Political Quotes

Thomas Paine: What are the little sufferings of the present day, compared with the hardships that are past?

On the recordJanuary 1, 1776
What are the little sufferings of the present day, compared with the hardships that are past?
Said by
Thomas Paine

Editor's note · Context

In "The American Crisis," Paine poses a rhetorical question to minimize current difficulties by comparing them to greater past hardships, encouraging perseverance.

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