Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet Common Sense promoted American independence from Britain and became a major work of the Revolutionary era.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, the 47-page pamphlet addressed ordinary people in the Thirteen Colonies. Paine used clear, forceful prose to criticize monarchy and argue that the colonies should establish a republican government of their own.
Common Sense circulated widely through print, newspapers, taverns, and public readings. Its arguments helped make complete independence more widely discussed before the Declaration of Independence was adopted later in 1776. The pamphlet’s influence is often emphasized in accounts of the ideas that helped shape the United States.
A common mix-up is confusing Common Sense with The American Crisis, another Paine pamphlet series published during the war. Common Sense argued for independence, while The American Crisis offered encouragement during the military struggle. Paine initially considered the title Plain Truth, but Benjamin Rush suggested the final title.