Religious Liberty Lesson 2

7/31/2019 Religious Liberty Lesson 2

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The Supreme Court, the First Amendment, and Belief

The curriculum, Religious

Liberty: The AmericanExperiment, including a

series of teacherprofessional development

programs around thecountry, was made

possible by generousdonations from the George

Washington Institute forReligious Freedom.


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Religious Liberty: The American Experiment

Lesson 2

The Constitution, the FirstAmendment, andReligious Liberty

Objectives:Understand the significance of Virginia,including the efforts of Thomas Jefferson,James Madison, and religious dissentersto the development of religious liberty in

America.

Appreciate the philosophical and politicalprocesses of the American experiment in

religious liberty.


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Mission Statement

Established in 1999, the Institute is a 501(c)(3) notfor profit charity focused on providing educationalresources on America's Founding documents and

principles for teachers and students of AmericanHistory and Civics. Our mission is to educateyoung people about the words and ideas of theFounders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding

documents, and how our Founding principlescontinue to affect and shape a free society.


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Components of Professional Development

Enhance our own knowledge

Explore new teachingstrategies

Enrich the expertise ofother teachers

There is no knowledge that is not power.~Ralph Waldo Emerson


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Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts &Literacy in History/Social Studies

8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning inseminal U.S. texts, including the applicationof constitutional principles and use of legal

reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Courtmajority opinions and dissents) and thepremises, purposes, and arguments inworks of public advocacy (e.g., TheFederalist, presidential addresses).


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Important Definitions

Tolerance: refers to individualsrelationships and attitudes toward oneanother; capacity for or the practice ofrecognizing and respecting the beliefs or

practices of others.Toleration: government policy that permitsthe practice of certain religions; thepractice of religion is a privilege allowed

by government.Religious liberty: the idea that freedom ofconscience is an inalienable right not under

the legitimate control of government.


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Which statement most accurately completes a comparisonbetween religious toleration and religious liberty?

Religious toleration means that people can worship as they wish, butgovernment has the legitimate power to intervene for any reason.

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1. Religious liberty means the same thing.

2. Religious liberty means people have a human right toworship as they wish without government interference

for any reason.

3. Religious liberty means that people have a human rightto worship as they wish, and government can interveneonly to protect the life, property, and safety of others.

4. Religious liberty means that the government canregulate or deny religious worship as they see fit.

5. Not sure


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Lesson Two

The Constitution, The First

Amendment, and ReligiousLiberty


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Should tax money be used to supportchurches? (p. 13)

Madison

Memorial and RemonstranceAgainst Religious Assessments

Jeffersons Virginia Act for

Establishing Religious FreedomThe efforts of these men graduallyinspired other states to disestablish

state churches where they existed.

Lesson 2: The Constitution, The FirstAmendment, and Religious Liberty

Thomas Jefferson,Rembrandt Peale,

1800

James Madisonby

Gilbert Stuart, c.1821


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[A] hedge orwall of separationbetween thegarden of thechurch and thewilderness of theworld"

Roger Williams

Roger Williams 1644Letter to John Cotton


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We have abundant reason torejoice that every person mayhere worship God according to thedictates of his own heart. In theenlightened Age and in this Land ofequal liberty it is our boast, that a

man's religious tenets will notforfeit the protection of theLawsGeorge Washington,letter to the members of the New

Church in Baltimore, 1793. (p. 13)

The Constitution, The First Amendment, andReligious Liberty

George Washington,Gilbert Stuart, c.

1821


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As God is the only worthy object of allreligious worship, and nothing can betrue religion but a voluntaryobedience unto his revealed will, of

which each rational soul has an equalright to judge for itself, every personhas an unalienable right to act in all

religious affairs according to the fullpersuasion of his own mind, whereothers are not injured thereby...

Isaac Backus, Baptist minister, 1779


Isaac Backus


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Learning goalsUnderstand the significance of Virginia, to thedevelopment of religious liberty in America.

Analyze primary source documents about therelationship between church and state.

Assess arguments for and against established religionand a public role for religion in civic life.

Appreciate the philosophical and political processes ofthe American experiment in religious liberty.


Read Essay: The Constitution, the FirstAmendment, and Religious Liberty andanswer the comprehension and critical

thinking questions. (p. 16)


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Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions1.What was the Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers ofthe Christian Religion? What arguments were put forth forand against it?

2.George Washington supported religious liberty, but did

not oppose the proposed Bill Establishing a Provision forTeachers of the Christian Religion. How did he reconcilethese positions?

3.Why could states establish religions and require religioustests even after the ratification of the Constitution and Bill ofRights?

4.Today, there are over 55 countries with establishedreligions. However, a similar number of countries havemoved toward religious freedom over the last 150 years.

Why do you think the trend over the last 150 years has beento disestablish religions?



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Working with a partner or two, analyze the quotations onyour assigned handout:

Handout A: A Connected Church and State

Handout B: A Separated Church and State.Summarize the best arguments for your position.



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Discuss with your partner(s) Handout C: APublic Role for Religion in Civic Life?

What kind of society or government are the

speakers seeking to promote? What value do the speakers see in a public

role for religion?



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Handout D: Student Activity

Students work in pairs, using BackgroundEssay, Handouts A, B, and C to plan a dialoguethat might have occurred in 1800.

Which reasons for and againstestablishment are most persuasive?

Is the question of establishment/non-

establishment of religion ablack and white

one?

Does any public role for religionconstitute an establishment of religion? If yes,

why? If not, where is the line drawn?



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Homework

A. Create editorial cartoons that illustrate the issues of the 1785 BillEstablishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion.

B. Find news articles about events that involve the relationship betweengovernment and religion.

Articles are available at www.BillofRightsInsitute.org/Headlines



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Extensions

A. Research Torcaso v. Watkins (1961), which resulted in the end of religious testsfor public office.

B. Have student groups research a country with a strong church-governmentconnection. They should create a short documentary to illustrate how life inthat country is different from life in America. Students can begin their research

at www.BillofRightsInstitute.org/ReligiousLiberty


Whi h t t t t t l l t i


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Which statement most accurately completes a comparisonbetween religious toleration and religious liberty?

Religious toleration means that people can worship as they wish, butgovernment has the legitimate power to intervene for any reason.

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1. Religious liberty means the same thing.

2. Religious liberty means people have a human right toworship as they wish without government interference

for any reason.

3. Religious liberty means that people have a human rightto worship as they wish, and government can interveneonly to protect the life, property, and safety of others.

4. Religious liberty means that the government canregulate or deny religious worship as they see fit.

5. Not sure


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Religious Liberty Lesson 2