Reliving History, Reluctantly or by Coercion?

“These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.”

— Thomas Paine from “The American Crisis.”

These words were written during a time of crisis. The colonists would either be patriots or rebels. According to History.com, Paine wrote this during a time when Gen. Washington was experiencing defeat after defeat, thousands of volunteers were leaving the cause and returning home. The publishing of “Common Sense” was used to inspi...