Which sentence in this excerpt from Common Sense by Thomas Paine supports the claim that the American colonies could thrive inde

Question

1 month ago

9

Which sentence in this excerpt from Common Sense by Thomas Paine supports the claim that the American colonies could thrive inde

pendently from Britain?
(1.) I have heard it asserted by some, that as America hath flourished under her former connection with Great Britain that the same connection is necessary towards her future happiness, and will always have the same effect. (1.) Nothing can be more fallacious than this kind of argument. (2.)We may as well assert that because a child has thrived upon milk that it is never to have meat, or that the first twenty years of our lives is to become a precedent for the next twenty.( 2.) (3.)But even this is admitting more than is true, for I answer roundly, that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power had any thing to do with her.(3) (4.)The commerce, by which she hath enriched herself, are the necessaries of life, and will always have a market while eating is the custom of Europe. (4.)

English

2 answers:

Naddik [7.5K] · Answer 1 · 2026-03-27T05:04:34+03:00

Naddik [7.5K]1 month ago

6 0

According to Plato, the correct choice is not C.

The right answer is B.

I hope this information is useful.

Naddika [7.4K] · Answer 2 · 2026-03-27T05:06:26+03:00

All statements bolster the argument that the American colonies could prosper on their own without Britain. The statement that does this most explicitly is number 3: However, even this acknowledges more than is accurate, as I assert without hesitation that America would have thrived equally well, if not better, had no European powers intervened at all.

Statements 1 and 2 merely illustrate—by likening the country to a child—how unfounded the belief is that, having once relied on Britain, America would perpetually depend on it. It’s akin to suggesting that a child will never eat solid food just because it was initially nourished only by milk.

Statement 4 simply argues that America has established a prosperous economic foundation by catering to European demands and customs.

Statement 3 clearly reveals that Paine believes America is not only successful but could have achieved even greater success without any British interference since the very beginning. This connection did not support America’s growth; rather, it impeded it.