s that “We hold these truths to be self-evident” (715) and goes on to list the rights he feels the States are denied by being in allegiance with Britain. By using “we,” he implies reference to all the people of the States. In reality, he probably only meant wealthy white men, but the insinuation is that he is the voice of the people. Additionally, to conclude the document, Jefferson does not suggest but announces the separation of the states from Great Britain. This confident tone differs greatly from Paine, who seems to be merely proposing his ideas to people who, by his own admission, may not even be paying much attention. Differences in their tone can also be seen in the whole general makeup of the documents. Whereas Jefferson is clearly proclaiming that the time is now, Paine often suggests that the changes he advises be meant for later on. When speaking of the government of Great Britain, he says it is an authority which “sooner or later must have an end” (697). Furthermore, Paine offers great detail on his suggestions, often forming excellent examples of why an independent nation would be far more beneficial than one which is dependent on Great Britain. He gives economic, industrial, and foreign relations reasons for the need to abandon British rule. Jefferson alludes to “inalienable rights,” or those rights which forever exist, then simply outlines what Britain has done to provoke this rebellion. This goes back to the earlier label that Paine constructed more of a persuasive essay, clearly backing up his thoughts with specific examples as to why they were relevant. Paine realizes he is convincing whoever will listen what is in the States’ best interests. Jefferson knows that his responsibility is to draft a document that proclaims the States breakaway from Great Britain. Both men had to know of the significance of their documents, so this was another factor on their tone. In c...
