Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense - Jan 09, 1776 - HISTORY.com Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense Share this: Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense Author Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. Originally published anonymously, “Common Sense” advocated independence for the American colonies from Britain and is considered one of the most influential pamphlets in American history. Credited with uniting average citizens and political leaders behind the idea of independence, “Common Sense” played a remarkable role in transforming a colonial squabble into the American Revolution. At the time Paine wrote “Common Sense,” most colonists considered themselves to be aggrieved Britons. Paine fundamentally changed the tenor of colonists’ argument with the crown when he wrote the following: “Europe, and not England, is the parent country of America. This new world hath been the asylum for the persecuted lovers of civil and religious liberty from every part of Europe.

Hither they have fled, not from the tender embraces of the mother, but from the cruelty of the monster; and it is so far true of England, that the same tyranny which drove the first emigrants from home, pursues their descendants still.” Paine was born in England in 1737 and worked as a corset maker in his teens and, later, as a sailor and schoolteacher before becoming a prominent pamphleteer. In 1774, Paine arrived in Philadelphia and soon came to support American independence. Two years later, his 47-page pamphlet sold some 500,000 copies, powerfully influencing American opinion. Paine went on to serve in the U.S. Army and to work for the Committee of Foreign Affairs before returning to Europe in 1787. Back in England, he continued writing pamphlets in support of revolution. He released “The Rights of Man,” supporting the French Revolution in 1791-92, in answer to Edmund Burke’s famous “Reflections on the Revolution in France” (1790).

His sentiments were highly unpopular with the still-monarchal British government, so he fled to France, where he was later arrested for his political opinions. He returned to the United States in 1802 and died in New York in 1809. Related Videos Thomas Paine: Common Sense, Patriot and Loyalist Response, American Revolution, Primary Sources for Teachers, America in Class, National Humanities Center PDF PDF On January 10, 1776, while the Second Continental Congress was deliberating on the future of the "united colonies," a 46-page pamphlet was put out for sale. Simply titled Common Sense, it became a publishing phenomenon, a best-seller in its time. The first printing sold out in two weeks and over 150,000 copies were sold throughout America and Europe. Written by Thomas Paine, an unknown Englishman who had emigrated only fifteen months earlier, it burst upon the scene like a meteor—a "disastrous meteor," wrote John Adams, who felt Paine's inflammatory call for independence would undermine the deliberative work of the Continental Congress.

While Paine's basic message—abandon the goal of reconciliation and declare independence—was not new, he went much further. Reject British heritage, condemn monarchy, embrace democracy, enlighten the world. This doesn't sound very revolutionary to us, but it was. "We have it in our power," insisted Paine, "to begin the world all over again." Yet Paine's major impact came not from being inspirational, but from being angry. "The point to remember," writes literary historian Robert Ferguson, "is that Paine's natural and intended audience is the American mob. . . . He uses anger, the natural emotion of the mob, to let the most active groups find themselves in the general will of a republican citizenry."1 Before Paine, adds Ferguson, the rhetoric of published discourse had been moderate; educated men wrote civilly for publication and kept their fury for private letters and diaries.

Then came Paine, calling Britain an "open enemy," denouncing George III as "Royal Brute of England," and mocking the prospect of reconciliation as "truly farcical" and "a fallacious dream." To think otherwise, he charges, is "repugnant to reason." Here we examine Common Sense and the independent spirit it spurred among the "common people," the contempt it received from Loyalists, and the anxiety it caused Patriot leaders. Thomas Paine, Common Sense , 1776, selections. Only two years after he arrived in the colonies from Britain, Thomas Paine—a former corsetmaker, school master, and tax officer—expressed America's pent-up rage against the mother country in Common Sense, the most influential pamphlet of the Revolutionary period. Paine challenged Americans' longheld pride in Britain and urged them to see what was already the case—they were separate, self-governing, and capable of defeating Britain in war. He presented his argument in four sections. (1) The English constitution you worship? It's a sham. (2) The monarchy you revere as an institution?

