Final answer:
Thomas Paine's 'Common Sense' played a critical role in convincing ordinary people to support the push for American independence from British rule.
Step-by-step explanation:
An important effect of Thomas Paine's Common Sense was that it persuaded many ordinary people to support independence from Great Britain. Paine's work was foundational in shifting public sentiment towards the creation of an independent nation by questioning the legitimacy of monarchy and presenting the idea of a republic where citizens hold the true power. The pamphlet's simplification of complex ideas into direct language made the arguments for independence accessible to a broad audience, enabling them to comprehend the economic and philosophical reasons for a revolution against British rule.