Comparison Paper Instructions
For this assignment, you will read the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and
Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802. Once you have read these founding
documents and Jefferson’s letter, you will write a 2–3-page paper (double-spaced, 1-inch
margins) adhering to the format specified in the Course Style Guidelines document, comparing
each of them. When comparing the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, pay
particular attention to the themes apparent in both documents and comment on which document
came first and why that is important.
You must also answer the question, “What do you think the signers of the Declaration of
Independence and the U.S. Constitution thought about the separation of church and state or
about the separation of God from government?” (Note: these are not the same thing.)