Thomas Paine’s 1776 pamphlet Common Sense argued for American independence.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, Common Sense attacked hereditary monarchy and made the case that the American colonies should become independent. Paine wrote in direct, accessible prose rather than the formal style common in political essays, helping the argument reach a broad colonial readership.
The pamphlet appeared months before the Declaration of Independence and strengthened public support for separating from Britain. Paine later donated much of the money he earned from the publication to the revolutionary cause.
Common Sense did not itself declare independence or serve as a legal act of Congress. Instead, it was influential political persuasion that helped shape the public environment in which the Lee Resolution and Declaration were debated. America250’s founding-era context includes this important link between popular writing, congressional action, and the creation of a new nation.