What is the author’s primary argument in the passage?

The author's primary argument in the passage is that Thomas Paine should be remembered for the contributions he made to the American Revolution.
The passage begins by stating that Paine is "essentially unknown" to many Americans. The author then goes on to describe Paine's life and work, highlighting his role in the American Revolution. The passage mentions that Paine's book Common Sense was a bestseller and helped to inspire the Revolution. It also mentions that Paine's pamphlets The Crisis helped to keep up the morale of the troops.

The passage concludes by stating that Paine was an "extremely talented writer" and that his work was "influential". The author implies that Paine's work should be more widely known and that he should be remembered for his contributions to the American Revolution.

The other options are not the author's primary argument. The statement that "Thomas Paine wrote anonymously and therefore doesn't deserve recognition for what he has accomplished" is an opinion, not an argument. The statement that "Thomas Paine's later work was more influential than his early work" is not supported by the passage. The statement that "Without Thomas Paine, the American Revolution never would have happened" is an overstatement.