Thomas Paine and the Power of a Pamphlet

Thomas Paine came to Philadelphia from England in 1774 and quickly made a name as a political writer. He published a short pamphlet, Common Sense, on January 10, 1776; in plain and forceful prose he argued that the American colonies should break with Britain and create self-governing institutions. By addressing ordinary readers rather than elite theorists, Paine reframed the argument and gave momentum to the movement for separation.

The printing history of Common Sense was turbulent. Paine initially had the pamphlet printed in Philadelphia by Robert Bell; that first small edition sold out and provoked a public quarrel over profits and rights. Within weeks Paine worked with the Bradford printers for a larger issue, and other firms copied or reprinted the text. Many editions circulated in 1776, which helped the pamphlet reach a wide readership across the thirteen colonies.

The impact of Paine’s pamphlet was immediate and lasting. Contemporary accounts and later historians note that Common Sense sold widely—estimates suggest roughly 120,000 copies within a few months—and that it helped push colonial opinion toward independence. Paine also wrote The American Crisis, the first number of which appeared on December 19, 1776; that paper was read to Continental Army troops to raise morale. Although Paine’s political and religious writings brought him fame, his later views made him a controversial figure and his reputation was mixed by the time of his death.

Today surviving copies of Common Sense are held by institutions such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian, and modern readers can find the full text in public archives and online collections.