Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense”: A Call to Revolution

Explore why Thomas Paine’s Common Sense “went viral” in 1776 and how his powerful words helped spark a revolution. Designed to encourage inquiry and engagement, the resource blends historical thinking with civic and digital literacy as students examine how colonists accessed information, compare media influence then and now, and analyze excerpts of Common Sense from both Patriot and Loyalist perspectives. Students will evaluate Paine’s persuasive strategies while reading excerpts of Common Sense, considering parallels to today’s influencers and attention economy. With discussion questions and a media making extension activity, this lesson equips students to recognize emotional appeals in the past and present and empowers them to respond thoughtfully in today’s digital world. 

About the Author:
Passionate about fostering critical thinking, media literacy, and informed citizenship, Mary Kate Lonergan spent 16 years teaching middle and high school social studies before taking her current role, where she serves as the Social Studies Curriculum Specialist at Fayetteville-Manlius Central Schools. She emphasizes media literacy as a core element of the social studies curriculum. Lonergan is a KQED Media Literacy Innovator, acts as a Teacher Collaborator and consultant with Ithaca College’s Project Look Sharp, and served as a mentor-coach with the Media Education Lab’s MediaEd Institute. As a PBS certified media literacy educator, Lonergan has developed social studies and media literacy centered lesson plans featured on PBS LearningMedia, including other Ken Burns films.