Use the excerpt to answer the question.
A government of our own is our natural right: And when a man seriously reflects on the precariousness of human affairs, he will become convinced, that it is infinitely wiser and safer, to form a constitution of our own in a cool deliberate manner, while we have it in our power, than to trust such an interesting event to time and chance.— Thomas Paine, Common Sense
What effect do you think these words had on the American colonists?
a.They most likely inspired fear in the Loyalists of the Patriots
b.They most likely encouraged the Framers to meet and write the U.S. Constitution at the Continental Congress.
c.They most likely strengthened the colonists’ desire to act on their wish to separate from Britain. d.They most likely increased colonial acts of civil disobedience by confirming their validity
To answer this question, we need to analyze the key ideas presented in the excerpt and how they align with the sentiments of the American colonists at the time.
The passage emphasizes the importance of having "a government of our own" and highlights the precariousness of human affairs. It argues that it is wiser and safer for the colonists to form their own constitution rather than leaving their fate to "time and chance."
Considering this, the most fitting answer is c. They most likely strengthened the colonists' desire to act on their wish to separate from Britain. The passage's emphasis on the need for self-governance would have resonated with the increasing desire among colonists to break away from British rule and establish their own independent government. It would have reinforced their belief in the necessity of taking action to achieve this goal.