~ 1776 ~
"Common Sense" is a 47-page pamphlet written by Thomas Paine in 1775-1776 advocating independence from Great Britain to the Thirteen Colonies. It became an immediate sensation due to Paine's persuasive and impassioned case for independence. He argued for a republican form of governance under a written constitution and connected independence with common dissenting Protestant beliefs as a means of presenting a distinctly American political identity. The pamphlet sold almost 100,000 copies in 1776 and remains the best-selling American title (2006). Paine never profited from Common Sense and lost money due to disagreements with his publisher. Its impact was immediate and far-reaching, spurring the American Revolution.