It doesn't care about you; it cares about Britain's wealth, and a series of "crowned ruffians" has laid the world "in blood and ashes." (3) America today? It is folly to think that it can remain subject to a distant tyrant, and it is self-sabotage to keep pursuing reconciliation, which would surely lead to the "ruin of the continent." (4) Can we win this war? Absolutely, so get going! If we delay it, it will be that much harder to achieve. Here we read excerpts from Parts III and IV of Common Sense. How does Paine's rhetoric work to convey the certainty of his position? To hear Paine's incendiary message within the eighteenth-century language, read Common Sense aloud, with dramatic flourish. (11 pp.) Praise for Common Sense in American newspapers, 1776. From American newspapers come these seven brief statements of praise for Paine's call to arms. What evidence is presented of its acclaim? How are its opponents acknowledged and rebuffed? What signals the wide approval of the "common people" and their awareness that Patriot leaders may not share their enthusiasm?

(2 pp.) A Loyalist responds to Common Sense : Rev. Charles Inglis, The Deceiver Unmasked, 1776, selections. Horrified by Common Sense, several Loyalists published immediate rebuttals, including Plain Truth by James Chalmers and The Deceiver Unmasked, penned by Rev. Charles Inglis, a British-born Anglican clergyman whose congregation at Trinity Church in New York City was largely Loyalist. Soon after The Deceiver Unmasked was advertised in a city newspaper, Sons of Liberty broke into the printer's office and destroyed all copies of the provocatively named pamphlet. Inglis published new copies and later in the year released his work under the title The True Interest of America Impartially Stated. Presented here are excerpts from his Preface and his rebuttal to Part III of Common Sense. How does he refute Paine's specific arguments? How does he answer Paine's certainty that independence is the only valid option for America's future? (6 pp.) A poem on Common Sense : Hannah Griffitts, "Upon reading a Book entitled Common Sense," 1776.

From a well-to-do Quaker family in Philadelphia, Hannah Griffitts wrote poetry throughout the revolutionary period which hailed moderation and condemned extremism from both Patriots and Loyalists. Indicting Paine as a "Snake beneath the Grass," she grieves that moderate political voices are no longer tolerated—indeed condemned as "friends of tyranny"—and that reconciliation with Great Britain has become a lost option. To whom does she address the poem and warn "to beware the fatal Danger of this subtle Snare"? (1 p.) John Adams looks back on Common Sense , Autobiography, early 1800s, selection. When Common Sense appeared, John Adams was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. In his autobiography, written a quarter century later, he described his response to the pamphlet and its startling popularity. Common Sense burst upon the scene like a "disastrous meteor" that would undermine the deliberative work of the Congress.

"I dreaded the effect so popular a pamphlet might have among the people," he wrote to his wife Abigail, "and determined to do all in my Power to counteract the effect of it." One counter-action he took was to publish an anonymous rebuttal entitled Thoughts on Government (see Supplemental Sites). Why would Adams, who agreed that independence was inevitable, react with such dismay to Paine's pamphlet? How did he convey his concern to Paine directly? How did Paine respond? In the early 1800s, how did Adams characterize the pamphlet's ultimate influence on the Revolution? (3 pp.) Discussion Questions From these documents, describe the atmosphere into which Common Sense appeared. How did Paine use the moment to frame his pamphlet and drive across his points? What was happening in January 1776, politically and militarily? How did Paine create a sense of urgency to inspire his readers? What specific arguments does he give to convince his readers that (1) their pride in British heritage is misguided, (2) the colonies must declare immediate independence, (3) they will be able to defend themselves in war? What is Paine's rhetorical strategy in the opening paragraph of Pt.

III, "Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs"? How does he envision his reader? What portions of Common Sense would have resonated with the common man in America? with those who were undecided or remained outside the debate? Contrast the language of Common Sense with that of the Patriot leadership in earlier publications. How was Paine's message distinctively different for the times? In what ways did Paine shape his arguments to appeal to men? How does he appeal to his readers' concern for their children and their future? Why did Paine choose such similes as the following: disunion is "like a name engraved with the point of a pin on the tender rind of a young oak; the wound will enlarge with the tree"; "All plans, proposals . . . prior to the nineteenth of April . . . are like the almanacs of the last year." In the newspaper accounts of praise for Common Sense, what evidence is presented of its acclaim? How are its opponents acknowledged and rebuffed? In the accounts, what signals the wide approval of the "common people" and their awareness that Patriot leaders may not share their enthusiasm?

