Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet Common Sense, published in 1776 to argue for American independence.
Common Sense appeared anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776. Paine presented political and moral arguments against monarchy and in favor of a complete break from Great Britain. Its plain, forceful prose made complex political ideas accessible to ordinary readers in the Thirteen Colonies.
The pamphlet was widely distributed, read aloud, and debated in taverns and meeting places. Paine’s work helped make independence a subject of popular discussion, although the Continental Congress’s decision to declare independence also depended on military, diplomatic, and political considerations.
Paine originally considered the title Plain Truth, but Benjamin Rush suggested Common Sense. The pamphlet became one of the most influential publications of the American Revolution. Estimates of its sales vary substantially, so claims about its exact circulation should be treated cautiously. It was published before the Declaration of Independence and helped shape the public climate in which that document was issued.