Everyone always thought he was such a Paine.

This little title was like the Harry Potter of its day – but instead of Lord Voldermort, you had the jerky King of England and instead of a teen wizard casting spells, you had this guy spouting on about freedom from tyranny, and instead of, well… you get the idea. How it was radical: Convinced the average Joe that becoming an independent nation was a good idea. What it influenced: The American Revolution.