Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet arguing for independence from Britain was Common Sense.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, Common Sense addressed residents of the Thirteen Colonies in direct, accessible language. Paine challenged monarchy and hereditary rule while arguing that the colonies should establish an independent republican government. Its clear style helped political ideas reach readers beyond wealthy or formally educated audiences.
The pamphlet was 47 pages long and was printed by Robert Bell. It quickly became a publishing sensation, with copies sold and read aloud in taverns, meeting places, and private homes. Paine later identified himself as its author, although the first edition did not name him.
Common Sense did not itself declare independence, and it was not the Declaration of Independence. Instead, it helped build public support for the break with Britain several months before the Continental Congress approved the Declaration. Another Paine work, The American Crisis, was a later series of revolutionary pamphlets begun in December 1776.