Overall, what is Charles Inglis's main objections to Paine's arguments, his use of history, and his rhetorical devices? What does Inglis's rhetoric say about his motivation and message? Why does Inglis call Paine a "crack-brained zealot for democracy" whose work is a model of "uncommon frenzy"? Does Inglis rise above Paine's frenzy? Inglis's audience for The Deceiver Unmasked is his fellow Loyalists. Retitle Deceiver and rewrite a few paragraphs to address it to Paine's supporters instead. Why did Adams call Paine a 'disastrous meteor' despite his agreement that America should declare independence? Describe the meeting of Adams and Paine in spring 1776, shortly after Adams published his anonymous rebuttal, Thoughts on Government. What were Adams's main concerns with Paine as a person? as a political propagandist? How do Inglis and Adams agree in their criticism of Common Sense? Where would they disagree? What are Hannah Griffitts's message and intended audience in her poem? In what ways does she agree with Inglis? with Adams? What is the fate of a man of moderation, according to Griffitts?

Who has replaced the moderate voice in public discourse? What other commentators stress this development as a great danger of the times? Compose a discussion between Paine and Inglis (perhaps moderated by John Adams) in the mid 1780s, after the treaty ending the Revolution but before the writing of the U.S. Constitution. Do research to learn the situations of the three men at the time. Framing Questions What rebellions and "civil wars" occurred within the colonies as war approached in the mid 1770s? How did colonists express and debate their differing opinions? How did they deal with political opponents? What caused the moderate voice to fade from the political arena? What led Americans to support or oppose the ultimate goal of independence? Printing " Was the American Revolution Inevitable? ," not-to-miss teachable essay by Prof. Francis D. Cogliano, University of Edinburgh (BBC) Teaching the Revolution , valuable overview essay by Prof. Carol Berkin, Baruch College (CUNY) 1Robert A.

Ferguson, The American Enlightenment, 1750-1820 (Harvard University Press, 1994; paper ed., 1997), p. 113. Images: – Title pages of Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776, in English and German. Courtesy of the American Antiquarian Society. Digital images accessed through Early American Imprints, Docs. 43120 & 14963, American Antiquarian Society with Readex/NewsBank. – Title page of Charles Inglis, The Deceiver Unmasked, publication, 1776. Reproduced by permission of the New-York Historical Society. Digital image accessed through Early American Imprints, Doc. 43050, American Antiquarian Society with Readex/NewsBank. – Portrait of Thomas Paine, lithograph by Henry John Bufford, ca. 1850, courtesy of the New York Public Library, EM 2937. – Portrait of Rev. Charles Inglis, oil on canvas by Richard Field, 1810.

National Portrait Gallery, UK; given by the sitter's grandson, Thomas Cochran Inglis, 1895. NPG 1023. Reproduced by permission. Banner image: Original Declaration of Independence, parchment, 1776 (detail); on exhibit in the Rotunda of the National Archives, Washington, DC. Courtesy of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. *PDF file - You will need software on your computer that allows you to read and print Portable Document Format (PDF) files, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this software, you may download it FREE from Adobe's Web site. Thomas Paine's Influence on the American Revolution - Sons of the American Revolution, Connecticut Thomas Paine's Influence on the American Revolution by Alison - CTSSAR Winner of the Knight Essay Contest, 2000 "These are the times that try men's soul's. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and women" These famous words from The American Crisis written by Thomas Paine inspired the American troops to continue their battle for independence from England.

This was neither the beginning nor the end of Paine's involvement in the American Revolution.. Prior to this he edited and wrote several pieces for the Pennsylvania Magazine and he wrote the famous pamphlet Common Sense. Paine also served with Washington's army and contributed money to the war effort. Paine once said that he had "a passion of patriotism" (Whitman, Page 630) Paine was born into a poor Quaker family in Thetford, England on January 29, 1737. He attended school until the age of 13 when he was forced to leave and become an apprentice. For the next 24 years of his life, Paine held various jobs. He "spent his spare time and money on books, lectures, scientific apparatus. He read widely but always seriously, worked hard at mathematics, experimented with mechanical contrivances." (Malone, Page 160) In October of 1774, luck finally came to Thomas Paine. In London, he met Benjamin Franklin who encouraged Paine to move to America. Paine took Franklin's advice and immediately moved. In America, Paine wrote for the Pennsylvania Magazine and within 6 months became the editor.

