Common Sense

A special gift edition of one of the most important and influential documents in our nation’s history—featured in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Hamilton: An American Musical—stylishly packaged for twenty-first-century readers.

According to John Adams, "Without the pen of the author of Common Sense, the sword of Washington would have been raised in vain." With Common Sense, Thomas Paine energized colonial support for the armed rebellion that would make the American experiment a reality, using common sense to argue for colonial independence. Today, this cornerstone of the American Revolution has once again been rediscovered by ardent fans of the wildly popular and transformative Broadway musical Hamilton, which features Common Sense prominently in one of its opening numbers.

Originally published 240 years ago, Paine’s groundbreaking pamphlet remains relevant for every American today. Written for the restless populous of 1776, Common Sense questioned the authority of King George III and was the first work to openly champion the American colonies’ independence from Great Britain.

Containing the original text and spelling along with a brief description of Paine, this special gift edition is stylishly packaged with a striking cloth-like case that mimics an embroidered sampler, with raised embossing to make the stitching feel authentic. The cover design combines colonial patterns with a contemporary color palette to appeal to both serious history readers as well as fans of pop culture. The back cover includes praise from key historical figures of the Revolution (who also happen to be characters in the musical).

Outlining the revolutionary roots of our nation’s founding, Common Sense is essential reading for Americans of all stripes who, like their forefathers, find themselves in times that try their souls, and are now discovering their own rebellious spirit.

This foundational text of American liberty lays out the clear, electrifying case for a new nation:
Political Philosophy: A blistering critique of monarchy and hereditary succession, arguing for a government built on the natural rights of man.Colonial Independence: The first and most powerful argument for the American colonies to break from Great Britain, a call to action that swayed hearts and minds across the continent.Hamilton Musical Tie-In: Rediscover the pamphlet featured in the hit musical Hamilton, and read the very words that inspired the Schuyler sisters and the revolution.A Beautiful Gift Edition: Perfect for any history enthusiast, this edition features a unique cloth-like, embossed cover designed to look and feel like a colonial embroidered sampler.American History Cornerstone: Praised by John Adams as essential to the revolution, this is the document that gave a voice to the cause and paved the way for the Declaration of Independence.