Read the excerpt from The Crisis, Number I.

“’Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.”
Which best describes the purpose of this excerpt?

A) to explain Paine’s moral justification for the war
B) to inspire colonists to join the fight for independence
C) to encourage colonists to consider a peaceful solution
D) to emphasize the hardships that come with fighting for a cause