Which pamphleteer wrote Common Sense, influencing revolutionary thinking?

• A. Thomas Paine
• B. Thomas Jefferson
• C. George Mason
• D. George Washington

Answer: (A)

Common Sense argued for independence from Britain and was written by Thomas Paine. Paine, an English-born writer who settled in the colonies, published the pamphlet in 1776 and used clear, direct language to reach everyday readers. He challenged the legitimacy of monarchy and hereditary rule, explained why breaking with Britain would benefit the colonies, and urged the creation of a republic based on equal rights. The work circulated widely and helped shift public opinion toward independence, contributing to the push that led to the Declaration of Independence later that year. Thomas Jefferson, by contrast, drafted the Declaration of Independence, while George Mason and George Washington were important leaders and contributors in different ways, but did not author Common Sense.