[Little Bill]

John, I often wondered what kept the Revolution alive in say, Upstate NY, well before Paine published his stuff.

[Congressman Billybob]

The Sons of Liberty and the Committees of Correspondence were the backbone of the Revolution, prior to Paine. The Sons spread from Sam Adams' work in Boston. The Committees spread from Jefferson's work in Virginia. But Paine's work was the glue that turned small and divided efforts into enough of a national effort (barely) to sustain and win the war.

Hohn / Billybob