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How did Thomas Paine’s Common Sense influence support for independence?

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American Revolution *The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis* (at Yorktown, Virginia, on October 19, 1781), oil on canvas by John Trumbull, completed in 1820; in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C. The painting captures the moment when major fighting during the American Revolution ended and the colonies achieved independence.

Published in January 1776, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was instrumental in shifting colonial sentiment toward independence. By utilizing an accessible, inexpensive pamphlet format, Paine reached a broad audience, with an estimated 20 percent of the colonial population owning a copy within a year.12

Paine’s work fundamentally reframed the conflict with Britain. Rather than viewing the struggle as a civil war over taxation, he argued that it was a fight for sovereignty, famously asserting the absurdity of a continent being governed by an island. His eloquent, direct style rejected the monarchy, championed a republic governed by the people, and framed rebellion as a noble endeavor.12

The pamphlet’s influence was profound, driving public opinion away from loyalty to the mother country and inspiring Founding Fathers to pursue independence despite the risk of treason. Ultimately, Common Sense paved the way for the Declaration of Independence, which drew significant inspiration from Paine’s arguments and language.21