Thomas Paine published Common Sense in January 1776, when many American colonists still debated whether they should seek independence from Britain or reconcile with the Crown. Paine argued directly against monarchy and called for the colonies to break away and establish their own government.
The pamphlet quickly spread through the colonies because Paine used simple, direct language rather than the dense political writing common at the time. The National Archives says Common Sense helped inspire revolutionaries across the 13 colonies, while historians have credited it with helping shift public opinion towards independence.
George Washington himself acknowledged the pamphlet's impact. In a 1776 letter to Joseph Reed, Washington wrote that Common Sense was “working a powerful change” in the minds of many people. Washington also said he had received private letters from Virginia showing the pamphlet's growing influence.
That letter offers a direct contemporary indication of how Washington viewed Paine's work. It also shows why Paine's influence extended beyond ordinary readers and reached the revolutionary leadership.
Paine later attacked organised religion
Paine's political writing was not his only controversial work. Years after Common Sense , he published The Age of Reason , in which he challenged established religious institutions while still declaring his belief in God.
In the book, Paine wrote, “I believe in one God, and no more,” before rejecting the creeds of established churches. He then described national church institutions as “human inventions” created to “terrify and enslave mankind” and monopolise power and profit. The University of Virginia's edition of The Age of Reason preserves the passage from Paine's original work.
Paine's attack on organised religion damaged his reputation among many Americans. The US National Archives notes that his criticism of organised religion played a major role in shaping his later legacy, even as his earlier revolutionary writings remained highly influential.
His relationship with Washington also deteriorated later in life. Paine eventually attacked Washington after becoming angry over his treatment during Paine's imprisonment in France. By the time Paine returned to the United States, much of the popularity he had enjoyed during the Revolution had faded.
Only six people attended Paine's funeral
Paine died in New York City on June 8, 1809, decades after Common Sense had helped make him one of the best-known political writers of the American Revolution.
His final years looked very different from his revolutionary fame. When his body was taken for burial at his farm near New Rochelle, only six people accompanied it. The Thomas Paine Historical Association records the six-person cortege, while other historical accounts also document the unusually small funeral.
The small gathering reflected how far Paine's public standing had fallen. His attacks on organised Christianity, political controversies and later clashes with former allies had turned a once-celebrated revolutionary writer into a deeply polarising figure.
The contrast remains striking: a writer whose Common Sense helped push a nation towards independence had George Washington publicly acknowledge its powerful effect on public opinion, yet only six mourners accompanied Paine to his grave when he died 33 years later.
