Thomas Paine wrote Common Sense, the 1776 pamphlet that urged Britain's American colonies to seek independence.
Published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, the pamphlet presented independence and republican government in language accessible to ordinary readers. Paine attacked hereditary monarchy and argued that the colonies should break fully from Britain rather than seek reconciliation.
Common Sense quickly became one of the most widely read publications in the Thirteen Colonies. It was often read aloud in homes, taverns, and meeting places, helping build public support for independence before the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Its first edition was about 47 pages long.
A common mix-up is confusing Common Sense with the Declaration of Independence. Paine wrote the pamphlet; Thomas Jefferson was the principal drafter of the Declaration. Paine later served the revolutionary cause in other ways, including writing The American Crisis.