“These are the times that try men’s souls.” This simple quotation from Founding Father Thomas Paine’s The Crisis not only describes the beginnings of the American Revolution, but also the life of Paine himself. - Thomas Paine quotes from BrainyQuote.com “’These are the times that try men’s souls.’” Crisis No. In 1776 Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls." Throughout most of his life, his writings inspired passion, but … American Minute with Bill Federer “These are the times that try men’s souls …” -The American Crisis, Thomas Paine, December, 1776 “Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph” -The American Crisis, December, 1776. President Donald Trump and his advisers are being dragged into court day after day and forced to spend their retirement money on lawyer fees so … These are the times that try men's souls definition at Dictionary.com, a free online dictionary with pronunciation, synonyms and translation. By saying “these are the times that try men’s souls,” Paine is saying that these are the circumstances where we find out who fits in each of these two categories. These are the times that try men’s souls, just not in the same way as when Thomas Paine originally said that. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. On December 23, Washington formed his bedraggled Americans into ranks and had them listen to a stirring message written by Thomas Paine. “These are the times that try men's souls. Read as PDF … America’s God and Country Encyclopedia […] It included the famous words which have been recited by Americans from that day to this: “These are the times that try men’s souls. “These are the times that try men’s souls. The Hessians, disorganized, fell back from the onslaught that seemed to come from all around them. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” I, written while on the retreat with the army from Fort Lee to the Delaware and published in Philadelphia in the dark days of 1776 December the 19 th, six days before the taking of the Hessians at Trenton,” Paine ended a letter to the mayor of Philadelphia, in 1806. I believe those words "These are the times that try men's souls"… These words were written in a pamphlet entitled: "The American Crisis" -- and America was indeed in a time of crisis which would determine our future for generations to come. Shots were fired, and the Americans charged, some yelling, “These are the times that try men’s souls!” the famous words penned by Thomas Paine, as their battle cry. Small groups clashed throughout the city in the house-to-house fighting. "These are the times that try men's souls." Look it up now!