Which Enlightenment-era pamphlet argued for independence and republican government?

Study for the Chronological Movements in American Literature Test. Explore key literary developments with multiple-choice questions, flashcards, and detailed hints. Get ready for your exam!

The main idea here is identifying a political pamphlet from the Enlightenment that directly argues for breaking away and establishing a republic. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense fits best. Published in 1776, it makes a clear case for independence from Britain and for a republican form of government—government based on the consent of the governed and rights protected by law, not on hereditary rule or monarchy. Paine writes in plain, persuasive language aimed at common readers, arguing that liberty and practical governance are best secured by independence and a republic.

This choice stands out because the Federalist Papers, while also Enlightenment-inspired, focus on how to structure and ratify a new constitution after independence. Poor Richard’s Almanack is a collection of Franklin’s aphorisms, not a political argument for independence. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is a religious sermon from the Great Awakening. Common Sense is the pamphlet that directly advocates independence and republican government, making it the best fit.