Common Sense, written by Thomas Paine, was first published anonymously in Philadelphia on January 10, 1776, at a moment when many American colonists still hoped for reconciliation with Great Britain. Paine wrote the pamphlet to argue plainly and forcefully that monarchy was a corrupt and unnatural form of government and that America’s continued subordination to King George III was both illogical and dangerous. Using direct language accessible to ordinary readers rather than elite political theory, Common Sense called for complete independence, republican self-government, and a decisive break from British rule. Its impact was immense: selling an estimated 100,000 to 150,000 copies within months, it transformed public opinion, unified colonial resistance, and helped prepare the political and moral ground for the Declaration of Independence later that year, making it one of the most influential political texts of the American Revolution.
