The Atlas Obscura Podcast Thomas Paine’s Bones
8 snips
Oct 1, 2025 Explore the enigmatic life of Thomas Paine, the revolutionary thinker whose pamphlet, Common Sense, fueled American independence. Discover his remarkable rise and subsequent fall, leading to a pauper's grave and the bizarre grave robbing that scattered his remains globally. Delve into the controversy surrounding his writings, the public backlash for his critiques, and a skull that resurfaced in an Australian antiques market. Contemplate Paine's complex legacy and ongoing efforts to reunite his fragmented remains.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Common Sense Sparked Independence
- Thomas Paine's Common Sense crystallized independence arguments and circulated widely across the colonies.
- Its clear, direct prose made independence feel obvious and accelerated revolutionary sentiment.
A Brief Comfortable Retirement
- After the Revolution, the new government rewarded Paine with a stipend and a farmhouse in New Rochelle.
- He briefly lived a comfortable, tinkering life before returning to political fights abroad.
Jail, Guillotine Near-Miss, And Age Of Reason
- In France Paine opposed executing the monarchy and was imprisoned during the Revolution's violent phase.
- He narrowly avoided the guillotine, wrote Age of Reason in prison, and fell out with revolutionary leaders.
