In America250 history, Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet Common Sense urged the colonies toward independence.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, the pamphlet attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the American colonies should become independent from Great Britain. Its plain, forceful prose made complex political arguments accessible to a broad reading public.
Common Sense sold exceptionally well for its time. More than 100,000 copies circulated in its first year according to commonly cited estimates, although exact figures are difficult to establish. The pamphlet helped shift public debate before Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in July.
Paine later wrote The American Crisis, a series of essays supporting the revolutionary cause during the war. These works are not the same publication: Common Sense argued for independence, while The American Crisis addressed wartime morale. Paine used the name “An Englishman” on the original pamphlet rather than placing his own name prominently on the title page.