Ironically, "he never learned to write faultlessly grammatical English." (Malone, Page 159) Paine wrote many articlesencouraging the abolition of slavery and the colonial fight for independence from England. Paine soon became obsessed with the American Colonies flight for independence from Great Britain. In 1776, Paine wrote Common Sense, a 79-page pamphlet in which he offered "nothing more than simple facts, plain arguments, and common sense" on the idea of American independence from England. He questioned the English monarchy and the English Parliament. He stated, To say that the Commons is a check upon the king, presupposes... that the king is not to be trusted without being looked after," (Paine Common Sense, Page 553) Within 3 months Common Sense sold 120,000 copies in America alone, not to mention sales in European countries such as England and France. This pamphlet inspired many people to get involved in the strive for independence. It also prepared the colonists for the Declaration of Independence, written later that year. Thomas Paine did not only use his pen to support patriotism.

He also served with Washington’s Army "during the retreat across the Jersies." (Encyclopedia..., Page 66) However it was his pen that lifted the spirits of the soldiers in The Crisis papers, released between December 1776 and April 1783. In the papers, Paine spoke out against the loyalists and inspired the colonists to continue to fight. Paine made very little money from the success of his writing. He was appointed secretary to Congress Committee on Foreign Affairs, but after 2 years was removed. Fortunately, he was appointed clerk of the Assembly in Pennsylvania, where he "wrote the preamble to the state's law abolishing slavery." (Encyclopedia..., Page 66) Selflessly, Paine offered financial help to Washington's army by donating $500 from his small savings to the army. Paine continued to write for the good of America. He wrote the pamphlet, Public Good, to help the ratification of the Articles of Confederation. He also wrote letters to the Providence Gazette and Country Journal to encourage Rhode Island to approve a national tariff that would put more money in the treasury.

At the end of the American Revolution, on April 19, 1783 he ended The Crisis papers with the line, "The times that tried men's souls" are over-and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew, gloriously and happily accomplished." (Encyclopedia... Page 66-67) Paine decided to bring his talent for journalism overseas to England and France. There he wrote pieces such as The Rights of Man, Letter to George Washington, and The Age of Reason, which inspired democratic governments, freedom of thought, and religion, respectively. Throughout his life Thomas Paine encouraged free thinking and standing up for one's beliefs. He believed that all people have the right to be free. Paine exposed his thoughts to the world through his Writing. He had a profound influence on the American Revolution and on many people in America and Europe. Thomas Paine proved that it does not matter what class you are born into, or how great a formal education you receive. What matters is what is in your mind and heart. Primary Sources: Paine, Thomas "The American Crisis"" Heritage of American Literature Beginnings to the Civil War. Editor-James E.

Miller, Jr., Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Collage Publisher, 1991 Paine, Thomas "Common Sense." Heritage of American Literature-Beginnings to the Civil War. Editor-James E. Miller, Jr., Fort Worth: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Collage Publisher, 1991 Secondary Sources: "Thomas Paine." Encyclopedia of World Biography. Second Edition "Thomas Paine." American Reformers. Ed. Alden Whitman; New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 1985 "Thomas Paine." Dictionary of American Biography. Ed. Dumas Malone; New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1934 Thomas Paine (Author of Common Sense) edit data Thomas Paine was an English-American political activist, author, political theorist and revolutionary. As the author of two highly influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, he inspired the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era rhetoric of transnational human rights. He has been called "a corset maker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination".

Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution. His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), Thomas Paine was an English-American political activist, author, political theorist and revolutionary. As the author of two highly influential pamphlets at the start of the American Revolution, he inspired the Patriots in 1776 to declare independence from Britain. His ideas reflected Enlightenment-era rhetoric of transnational human rights. He has been called "a corset maker by trade, a journalist by profession, and a propagandist by inclination". Born in Thetford, England, in the county of Norfolk, Paine emigrated to the British American colonies in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin, arriving just in time to participate in the American Revolution.

His principal contributions were the powerful, widely read pamphlet Common Sense (1776), the all-time best-selling American book that advocated colonial America's independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, and The American Crisis (1776–83), a pro-revolutionary pamphlet series. Common Sense was so influential that John Adams said, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain." Paine lived in France for most of the 1790s, becoming deeply involved in the French Revolution. He wrote the Rights of Man (1791), in part a defence of the French Revolution against its critics. His attacks on British writer Edmund Burke led to a trial and conviction in absentia in 1792 for the crime of seditious libel. In 1792, despite not being able to speak French, he was elected to the French National Convention. The Girondists regarded him as an ally. Consequently, the Montagnards, especially Robespierre, regarded him as an enemy. In December 1793, he was arrested and imprisoned in Paris, then released in 1794.

