Declaring Independence Common Sense
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- January 9 / 10 1776
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Common Sense
Published anonymously by Thomas Paine in January of 1776, Common Sense brought the rising revolutionary sentiment into sharp focus by placing blame for the suffering of the colonies directly on the reigning British monarch, George III. Paine's political pamphlet was an instant best-seller, both in the colonies and in Europe, and went through several printings. Naturally, the spirit of Paine's argument resonated in the Declaration of Independence.
Read a transcript of Common Sense.