On what date was Thomas Paine’s Common Sense first published in Philadelphia?

Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was first published in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776.

The pamphlet appeared anonymously under the signature “by an Englishman.” Paine had arrived in the American colonies in late 1774 with help from Benjamin Franklin and began writing the work as revolutionary tensions intensified.

Common Sense argued that monarchy was irrational and that the Thirteen Colonies should separate from Great Britain. Its direct language differed from the formal style common in political writing of the period, helping the pamphlet reach readers beyond the educated elite. Robert Bell printed the first edition.

The publication date came almost six months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Common Sense did not serve as the Declaration’s official source, and the Continental Congress’s decision involved military and diplomatic considerations as well as public opinion. Nevertheless, Paine’s pamphlet helped make independence a widely discussed political option in early 1776.