He became notorious because of his pamphlet The Age of Reason (1793–94), in which he advocated deism, promoted reason and freethinking, and argued against institutionalized religion in general and Christian doctrine in particular. He also wrote the pamphlet Agrarian Justice (1795), discussing the origins of property, and introduced the concept of a guaranteed minimum income. In 1802, he returned to America where he died on June 8, 1809. Only six people attended his funeral as he had been ostracized for his ridicule of Christianity. ...more Thomas Paine - American Revolution - HISTORY.com Google ‘I know not whether any man in the world has had more influence on its inhabitants or affairs for the last thirty years than Tom Paine.’ So wrote John Adams in 1805. In an age of political pamphleteering, Paine had become the most influential pamphleteer of all. His writings remain classic statements of the egalitarian, democratic faith of the Age of Revolution. Paine’s origins lay among the lower orders of eighteenth-century England.

The son of a Quaker corset maker, he practiced his father’s trade and then worked as an excise tax collector. His father’s religion undoubtedly influenced Paine’s humanitarianism, and a strong interest in Newtonian science helped him develop a hatred for governments that rested on hereditary privilege. Paine immigrated to Philadelphia in 1774 and soon became acquainted with advocates of political change. In January 1776, he published Common Sense, the first pamphlet to advocate American independence. It outlined ideas that would remain central to Paine’s thought: the superiority of republican government over a monarchical system, equality of rights among all citizens, and the world significance of the American Revolution . Paine transformed the struggle over the rights of English people into a contest with meaning for people everywhere. In a world ‘overrun with oppression,’ America would be ‘an asylum for mankind.’ Common Sense sold perhaps 150,000 copies in 1776, a tribute to both the persuasiveness of Paine’s argument and the clarity and power of his literary style. Addressing a mass audience unfamiliar with legal precedents, classical learning, and complex rhetoric, Paine strove for simplicity.

The message conveyed by his style was of a piece with his democratic politics: to understand the nature of politics, all it takes is common sense. For the next several years, Paine threw himself into the struggle for independence, writing the Crisis papers (which begin with the famous phrase, ‘These are the times that try men’s souls’) to bolster the morale of Washington’s army. He also took part in the movement that produced in Pennsylvania the era’s most democratic state constitution. Returning to Europe in 1787, Paine soon entered the political debate launched by the French Revolution . His Rights of Man defended the revolution against the attacks of Edmund Burke and proffered a new vision of the republican state as a promoter of the social welfare, advocating such policies as progressive taxation, retirement benefits, and public employment. An even greater success than Common Sense, Rights of Man transformed English radicalism, linking demands for political reform with a social program for the lower classes. Charged with seditious libel for advocating an end to monarchy in Britain, Paine fled to France, where he became one of a handful of foreigners elected to the National Convention.

His opposition to the execution of the king alienated the Jacobins, and when they came to power, Paine found himself in prison. After his release in 1794, he produced his last great pamphlets: The Age of Reason, an exposition of deism and an attack on the basic principles of Christianity, and Agrarian Justice, a call for land reform. After his return to America in 1802, Paine came under constant assault by evangelical Christians for his deist writings. Only six mourners attended the funeral of the man who had once inspired millions to think in new ways about the world. But Paine’s writings became part of the intellectual foundation for nineteenth-century radicalism. The Reader’s Companion to American History. Eric Foner and John A. Garraty, Editors. Copyright © 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Tags Thomas Paine's Common Sense [ushistory.org] 10f. Thomas Paine's Common Sense Thomas Paine Americans could not break their ties with Britain easily. Despite all the recent hardships, the majority of colonists since birth were reared to believe that England was to be loved and its monarch revered.

Fear was another factor. Any student of history was familiar with the harsh manner the British employed on Irish rebels. A revolution could bring mob rule, and no one, not even the potential mob, wanted that. Furthermore, despite taxes, times were good. Arguments can be made that average American was more prosperous than the average Briton. Yet there were the terrible injustices the colonists could not forget. Americans were divided against themselves. Arguments for independence were growing. Thomas Paine would provide the extra push. Common Sense Common Sense was an instant best-seller. Published in January 1776 in Philadelphia, nearly 120,000 copies were in circulation by April. Paine's brilliant arguments were straightforward. He argued for two main points: (1) independence from England and (2) the creation of a democratic republic. Paine avoided flowery prose. He wrote in the language of the people, often quoting the Bible in his arguments. Most people in America had a working knowledge of the Bible, so his arguments rang true. Paine was not religious, but he knew his readers were. King George was "the Pharaoh of England" and "the Royal Brute of Great Britain." He touched a nerve in the American countryside.

