1 Annotation

 this is a secoundary source, "There are many times that try a mans soul" http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/paine.html                     

Thomas Paine, was born on January 29,1737 in Thetford, England. His father was a corseter. At the age of 12, Paine fluked out of school. After that he apprenticed with his father but that didn't work out so he became a tax officer and was discharged twice in 4 years. In 1772 he wrote The Case of the Officers of Excise, arguing for them to raise the officers. In 1774 he met Benjamin Franklin and he went down to Philadelphia. When he say the tyranny they were facing from the British and wrote Common Sense to influence Americans to stand up against the British. After the war started he going the battlefield and was a bad soldier but then he wrote The Crisis that helped inspire the Continental army. Later he traveled to Europe where he rote The Rights of Man during the French revolution and was named a traitor by Brittan and later put in jail for not supporting the execution of king Louis xvi. And was later released in 1774,nealrly escaping execution with the help of James Monroe. He latter went back to Philadelphia were everyone rejected him for leaving and he died June 8,1809 at 72. It was written byunhistory.org historic team. I choose him because he helped shape my freedom and that of millions threw his texts. This is a secondary source.