The Crisis No. IV

What it is

The Crisis No. IV is a numbered essay by Thomas Paine, written in 1777 just after the American defeat at Brandywine. Paine opens by saying that those who expect to enjoy the blessings of freedom must share the work of defending it. He argues that whether the enemy is defeated in one battle or gradually, the outcome will be the same, because the cause is what is at stake.

Why it matters

Paine wrote this during a hard stretch of the American Revolutionary War, when the army was losing ground and public spirit was fragile. The essay shows how he tried to rally readers by recasting defeat as a test of commitment. He names General Howe, the British commander, and recalls how the enemy had earlier been driven back from the banks of the Delaware. Students can see how a writer tried to shape public opinion in wartime.

Look closer

• What does Paine ask his readers to do, and why does he say freedom requires effort?
• How does he use earlier events to argue that this setback will not decide the war?
• Who is Paine speaking to, and what might his essay leave out about the soldiers and civilians who suffered?