The Assignment for your analysis of Thomas Jefferson's "Letter to Benjamin Rush"

Steps

1. Read the entire text of the letter. (You may find it on the WWW or in hard-copy.)

Letter of Thomas Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush

2. Attempt to abstract the central, informing idea of the work (Jefferson's principles).

Express this in your own words. Remember--express the ideas only. Do not write a commentary.

3. Isolate those passages and sections where Jefferson expresses his Deistic creed or beliefs.

4. Next, COMPARE the sections in #3 withThomas Paine's Declaration of Faith found in THE AGE OF REASON.

5. Further, compare similar expressions in otherworks of Thomas Jefferson (Declaration of Independence)

6. Finally, compare the ideas of Benjamin Franklin to those of Thomas Jefferson

Focus

1. In this essay you are attempting to establish Thomas Jefferson as a Deist and you will prove it using the PRIMARY SOURCES, i.e., those words written by Paine, Franklin, and Jefferson.

2. You may use the words of Lord Herbert of Cherbury and Elihu Palmer AS YOUR ONLY SECONDARY SOURCE! The Link Below, American Literature Part 2, Should Refresh Your Memory and Offer the Definitions.

The American Literature Lectures, Part II

Links for Further Understanding

3. You may use a definition of Deism found in the notes or on the WWW.

4. A good treatment of this paper should include documentation and a works-cited page.

5. The length is up to you, but a good treatment should be thorough, perhaps allowing three pages for each central idea or writer.

6. Finally your job is TO ANALYZE, NOT PARAPHRASE OR SUMMARIZE!

7. Please note that you'll need to employ the MLA Documentation Form

Online MLA Style Guide--Handbook Online