Cover via Open Library · Open Library
Book · Open Library
- Author
- Thomas Paine
- First published
- 1776
- Editions
- 171
- Subjects
- Political science, Politics and government, Monarchy, Early works to 1800, Society of Friends, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Meeting for Sufferings, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, Society of Friends. Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
via Open Library
Key facts
- Author
- Thomas Paine
- Language
- English
- Published
- January 10, 1776 ; 250 years ago ( 1776-01-10 )
- Publication place
- British America
- Text
- Common Sense at Wikisource
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Read free · Project Gutenberg
- #3755
- Image
- Commonsense.jpg
Show 3 more facts
- publication date
- 1776-00-00
- title
- Common Sense
- Commons category
- Common Sense (pamphlet)
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~22 min read
Article
Common Sense is a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775–1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine collected moral and political arguments to encourage common people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government. It was published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution and became an immediate sensation.
Published in Philadelphia, Common Sense was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time, 2.5 million, it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and is still in print today.