Facebook Twitter Digg Stumbleupon Yahoo My Web

 
Interesting US History
A Website Devoted to Interesting Events in U.S. History

 

 
 

 

ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY 

January 10, 1776

Common Sense by Thomas Paine is Published
Promoting Independence from British Rule
for the "Inhabitants of America"

On this day in 1776 the pamphlet Common Sense was first published anonymously. Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine in a style easily understood by common people and relied heavily on biblical references as well as references used by those of Enlightened Era writers.

At the time, many American Colonists were still not convinced that independence was a good idea, however this pamphlet became very poplular with the public, selling 120,000 copies in the first three months. The royalties were donated to Washington's Continental Army.