A Brief History On January 10, 1776, the pamphlet Common Sense by American patriot Thomas Paine was published.  This persuasive document was widely read by Americans, encouraged to declare independence from an overbearing British colonial government.  Some books, pamphlets, manifestos, essays, and other written documents over the years have helped mold History.  Today, we list 12 of those important works. Digging Deeper 1.  Common Sense, Thomas Paine, 1776. Paine was a radical with little patience of tolerance of those that disagreed with him, and his forceful writings helped convince Americans to finally revolt against British rule. Common Sense is perhaps…