2015-06-10T14:22:44-04:00. In the pamphlet Common Sense. Thomas Paine urged the American colonists to declare and fight for independence from Great Britain. Thomas Paine insisted on swift independence in his pamphlet using clear and concise language, so that the general population could read it. He wrote it in a style that was like a sermon and connected independence to Protestant beliefs at a period of time where the colonies were very religious.