The American Revolution wasn’t just fought with muskets and cannons; it was fought with media messages as well. In the 1700s, Thomas Paine was “trending.”
On January 9, 1776, a pamphlet entitled Common Sense was published in Philadelphia. Written by Thomas Paine, a recent British immigrant, it rebuked the British monarchy and argued for independence. It was widely read in the colonies at the time and became one of the most influential publications in US history.
PBS LearningMedia invites students in grades 6–12 to explore why Thomas Paine’s Common Sense “went viral” in 1776 and how his powerful words helped spark a revolution. The Ken Burns in the Classroom resource collection includes a lesson entitled “Common Sense: A Call to Revolution.” The lesson is designed to encourage inquiry and engagement by blending historical thinking with civic and digital literacy.
In the lesson, students examine how colonists accessed information, compare media influence then and now, and analyze excerpts of Common Sense from both Patriot and Loyalist perspectives. They evaluate Paine’s persuasive strategies and consider parallels to today’s influencers and attention economy. With discussion questions and a media-making extension activity, the lesson equips students to recognize emotional appeals in the past and present and empowers them to respond thoughtfully in today’s digital world.
Support materials include teaching tips, as well as discussion questions, “Note-Catcher” and primary source analysis worksheets, and a vocabulary list with definitions to aid students in analyzing Common Sense.
By embedding media literacy into social studies, teachers give students not only some historical context for better understanding how influence works today but also the practical skills to navigate and shape our contemporary media landscape.