What did the sailors do to the captives who refused to eat?
A. They threw them overboard.
B. They beat them.
C. They begged them to eat.

They threw them overboard

Explanation:

They were fed twice a day and those refusing to eat were force-fed. Those who died were thrown overboard.

paine is arguying that they had tried everything before coming to the conclusion that they needed to fight for their freedom.

argument: "every quiet method for peace hath been ineffectual."

claim 1: "our prayers have been rejected with disdain; and only tended to convince us, that nothing flatters vanity, or confirms obstinacy in kings more than repeated petitioning and nothing hath contributed more than that very measure to make the kings of europe absolute."

claim 2: "wherefore, since nothing but blows will do, for god’s sake, let us come to a final separation, and not leave the next generation to be cutting throats, under the violated unmeaning names of parent and child."