This week in the colonial town, the residents received an important pamphlet from an anonymous author asking for a united cause against Great Britain.

It was later found to have been written by Thomas Paine and he has been credited as being the first person to truly unite the average citizens and political leaders in the North American colonies. It was issued on January 6, 1776, and sold 500 thousand copies over the following two years. It dramatically influenced American opinion and led to the revolution.