Ben Franklin's World BFW Revisited: The Power of the Press in the American Revolution
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Jan 6, 2026 Joe Edelman, a historian focusing on 18th-century media, leads a fascinating discussion on the pivotal role of print during the American Revolution. Eric Slaughter, an English professor, delves into the pamphlet culture, exploring how their distribution and affordability fueled revolutionary ideas. Seth Cotler, a Thomas Paine specialist, reveals the background of "Common Sense" and its impact on promoting self-governance. Together, they unveil how effective communication shaped public opinion and ignited the quest for independence.
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Paine Cut His Teeth In Taverns And Magazines
- Thomas Paine arrived in Philadelphia with a Benjamin Franklin letter and edited the Pennsylvania Magazine before writing Common Sense.
- His tavern and coffeehouse conversations helped him shape arguments in plain, spoken language.
Common Sense Framed Independence As Practical
- Paine fused Enlightenment empiricism with republican skepticism of hereditary rule to argue independence as 'common sense.'
- He framed politics as simple, participatory rule-making rather than aristocratic monopoly.
Democracy Was A Dirty Word In 1776
- Critics (including some patriots) feared Paine's rhetoric would unleash mob rule and demonized his democratic impulses.
- 'Democracy' then carried negative connotations tied to anarchy and demagoguery.
