Q: I am confused, and need help understanding it's content for a review I'm writing for a history class.
A: It is easy to understand, much easier than most political writing. Paine follows the standard format for essay writing, you could do worse than studying his method, if you intend to take more history classes. Basically, it is an argument for why the colonies should go to war. The easiest way to understand it is to break it down. Dissect it, make an outline noting each point he raises. You can almost see the "bones" of his outline - the claim, followed by supporting evidence and arguments.