Comparison Paper

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Dec 6, 2023

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1 Comparison Paper Chloe Webb Liberty University Online GOVT200 Mr. John Norris November 6, 2023

2 The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Thomas Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists are essential founding documents. These papers embody the beliefs and principles that shaped the nation, and comparing them reveals its core values. The Declaration of Independence in 1776 gave the 13 American colonies independence from Great Britain. Equality, freedom, and national autonomy are the ideology's core values. The Declaration grants life, liberty, and happiness as intrinsic rights (Jefferson, 1776). The statement states that governments are formed by consensus and that individuals can overthrow or change them if they violate their rights. The Declaration emphasizes self-determination and natural rights-based government. Jefferson's 1802 correspondence with the Danbury Baptists focused on church-state separation. Jefferson believes religious practices are personal matters and should not be regulated by the government. The First Amendment states that "Congress shall not enact any legislation that pertains to the establishment of a religion, or that hinders the unrestricted practice thereof." (Library of Congress, 2019, p. 2). Jefferson stressed the freedom of conscience from government and religion in his letter. The 1787 Constitution underpins US law and government. The preamble aims to promote communal welfare, fairness, domestic tranquility, a better union, and individual freedom for present and future generations (National Archives, 2018). The Constitution defines the federal legislative, executive, and judicial branches and their powers and limits. The Constitution covers legislators, elections, and amendments. The division of powers, legal supremacy, and individual liberty are central to this worldview. Both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution stress individual rights. The Declaration states that everyone has unalienable rights, whereas the Constitution protects

3 individual liberties with the Bill of Rights (National Archives, 2018). They emphasize that governments are authorized by the governed (Jefferson, 1776). The Declaration states that people have the right to overthrow unjust regimes, while the Constitution establishes representative democracy. Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists supports the First Amendment's religious freedom and church-state separation. These documents emphasize religious liberty and government noninterference (Library of Congress, 2019). The rule of law and separation of powers between the three institutions of government ensure that no one has unchecked power under the Constitution. This notion is essential for government balance and individual liberties. The signatories of the US Constitution and Declaration of Independence disagreed on religion, the state, and God-government ties. History, culture, personal experiences, and ideology shaped viewpoints. Bible beliefs shape their views. The Declaration of Independence signatories wanted to keep America and Great Britain apart. Church-state separation may be questioned because the Declaration of Independence does not specifically mention biblical individual liberty (Jefferson, 1776). The Declaration of Independence's claim that all people are equal and have unalienable rights supports the idea that human dignity comes from being fashioned in God's image. Religious-government connections are not addressed in the Declaration, which emphasizes political and civil liberties. Numerous signatories were devout, which may have shaped their views on God in governance. Unlike the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution has a clear government. The Bill of Rights First Amendment protects religious freedom and church-state separation.

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4 The authors of the Constitution believed that the government should not interfere in religious affairs, which is consistent with biblical teachings on church autonomy and faith (National Archives, 2018). The government's major duty from a biblical perspective is to maintain order and justice, while individuals and the church handle spiritual problems. The Constitution prohibits the government from promoting or forbidding religious beliefs, but it does not argue for God's separation from government. Some non-Christian Constitutional framers believed in a higher force and saw society's morality as religious. A biblical worldview suggests that the biblical narrative incorporates both theocratic and secular administration. God is sovereign over all things, including government, according to the Bible. It also acknowledges that human governments must be just, protect the weak, and respect individual freedom.

5 References Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). Declaration of Independence . National Archives; The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. https://www.archives.gov/founding- docs/declaration-transcript Library of Congress. (2019). Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists (June 1998) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin . Loc.gov. https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html National Archives. (2018). The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription . National Archives; The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

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