NAME: Jaydyn Stockdale

HR: 301

Understanding Common Sense

Common
Sense

What is the
author saying?

What details are

important?

What is the main

idea of the
reading?

Passage 1

The author is
saying,This New
World hath been an
asylum for the
persecuted lovers of
civil and religious
liberty from every
part of Europe.

Some details that

are important
are,Europe, and
not England, is the
parent country of
America and
Hither have they
fled, not from the
tender embraces of
the mother, but from
the cruelty of the
monster.

The main idea of

this reading is that,
Europe, and not
England, is the
parent country of
America.

The author is
saying,Europe is too
thickly planted with
kingdoms to be long
at peace.

Important details
are, -and whenever
a war breaks out
between England
and any foreign
power, the trade of
America goes to
ruin because of her
connection to
Britain.

The main idea

is,whenever a war
breaks out between
England and any
foreign power, the
trade of America
goes to ruin
because of her
connection to
Britain.

Passage 2

List similar grievances from the

Declaration of Independence

He has
plundered our seas,
ravaged our Coasts,
burnt our towns, and
destroyed the lives of
our people.
He has
constrained our fellow
Citizens taken Captive
on the high Seas to
bear Arms against their
Country, to become the
executioners of their
friends and Brethren,
or to fall themselves by
their Hands
He has
dissolved
Representative Houses
repeatedly, for
opposing with manly
firmness his invasions
on the rights of the
people.
For cutting off
our Trade with all parts
of the world:
For imposing
Taxes on us without
our Consent:
He has kept

Teaching Democracy: How did the Patriots justify their separation from Great Britain? Jasmin
Brown, Author Copyright 2012, Regents of the University of California

NAME: Jaydyn Stockdale

HR: 301

among us, in times of

peace, Standing
Armies without the
Consent of our
legislatures.
Passage 3

The author is saying

that, [the king of
America] reigns
above and doth not
make havoc of
mankind like the
Royal Brute of
Britain.

Important details
are, For as in
absolute
governments the
King is law, so in
free countries the
law ought to be
King; and there
ought to be no
other.

The main idea

is,Yet that we may
not appear to be
defective even in
earthly honors, let a
day be solemnly set
apart for
proclaiming the
charter; let it be
brought fourth on
the divine law, the
word of God; let a
crown be placed
thereon, by which
the world may
know, that so far as
we approve as
monarchy, that in
America THE LAW
IS KING.

He has affected
to render the Military
independent of and
superior to the Civil
power.
For taking away
our Charters,
abolishing our most
valuable Laws, and
altering fundamentally
the Forms of our
Governments:
For suspending
our own Legislatures,
and declaring
themselves invested
with power to legislate
for us in all cases
whatsoever.

Teaching Democracy: How did the Patriots justify their separation from Great Britain? Jasmin
Brown, Author Copyright 2012, Regents of the University of California