Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, the 1776 pamphlet that influenced support for American independence.
Paine published Common Sense anonymously in Philadelphia in January 1776. Written in accessible language, the pamphlet argued that the American colonies should seek complete independence from Great Britain rather than merely request reforms within the British Empire.
The work became one of the most influential political pamphlets in colonial America. Its arguments helped broaden public discussion before the Declaration of Independence was adopted later that year.
Thomas Jefferson was the principal drafter of the Declaration, but he did not write Common Sense. John Adams was another major revolutionary leader, while Benjamin Rush supported independence and helped promote Paine’s work.