A Real Paine for the British Beside attacks on George III, he called for the establishment of a republic. Even patriot leaders like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams condemned Paine as an extremist on the issue of a post-independence government. Still, Common Sense grew the patriot cause. It made no difference to the readers that Paine was a new arrival to America. Published anonymously, many readers attributed it to John Adams, who denied involvement. In the end, his prose was common sense. Why should tiny England rule the vastness of a continent? How can colonists expect to gain foreign support while still professing loyalty to the British king? How much longer can Americans stand for the repeated abuses of the Crown? All these questions led many readers to one answer as the summer of 1776 drew near. The Declaration of Independence About Watch and Favorite Watch Watching this resources will notify you when proposed changes or new versions are created so you can keep track of improvements that have been made. Favorite Favoriting this resource allows you to save it in the “My Resources” tab of your account. There, you can easily access this resource later when you’re ready to customize it or assign it to your students.

The Declaration of Independence In 1776, revolution was fomented by Thomas Paine, who wrote Common Sense; and by Abigail Adams, who advocated for women's rights. Both individuals influenced the development of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Learning Objective Identify the key points in the Declaration of Independence Key Points Common Sense , a pro-revolutionary pamphlet written by Thomas Paine , brought the subject of independence and the ideas of republicanism into public discourse. Common Sense was widely read in the year of its publication and bolstered enlistment in the Continental Army . Abigail Adams raised questions about the future role for women in the Republic and publicly brought this issue to her husband John Adams during his participation in the Second Continental Congress . Paine donated the royalties from Common Sense to George Washington 's Continental Army. Abigail Adams asked John Adams to consider representation for women in the new republic. Terms Common Sense Common Sense is the title of a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine that was published anonymously at the beginning of the American Revolution, advocating for colonial independence from Great Britain in plain language that made the message accessible to the common people of America.

Development of the Declaration of Independence On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a three-part resolution to Congress. His motion called upon Congress to declare independence, form foreign alliances, and prepare a plan for colonial confederation. Lee’s resolution was met with debate. Opponents of Lee’s resolution argued that although reconciliation with Great Britain was unlikely, the timing was premature to declare independence and Congress ought to focus on securing foreign aid . Proponents of Lee’s resolution, however, argued that foreign governments were unlikely to grant aid to a party to an internal British struggle, making a formal declaration of independence even more urgent. Moreover, many members of Congress already viewed the 13 colonies as de facto independent, making the declaration a mere formality rather than a revolutionary break from what already had been. The debate remained heated, with some members of Congress threatening to leave should such a resolution be adopted, so the motion was tabled for three weeks. In the meantime, it was decided that a committee should be formed to draft a document announcing and explaining colonial independence should Lee’s resolution eventually be approved.

The text of the Declaration of Independence was drafted by a “Committee of Five” appointed by Congress, which consisted of John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania , Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York , and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. Jefferson was chosen by the committee as the primary author after a general outline was agreed to amongst the five, and a draft was presented to Congress on June 28, 1776. The official title given to the document was “A Declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled.” For two days following, the document was edited by Congress, the principal change being a moderation of Jefferson’s claim that Britain had forced slavery in the colonies. Notable Figures of the Revolutionary Era Beyond the Second Congress, many colonists shared concerns about British rule and what independence would mean for the future. Thomas Paine and Abigail Adams were two distinct, populist voices upholding the cause of independence during this time. Thomas Paine In January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pro-independence pamphlet entitled Common Sense, which became an overnight sensation.

This work presented the American colonists with an argument for freedom from British rule at a time when the question of independence was still undecided. To escape governmental censure for its treasonous content, Paine published Common Sense anonymously. The pamphlet sold as many as 120,000 copies in the first three months, 500,000 in the first year, and went through 25 editions in the first year of publication. Paine donated his royalties from Common Sense to George Washington's Continental Army. Though the themes of the pamphlet were familiar to the elite who comprised Congress and the leadership cadre of the emerging nation, Common Sense was a crucial tool for increasing popular discourse concerning independence. This pamphlet was responsible for broadly disseminating the idea of republicanism, bolstering enthusiasm for separation from Britain, and encouraging recruitment for the Continental Army. Abigail Adams Abigail Adams was an advocate for married women's property rights and greater opportunity for women, particularly in respect to education. Adams was particularly interested in what implications independence from Britain held for women and women's rights. Abigail Adams was greatly concerned about the role of women in the new republic.

