Who wrote the pamphlet 'Common Sense'?

• A. Benjamin Franklin
• B. John Locke
• C. Thomas Paine
• D. Thomas Jefferson

Answer: (C)

The key idea here is identifying who authored a pamphlet that played a major role in rallying support for American independence. Common Sense was written by Thomas Paine in 1776 and published anonymously at first. Paine argued forcefully for breaking with Britain and establishing a republic, using plain, persuasive language that reached a broad audience. Its accessible style helped spread revolutionary ideas quickly and energized colonists to pursue independence.

Benjamin Franklin was a leading figure of the era who supported colonial rights, but he did not write Common Sense. John Locke’s political philosophy influenced Paine’s arguments, but Locke did not author the pamphlet. Thomas Jefferson later penned the Declaration of Independence, but not Common Sense.