In the 1776 pamphlet Common Sense, who was the author?

Thomas Paine wrote the 1776 pamphlet Common Sense, which argued that the American colonies should seek independence from Great Britain.

The pamphlet was published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776. Paine used direct, accessible language rather than the formal style common in political writing, helping the case for independence reach ordinary readers.

Common Sense became one of the most influential publications of the American Revolution. It was often read aloud in taverns and meeting places, and its arguments attacked hereditary monarchy while promoting republican government.

Paine was not the main drafter of the Declaration of Independence, a common mix-up. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration's principal text, while Paine used Common Sense to build popular support for separation before independence was declared.