NO PAINE, NO GAIN: This day in 1776 saw the first publication of Common Sense, a pamphlet written by Thomas Paine advocating independence from Great Britain to people in the Thirteen Colonies. In clear and persuasive prose, Paine marshaled moral and political arguments to encourage people to fight for egalitarian government. Common Sense made public a persuasive and impassioned case for independence, which before the pamphlet had not yet been given serious intellectual consideration. It was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time (2.5 million), it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. It remains the all-time best selling American title, and is still in print today. Historian Gordon S. Wood described Common Sense as "the most incendiary and popular pamphlet of the entire revolutionary era". #thomaspaine #thomaspainequotes #paine #americanrevolution #revolution #americanhistory #history #america https://www.instagram.com/mrdavidcperry/p/BseVqNijHqV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=saz3zppy4bg4