Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, the 1776 pamphlet that argued for American independence and is relevant to America250.
Paine published the pamphlet anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, using direct language rather than the formal style common in political writing. He attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the American colonies should become an independent republic.
Common Sense circulated widely and became one of the most influential political works of the American Revolution. Its accessible prose helped persuade readers who were undecided about breaking with Britain. Paine later supported the revolutionary causes in Europe and wrote The Rights of Man.
Common Sense did not itself declare independence, and Paine was not a principal drafter of the Declaration of Independence. Its importance was persuasive: it helped shift public discussion from seeking reconciliation with Britain toward creating a separate nation.