Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, a 1776 pamphlet that argued for American independence from Great Britain. It was published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, under the signature “An Englishman.”
Paine used clear, forceful language to criticize hereditary monarchy and make the case for a complete political break with Britain. The pamphlet was aimed at ordinary colonists rather than only political leaders, and copies were widely circulated and read aloud in public places.
Common Sense became an immediate publishing sensation. Paine originally worked on the pamphlet under the title Plain Truth, but Benjamin Rush reportedly suggested the final title. The text helped make independence a subject of popular debate in the months before the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Paine’s pamphlet did not itself authorize independence, and it was not the Declaration of Independence. Instead, it helped shape public arguments that surrounded the Continental Congress’s decision. Its influence makes it a frequently cited work in the revolutionary history revisited during America’s 250th anniversary.