Thomas Paine's Common Sense inspired the colonists to fight to overthrow the British because of its persuasive argument on why the colonists should fight and lead a revolution. Paine used religious imagery and arguments to persuade colonists that the American Colonists must seek freedom and to overthrow their colonial oppressors the British. He laid out simple and understandable arguments about why this was necessary. It was very persuasive and was widely read around the colonies.