In March 1776, Adams addressed her husband, John Adams, and the Continental Congress in a letter in which she requested that they, "remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation." Women and Independence For the most part, revolutionary-era women’s contributions to politics were limited to the private realm and women were dependent upon male relatives to voice their concerns and opinions in the public realm through a centuries-old practice termed coverture. However, women were also increasingly put in the position of educating future generations in the ways of republicanism during this time. The " Republican Motherhood" came to encompass the concept that women played a role in instilling civil values and morality in their husbands and children. In this way, Republican Motherhood , though still relegating women’s contributions to the domestic , or private sphere , raised the importance of women’s civic contributions on a national level and encouraged the further education of women.

Milestones: 1776–1783 - Office of the Historian Milestones: 1776–1783 The Declaration of Independence, 1776 By issuing the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain. The Declaration summarized the colonists’ motivations for seeking independence. By declaring themselves an independent nation, the American colonists were able to confirm an official alliance with the Government of France and obtain French assistance in the war against Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence Throughout the 1760s and early 1770s, the North American colonists found themselves increasingly at odds with British imperial policies regarding taxation and frontier policy . When repeated protests failed to influence British policies, and instead resulted in the closing of the port of Boston and the declaration of martial law in Massachusetts, the colonial governments sent delegates to a Continental Congress to coordinate a colonial boycott of British goods. When fighting broke out between American colonists and British forces in Massachusetts, the Continental Congress worked with local groups, originally intended to enforce the boycott, to coordinate resistance against the British.

British officials throughout the colonies increasingly found their authority challenged by informal local governments, although loyalist sentiment remained strong in some areas. Despite these changes, colonial leaders hoped to reconcile with the British Government, and all but the most radical members of Congress were unwilling to declare independence. However, in late 1775, Benjamin Franklin, then a member of the Secret Committee of Correspondence, hinted to French agents and other European sympathizers that the colonies were increasingly leaning towards seeking independence. While perhaps true, Franklin also hoped to convince the French to supply the colonists with aid. Independence would be necessary, however, before French officials would consider the possibility of an alliance. Throughout the winter of 1775–1776, the members of the Continental Congress came to view reconciliation with Britain as unlikely, and independence the only course of action available to them. When on December 22, 1775, the British Parliament prohibited trade with the colonies, Congress responded in April of 1776 by opening colonial ports—this was a major step towards severing ties with Britain.

The colonists were aided by the January publication of Thomas Paine’s pamphlet Common Sense, which advocated the colonies’ independence and was widely distributed throughout the colonies. By February of 1776, colonial leaders were discussing the possibility of forming foreign alliances and began to draft the Model Treaty that would serve as a basis for the 1778 alliance with France. Leaders for the cause of independence wanted to make certain that they had sufficient congressional support before they would bring the issue to the vote. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion in Congress to declare independence. Other members of Congress were amenable but thought some colonies not quite ready. However, Congress did form a committee to draft a declaration of independence and assigned this duty to Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Paine Benjamin Franklin and John Adams reviewed Jefferson’s draft. They preserved its original form, but struck passages likely to meet with controversy or skepticism, most notably passages blaming King George III for the transatlantic slave trade and those blaming the British people rather than their government. The committee presented the final draft before Congress on June 28, 1776, and Congress adopted the final text of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.

The British Government did its best to dismiss the Declaration as a trivial document issued by disgruntled colonists. British officials commissioned propagandists to highlight the declaration’s flaws and to rebut the colonists’ complaints. The Declaration divided British domestic opposition, as some American sympathizers thought the Declaration had gone too far, but in British-ruled Ireland it had many supporters. The Declaration’s most important diplomatic effect was to allow for recognition of the United States by friendly foreign governments. The Sultan of Morocco mentioned American ships in a consular document in 1777, but Congress had to wait until the 1778 Treaty of Alliance with France for a formal recognition of U.S. independence. The Netherlands acknowledged U.S. independence in 1782. Although Spain joined the war against Great Britain in 1779, it did not recognize U.S. independence until the 1783 Treaty of Paris . Under the terms of the treaty, which ended the War of the American Revolution, Great Britain officially acknowledged the United States as a sovereign and independent nation.

Question: Which American revolutionary leader wrote the influential pamphlet "Common Sense" in 1776?
Answer: Thomas Paine