Getting Hammered® #Todayin1776: Ben Franklin Talking About "Common Sense"
Feb 19, 2026
A lively look at how a fiery pamphlet spread through the colonies and stirred public opinion. A historic letter links two key Revolutionary figures and reveals early networks of influence. Brief notes touch on international troop concerns and elite praise for the pamphlet's impact.
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Episode notes
America 250 Context And Pamphlet Scale
- Mary Katharine Ham frames the episode as part of an America 250 series reading founders' documents.
- She notes Common Sense was a 47-page pamphlet that sold hundreds of thousands of copies in colonies of roughly 2.5 million people.
Common Sense's Wide Influence
- Thomas Paine's Common Sense crystallized colonial discontent and sold widely after its January 10, 1776 release in Philadelphia.
- Mary Katharine Ham highlights that it influenced not just citizens but founders like Benjamin Franklin and generals such as Charles Lee.
Elite Praise Amplified Its Reach
- Charles Lee and other elites praised Common Sense, with Lee calling it a "masterly, irresistible performance."
- The pamphlet won admiration among military and political leaders, boosting its influence.
