Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' reshaped American debate 250 years ago

Thomas Paine published the 48-page pamphlet Common Sense on Jan. 10, 1776, and it sold about 120,000 copies in its first three months and roughly 500,000 by the end of the Revolutionary War.

Thomas Paine published the pamphlet Common Sense on Jan. 10, 1776. The booklet was 48 pages long and was printed in Philadelphia. At that time the 13 American colonies had not yet declared independence from Great Britain. The pamphlet reached a wide readership during the Revolutionary era. Key facts: - Published on Jan. 10, 1776. - A 48-page pamphlet printed in Philadelphia. - Sold about 120,000 copies in its first three months. - Reached about 500,000 copies by the end of the Revolutionary War. - The colonial population (excluding slaves and American Indians) was about 2.5 million, according to the National Constitution Center. Summary: It reached a substantial share of the colonial public and was reported as influencing the conversation about independence during the Revolutionary era. Undetermined at this time.