Common Sense By Thomas Paine Summary

Common Sense was a pamphlet published in 1776 by a political philosopher and writer named Thomas Paine who was born on February 9, 1773 in Thetford, England. He voluntarily attended Thetford Grammar School from 1744 to 1779. When he reached the age of 13 he entered into an apprenticeship with his father where they made thick rope stays also called stay ropes which are used on sailing ships. Due to he’s close ties with shipping and the seas Thomas Paine decided to enlist as a privateer, before returning to Britain in 1759. After returning he became a master stay-maker, where he established a shop in Sandwich, Kent. Thomas Paine married Mary Lambert on September 27,1759. His business collapsed not far after that. When Thomas Paine’s wife became pregnant both him and his wife moved to Margate, where she went into labor, which both her and her child passed away.
Thomas Paine wrote a 49 page pamphlet called Common Sense advocating independence from Great Britain to many people in the Thirteen Colonies.
Written in persuasive and clear prose, Thomas Paine marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage many people in the Colonies to fight for egalitarian government. The pamphlet was published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution, and became a sensation immediately. The pamplet was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time, which was over 2.5 million, it had the largest sale and circulation of any book or pamphlet published in American history. As of 2006, it remains the all-time best selling American title, and is still in print
today.