Question

How did Thomas Paine's Common Sense influence the colonists' view?

A. It gave them the idea that everyone is entitled to certain natural rights.
B. It led them to create a government based on a separation of powers among different branches.
C. It encouraged them to declare their independence from Great Britain.
D. It established the idea that government power should be limited.

Answer 1

Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' played a significant role in shaping colonial America's desire for independence from Great Britain, encouraging colonists to pursue a path free from monarchial rule.

Step-by-step explanation:

Thomas Paine's Common Sense and Colonial Views

Thomas Paine's influential pamphlet Common Sense had a profound effect on the colonists' views. Published in January 1776, Paine's work articulated the shortcomings of the British monarchy and advocated for American independence.

Its simple yet persuasive arguments emphasized the natural rights of individuals and the failures of the British government to meet its duties to the American colonies. Paine argued that a hereditary monarchy was unjust and unnecessary, and that the colonies no longer needed British rule.

Common Sense became a catalyst for the shift in public opinion towards independence. Therefore, the correct answer to how Thomas Paine's Common Sense influenced the colonists' view is C. It encouraged them to declare their independence from Great Britain.