Thomas Paine – The American Crisis, No. 1 (1776)

Primary Source Comprehension • Approx. Lexile 950 • Tabs: Main Idea & Details, Inference, Vocabulary
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Primary Source Text December 23, 1776 • The American Crisis, No. 1 (excerpt)

The American Crisis, No. 1 – Excerpt

December 23, 1776

“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 their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.

Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value.

Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated.

Britain, with an army to enforce her tyranny, has declared that she has a right not only to tax but “to bind us in all cases whatsoever,” and if being bound in that manner is not slavery, then is there not such a thing as slavery upon earth.

Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God.”

Comprehension Tabs
Questions in each tab refer to the excerpt above.
1. What is the main purpose of this excerpt from Thomas Paine’s The American Crisis?
Main idea of Paine’s message.
2. Who are the “summer soldier and the sunshine patriot” in Paine’s description?
Detail about Paine’s metaphor for weak support.
3. What does Paine say about the relationship between the difficulty of a conflict and the value of victory?
Detail about struggle and triumph.
4. According to Paine, what claim has Britain made about its power over the colonies?
Detail about Britain’s claimed authority.
5. What can be inferred about how Paine believes people should respond to hard times in a war for freedom?
Inference from his praise of those who “stand it now.”
6. What does Paine’s comparison of British rule to slavery suggest about his view of Britain’s actions?
Inference from his slavery comparison.
7. How would you best describe Paine’s tone in this excerpt?
Inference about the emotional style of the writing.
8. Why does Paine say, “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered”?
Inference about his purpose in using this comparison.
9. In the phrase “The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country,” the word “crisis” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context describing the situation.
10. In “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly,” the word “esteem” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context about how we treat things gained easily.
11. In the sentence “so celestial an article as freedom should not be highly rated,” the word “celestial” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context describing the nature of freedom.
12. In “Even the expression is impious; for so unlimited a power can belong only to God,” the word “impious” most nearly means
Vocabulary in context about claiming God-like power.
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