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Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet "Common Sense" had a profound impact on American colonists seeking to break with the British Empire. Yet 200 years after his death, his role in American independence is often overshadowed. Midmorning looks at the legacy of the man some call the "forgotten founding father."

Scholars debate the role of Leonardo Da Vinci's artistry and technology in creating the scientific revolution, while popular culture has newly embraced his mysterious persona thanks to Dan Brown's novels. Midmorning searches for the true Da Vinci.

The legacy of Tom Paine

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