Here Paine challenges his opponents to bring “reconciliation to the touchstone of nature.” What does he mean? (A “touchstone” is a test of the quality or genuineness of something. From ancient times the purity of gold or silver was tested with a “touchstone” of basalt stone.)

Paine challenges his opponents to bring “reconciliation to the touchstone of nature.” it mean is described below in detail.

Explanation:

Paine uses the concept that colonizers forcibly took the property from the locals and residents and then constrains them to kneel to the British colonial government. This is an apparent display of abuse of authority and it must not be permitted nor welcomed.

He means that examining the possibility of reconciliation against what you understand about people's opinions in disaster throughout history is not against your dreams and fears during the crisis.

are these the benchmarks questions?

ghana achieved independence peacefully, while algeria gained independence through an armed struggle.