Episode 156: The Power of the Press in the American Revolution

by Liz CovartOctober 17, 2017

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How did Americans find out about the Revolution?

What effect did printed materials like newspapers, pamphlets, and books have on shaping the debate about independence? And just how big of a role did Thomas Paine’s Common Sense play in causing Americans to declare their independence from Great Britain?

In this episode of the Doing History: To the Revolution! series, we explore these question with four scholars of Revolutionary communication: Alec Zuercher Reichardt, Eric Slauter, Seth Cotlar, and Trish Loughran.

About the Series

The mission of episodes in the Doing History: To the Revolution series. is to ask not just “what is the history of the American Revolution?” but “what are the histories of the American Revolution?”

The Doing History series explores early American history and how historians work. It’s produced by the Omohundro Institute.

Be sure to check out Doing History season 1, Doing History: How Historians Work.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

In this episode of the Doing History: To the Revolution! series, we explore the role the press played in fomenting and furthering the American Revolution and its ideas.

Alyssa Zuercher Reichardt, Eric Slauter, Seth Coltar, and Trish Loughran help us investigate the power of the press and communications in the American Revolution and the specific role that Thomas Paine and his pamphlet Common Sense played in causing Americans to declare their independence from Great Britain.

What You’ll Discover

Colonial correspondence within British North America
How colonists received news and information from around British North America
How colonists communicated with Europe
Role of the post office in British North America
How imperial warfare between Great Britain and France impacted the flow of information in North America
Pamphlets in the mid-to-late 18th century
Why Thomas Paine chose to write pamphlets and publish in colonial newspapers
How early Americans read pamphlets, newspapers, and other materials
Pamphlet reprinting
How scholars use reprinting to measure the popularity of pamphlets
How books make revolutions
 Thomas Paine
Why Paine emigrated to Pennsylvania
Types of work Paine undertook upon emigrating to Philadelphia
Why Paine entered the American political debate in late 1775
Paine’s “common sense”
Why Paine rejected the idea of American reconciliation with Great Britain
The Loyalist campaign against Paine and independence
Common Sense as the turning point of the Revolution
Thomas Paine’s broad portrayal of the American Revolution
Why Paine thought the colonies would unite for independence
Paine’s dispute with his printer, Robert Bell
Publication of Common Sense
Whether Common Sense was really a bestseller