Final answer:
The pamphlet Common Sense by Thomas Paine was a key publication that condemned the system of monarchy and advocated for an American republic. It criticized King George III and helped shift the colonial focus towards the creation of a new government based on elected representation and popular sovereignty.
Step-by-step explanation:
Influential Pamphlet Condemning Monarchy
The influential pamphlet that condemned the system of monarchy was Common Sense by Thomas Paine. Published in January 1776, Common Sense not only attacked the concept of the Divine Right of Kings but also criticized King George III, branding him a "royal brute." This pamphlet played a fundamental role in shifting colonial discontent from the British Parliament to the monarchy itself, advocating for an American republic free of hereditary rule.
Paine's writing captured the sentiment of Enlightenment ideals and was an outright rejection of the existing monarchal system, urging for a government that rested on the principles of republicanism and popular sovereignty. The pamphlet was written in simple, accessible language and became exceptionally popular, influencing many colonists to embrace the idea of independence and reject British rule. Paine argued that governance should be in the hands of elected representatives, not a hereditary monarch, which resonated with the American public's desire for a more democratic political order.
Common Sense was a pivotal publication that helped to crystallize revolutionary fervor, eventually leading to the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation predicated on republican values. Along with laying out the philosophical arguments for self-governance, Paine also discussed practical concerns, such as the economic disadvantages imposed by the British, further justifying the need for independence and a new form of government.