Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, the 1776 pamphlet that influenced public support for independence during America250’s founding era.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, Common Sense attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the American colonies should become independent. Paine wrote in accessible language rather than the formal style common in political essays, helping the pamphlet reach a broad audience.
The work became one of the most influential political pamphlets in the colonies. Its arguments did not legally declare independence, but they helped shift public discussion toward separation from Britain.
Common Sense is often confused with the Declaration of Independence because both supported independence. Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration, while Paine wrote Common Sense. The two texts served different purposes and were published months apart.