The most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era”. COMMON SENSE is a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine. It was first published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution. Common Sense was signed “Written by an Englishman”, and it became an immediate success. In relative proportion to the population of the colonies at that time, 2.5 million Americans, it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. Common Sense presented the American colonists with an argument for freedom from British rule at a time when the question of seeking independence was still undecided. Paine wrote and reasoned in a style that common people understood. Forgoing the philosophical and Latin references used by Enlightenment era writers, he structured Common Sense as if it were a sermon, and relied on Biblical references to make his case to the people. He connected independence with common dissenting Protestant beliefs as a means to present a distinctly American political identity.
It was a lot of fun to read this, and to learn about what people thought about independence and the future of America. Very educational. I would recommend this to all who are interested in history, especially American history.
The common sense of Thomas Paine I gave this book 5 stars because Thomas Paine successfully argued the importance of independence and freedom for mankind. I would recommend this book to young and old alike. It is never too early or too late to learn the value of independent freedom.
Common Sense One of the truly historic writings that contributed to the independence movement that ultimately resulted in creation of the United States of America. This is thought-provoking reading that requires some knowledge of American history and sociological knowledge of the time period in order to fully grasp the impact this book had.