In the United States, the First Amendment to the Constitution contains a similar concept, although the term "laicity" is not used either in the Constitution or elsewhere, and is in fact used as a term to contrast European secularism with American secularism. In his opus Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville notes the synergy between religion and democracy in the United States, and decries what he sees as the excesses of laïcité and anti-clericalism among French democrats. Similarly, a modern French commentator, philosopher and a drafter of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Jacques Maritain, noted the distinction between the models found in France and in the mid-twentieth century US. He considered the US model to be more amicable, because it had both "sharp distinction and actual cooperation" between church and state, what he called "an historical treasure", and he admonished the US: "Please to God that you keep it carefully, and do not let your concept of separation veer round to the European one."
That amendment includes clauses prohibiting both governmental interference with the "free exercise" of religion, and governmental "establishment" of religion. These clauses have been held by the courts to apply to both the federal and state governments. Together, the "free exercise clause" and "establishment clause" are considered to accomplish a "separation of church and state."
