Common Sense was the 1776 pamphlet by Thomas Paine that urged the American colonies to declare independence during the American Revolution.
Paine published the pamphlet anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, using the subtitle “Addressed to the Inhabitants of America.” Written in direct, accessible prose, it attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the colonies should establish a republican government rather than remain within the British Empire.
The pamphlet circulated widely through print, public readings, taverns, and meeting places. Paine later claimed that 120,000 copies sold in its first three months, although historians have debated the exact sales figures. Even cautious estimates agree that it was extraordinarily influential for its time.
Common Sense helped make independence a popular political argument before the Declaration of Independence was adopted in July 1776. It did not itself declare independence, and the Continental Congress’s decision also depended on military, diplomatic, and political considerations. Its influence is therefore best understood as helping build public support rather than directly instructing Congress.