Overview
- Published on Jan. 10, 1776, Thomas Paine’s pamphlet helped move colonists from hopes of reconciliation to demands for independence by attacking monarchy as corrupt and urging a full break with Britain.
- The Museum of the American Revolution is marking the anniversary by displaying an early copy of Common Sense in Philadelphia.
- A D.C. memorial authorized in 2022 was recommended for a National Mall site in September 2024 and now needs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s approval before the plan returns to Congress.
- The Interior Department declined to comment on timing; if approved, the project would face a 2030 completion deadline and must be funded primarily through private donations.
- Paine’s reach was broad though exact circulation figures are disputed, and his later work The Age of Reason helped fuel a long-running, mixed legacy among admirers and critics.