47 Pages

Article V

Thomas Paine's Common Sense was 47 pages long. Forty-seven pages that convinced a colony to become a nation. Hamilton delivers this post-punk anthem about the pamphlet that turned rebellion into revolution -- plain language aimed at ordinary people, arguing that sovereignty belongs to the governed, not the governors. Most Americans have never read it. The founders wrote it so they could.

For families, classrooms, and anyone who listens with curiosity.

1. 1.

   Why was it radical for Paine to write in plain language that ordinary people could understand?

2. 2.

   How did Common Sense change the debate about independence in 1776?

3. 3.

   What does it mean that sovereignty belongs to the people, not the government?

4. 4.

   Could a 47-page pamphlet change the world today? Why or why not?