The pamphlet published in January 1776 that argued publicly for American independence from Britain was Common Sense.
Thomas Paine published Common Sense anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776. Written in direct, accessible language, the pamphlet attacked monarchy and hereditary rule and argued that the American colonies should seek complete independence rather than reconciliation with Britain.
The work became extraordinarily popular for its time. It was printed in many editions and circulated widely among colonists, helping move public debate toward independence before the Continental Congress adopted the Lee Resolution and Declaration. Paine used the pseudonym “An Englishman” for the first edition.
Common Sense was not a formal act of government and did not declare independence itself. Its importance was persuasive: it presented independence as practical, morally justified, and achievable. Paine later wrote The American Crisis, a separate series of wartime pamphlets beginning in December 1776.