Explain Thomas Paine's criticism of the Quakers in Common Sense.

Explain Thomas Paine's criticism of the Quakers in Common Sense.

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Paine’s criticism of the Quakers comes in an appendix to Common Sense. It is perhaps more appropriate to say that Paine is criticizing the leaders of the Quakers. He is criticizing them for their lack of support for the Revolutionary War.

To understand this, let us first think about what Paine’s goal in Common Sensewas and about who the Quakers were. Paine’s goal in this pamphlet was to whip up support for the...