"Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one... The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind. 'Tis time to part." — Thomas Paine, Common Sense, January 1776
Paine's pamphlet is best understood as a response to which immediate context?
- A
Anti-Federalist objections to the proposed Constitution
- Bcheck_circle
Colonial reluctance to break formally with King George III after Lexington and Concord
- C
Federalist anger at the XYZ Affair
- D
Disputes over the Northwest Ordinance's land policies
Explanation
Common Sense was published in January 1776, when many colonists still hoped for reconciliation with the Crown despite the outbreak of fighting in 1775. The Northwest Ordinance (1787), Constitution debates (1787-88), and XYZ Affair (1797-98) all came years later.