Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet Common Sense argued publicly for American independence from Great Britain.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, the 47-page pamphlet presented political and moral arguments in language intended for ordinary readers. Paine attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the American colonies should break completely from the British Crown rather than seek reconciliation.
The pamphlet spread rapidly through the Thirteen Colonies. It was sold in print shops, circulated in multiple editions, and often read aloud in taverns and meeting places. Its direct style helped make independence a subject of popular political debate before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Common Sense is often confused with Paine’s later Rights of Man, which defended the French Revolution and appeared in 1791 and 1792. It is also distinct from the Federalist Papers, written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to support ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Paine used the name “An Englishman” when the first edition appeared.