48 pages • 1 hour read
Thomas PaineThe American Crisis
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 1776A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter 1Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 1 Summary: “The Crisis I. (These Are the Times That Try Men's Souls)”
Paine begins his first “Crisis” essay, written in 1776, by memorably aligning himself with the revolutionary cause. He addresses the American people with his famous line, “These are the times that try men’s souls,” and he assures his readers that because tyranny is not “easily conquered” their triumph over it will be even more “glorious” (10). He boldly denounces Britain’s claim over America, writing, “Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right (not only to TAX) but ‘to BIND us in ALL CASES WHATSOEVER,’ and if being bound in that manner, is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth” (10).
Paine describes his experience of fighting against British General Howe’s forces at Fort Lee, New Jersey, on November 20th, 1776. He claims that the Americans’ force was “inconsiderable,” and less than a quarter the size of the British force. He recounts the colonists’ attempts to counter the British invasion into New Jersey, which was unsuccessful and resulted in their retreat to Delaware. Paine argues that British forces left New England and waged war against American troops in Pennsylvania, where Paine was writing at the time, because Pennsylvania is “infested” with Tories, who are loyal to the British Empire (12).
Paine laments the colonists’ problem of raising an army substantial enough to defeat the British. At first, the Americans had only a small militia, which Paine observes would not be enough, as he “always considered militia as the best troops in the world for a sudden exertion, but they will not do for a long campaign” (13-14). Paine concludes his first essay by galvanizing his readers with a fiery, proselytizing tone as he again praises the alliance of the American states and their commitment to independence from Britain. He reiterates that the Americans’ current crisis is a choice between good or evil, safety or danger, freedom or slavery, dignity or indignity.
Chapter 1 Analysis
Paine’s essay is directed at fellow American colonists, and he presents readers with a romantic, idealized image of revolutionary men suffering nobly for their cause. He exalts the kind of man who “will pursue his principles unto death” (15). Though they had not yet had much military success, Paine praises the American troops’ mental fortitude, writing that they had endured challenges “with a manly and martial spirit” (12). Paine repeatedly rallies colonists in all states to the revolutionary cause, claiming that with “perseverance and fortitude” they will succeed and create something “glorious,” but with “cowardice and submission” all will succumb to depopulation, insecurity, enslavement and an unending British occupation (16).
Paine uses religious reasoning to emphasize the morality of the American revolutionary cause and condemn the British forces’ values and tactics. In a passionate, proselytizing tone, Paine calls the British “impious” for seeking full control over America, as “so unlimited a power can belong only to God” (10). Paine claims that God will side with the American revolutionaries and will not leave them to suffer “military destruction,” since they tried to avoid war with Britain “by every decent method wisdom could invent” (10). Paine compares King George III to a highwayman and common murderer, and Paine claims that as such he cannot appeal to God for help in the conflict (11). The author dramatically states that Britain is “the greatest and most ungrateful offender against God on the face of the whole earth” (14).
Paine also uses his platform to denigrate “Tories,” colonists loyal to Britain, and to try to persuade them to join the revolutionary cause. Paine rails against these Tories, claiming that he has tried to warn them about the potential consequences of their loyalty to Britain: “Every Tory is a coward; for servile, slavish, self-interested fear is the foundation of Toryism; and a man under such influence, though he may be cruel, never can be brave” (12). Paine also carefully chooses his language when describing the Tories, comparing their heavy population in Pennsylvania to an infestation. Though Paine tries to sway the Tories later in the essay, his language implies that they need to be purged from the country the way one might remove an animal infestation from their home.
The author then addresses the Tories directly and tries to reason with them. The author plants seeds of doubt in his readers’ minds about British General Howe’s offer for Americans to surrender their weapons in exchange for a British pardon. Paine rages against this tactic, writing that “Howe is mercifully inviting you to barbarous destruction, and men must be either rogues or fools that will not see it” (15). He claims that the Howe does not care for the Tories’ wellbeing or opinions, but only wants them to volunteer for the British armed forces, which Paine claims they do not have the “heart” to do.
Another emerging theme is Paine’s analysis of both America’s and Britain’s military strategies. While he acknowledges America’s underdog status in the conflict, Paine is optimistic that they will defeat the British. He is confident that Howe, although he has a larger army, cannot defeat the various American troops all over the continent. Paine writes that even if Howe wins battles in Pennsylvania, “the consequence will be, that armies from both ends of the continent will march to assist their suffering friends in the middle states (14). Paine predicts that America is too large a nation for Howe to feasibly conquer, “for he cannot go everywhere, it is impossible” (14).
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