Common Sense: and The American Crisis I (Penguin Classics)

The writings that inspired the American Revolutionin an expanded new edition

Thomas PainesCommon Sensemay well be the most influential polemic in all of American history. Published anonymously in 1776, six months before the Declaration of Independence, this incendiary call for Americans to revolt against British rule converted millions to the cause of independence and set out a vision of a just society liberated from the yoke of the crown. Paines pamphlet was the first to speak directly to a mass audienceand his assertive and often caustic style embodied the democratic spirit he advocated.

This expanded edition also features PainesThe American Crisis I, the first in a series of pamphlets aimed at bolstering American morale during the Revolution. An introduction by preeminent constitutional expert Richard Beeman traces Paines origins and illuminates the significance of these writings.

For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust theseries to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-datetranslations by award-winning translators.