For America’s 250th anniversary, the 1776 pamphlet that urged the American colonies to seek independence from Britain was Common Sense.
Thomas Paine published Common Sense anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776. Written in direct, accessible language, it attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the colonies should establish an independent republic.
The pamphlet became one of the most influential publications of the American Revolution. It sold exceptionally well for its time and helped shift public opinion toward complete independence rather than reconciliation with Britain.
Common Sense is often confused with Paine’s later pamphlet series The American Crisis, which began in December 1776 and supported the revolutionary cause during the war. The Federalist Papers, by contrast, were published in 1787 and 1788 to defend the proposed U.S. Constitution.