Thomas Paine's The Crisis Number One was written on December 23, 1776 in response to the obstacles facing the colonists in the struggle with Britain.  A major concern of Paine's was the disunity of the colonists.  The colonists were divided among themselves.  The Patriots were those who favored secession from Britain while the Loyalists or Tories, being loyal to the king of England, were against secession from the mother country. Paine's The Crisis was written in common language so that everyone could understand it in order to unite all the colonists.

Paine begins his pamphlet by saying "These are the times that try men's souls."  He says this to point out that soulful people would not put up with the harsh British rule.  He then refers to the "summer soldier and the sunshine patriot."  This refers to soldiers who are only there in good...