Thomas Paine's "Common Sense"

Thomas Paine, born February 9, 1737 in Thetford, England, was an author, intellectual and one of the founders of the United States. Paine moved to the British American colonies in 1774, at the onset of events of the American Revolution. Paine was also a prolific pamphleteer--a person who wrote and distributed pamphlets to spread opinions or political ideology--during the period of the American Revolutionary War. One of Paine's most famous pamphlets was 1776's "Common Sense." Anonymous at the time of print, Paine signed the pamphlet with, "Written by an Englishman," to avoid possible charges of treason. 

"Common Sense" detailed the argument for American colonists to declare independence from British rule in plain language. Staying away from Latin phrases or philosophical arguments, Paine wrote "Common Sense" in simple terms, referring to the Bible and making the overall tone similar to that of a sermon. The pamphlet was 48 pages long and sold around 500,000 copies the first year of circulation. R. Bell, a printer in Philadelphia, printed and sold the pamphlets to the public. Paine didn't receive any royalties from the pamphlet sales, as he donated the money to the Confidential Army, established in 1775 to coordinate the efforts of the rebelling British colonies.

The content of "Common Sense" focused on the balance between societal needs and the government, provided examples of tyranny in the Constitution of the United Kingdom and used Biblical and historical facts to reduce the significance of a monarchy. Paine presented the opinion that all men are equal and there should be no distinction as there was between a king and his subjects. He also laid out the current state of the relationship between the British and American colonies, which was full of hostility at the time, and argued that the only way to end the fighting was independence for the American colonies. Paine also covered the state of the American military force and supplies, expressing confidence in the ability of the American forces to win the war.

Thomas Paine brought the idea of independence to American colonists in a way that allowed all members of society to understand the benefits, and at a crucial time in history. His contributions helped the American colonists succeed.