Though The Heavens May Fall

"Not a man lives on the continent but fully believes that a separation must some time or other finally take place, and a generous parent should have said, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace;” and this single reflection, well applied, is sufficient to awaken every man to duty."

— The Crisis by Thomas Paine

"The colonies would gladly have borne the little tax on tea and other matters had it not been that England took away from the colonies their money, which created unemployment and dissatisfaction. The inability of colonists to get power to issue their own money permanently out of the hands of George the III and the international bankers was the PRIME reason for the Revolutionary War.
—Benjamin Franklin"

— http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin (via thealexcaste)

"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."

— From the pen of reckless and alcoholic Thomas Paine. #winning

youknowyoureahistoryfanwhen:

submitted by floralandflannel

My autographed copy of 1776 is laughing at me right now…

(Source: )

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(via Vanity Fair)