Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, the 1776 pamphlet linked to America250’s revolutionary history.
Paine published Common Sense anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776. The pamphlet argued in direct, accessible language that the American colonies should seek independence from Great Britain and establish representative government.
Its plain style helped it reach readers beyond political elites. Copies were sold widely, read aloud in public places, and discussed throughout the colonies. The work helped make independence a subject of popular debate before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Common Sense is often confused with the Declaration of Independence because both supported separation from Britain. They were different works: Paine wrote a persuasive pamphlet, while Thomas Jefferson drafted the principal text of the Declaration for the Continental Congress.