Thomas Paine's pamphlet Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence both led Americans to move toward independence vis-à-vis -with regard to the British decision. Paine's common sense was the product of one man's ideas and was easily understood by the common man. The pamphlets gave hope to Washington during the worst times of the war. Jefferson's Declaration was a declaration of the people and for the people. The aim of the Declaration was to break away from the constraints of being governed by Britain. The colonies had good reason to want to break free from Britain and establish a new government. Britain did not listen to complaints about the way it governed. Thomas Paine published Common Sense in 1776, anonymously, probably because there was no freedom of the press at that time. It was immediately a bestseller in the colonies as well as in Europe. His pamphlet made ordinary people aware of the problems with the British and how they were power hungry to control the colonies. Paine's two major points in Common Sense were independence from England and the creation of a democratic republic. His writings appealed to people because of the way he wrote them. He used the language of the people and made numerous biblical quotes. Although Paine was not religious, he knew that readers were. (Common Sense by Thomas Paine, 2008-2014) His introduction in Common Sense remains relevant today. “The cause of America is, in large measure, the cause of all humanity. Many circumstances have arisen and will arise, which are not local, but universal, and by which the principles of all the lovers of mankind are affected, and in which case their affections are interested. The pose of a country desolate by fire and ...... middle of paper ...... as if writing empty words. He lived in a state dependent on slavery and the ruling class felt the same way. He did not follow his ideas to the end, but he laid down fundamental principles for the future. The difference between Thomas Paine's Common Sense and Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence is that the Declaration was carefully crafted by a number of people involving the thirteen colonies. Yet to this day it remains one of the greatest political documents of all time. Paine's pamphlet got people thinking about what the colonies were facing and the goal was to get people talking. He criticized the inept manner in which the British attempted to govern America. However, what gave the Declaration of Independence greater effect was because it was a mission statement to the world, affirming that America is becoming an independent nation. and she deserves the rights she deserves..