

2. **Equality**: Paine promoted the idea that all men are created equal and should have the same rights. He criticized the social and political hierarchies promoted by the British monarchy, advocating instead for a government that represented the interests of all people, not just the elite.

Both of these Enlightenment principles were fundamental to his argument for American independence.

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