The Supreme Court, the First Amendment, and Belief The curriculum, Religious Liberty: The American Experiment,

including a series of teacher professional development programs around the country, was made possible by generous donations from the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom.
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Religious Liberty: The American Experiment Lesson 2 The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty
Objectives:
Understand the significance of Virginia, including the efforts of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and religious dissenters to the development of religious liberty in America. Appreciate the philosophical and political processes of the American experiment in religious liberty.

Mission Statement
Established in 1999, the Institute is a 501(c)(3) not for profit charity focused on providing educational resources on America's Founding documents and principles for teachers and students of American History and Civics. Our mission is to educate young people about the words and ideas of the Founders, the liberties guaranteed in our Founding documents, and how our Founding principles continue to affect and shape a free society.

Components of Professional Development

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

Explore new teaching strategies

Enrich the expertise of other teachers

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

8. Delineate and evaluate the reasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legal reasoning (e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court majority opinions and dissents) and the premises, purposes, and arguments in works of public advocacy (e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses).

Important Definitions
Tolerance: refers to individuals relationships and attitudes toward one another; capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others. Toleration: government policy that permits the practice of certain religions; the practice of religion is a privilege allowed by government. Religious liberty: the idea that freedom of conscience is an inalienable right not under the legitimate control of government.
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Which statement most accurately completes a comparison between religious toleration and religious liberty?
Religious toleration means that people can worship as they wish, but government has the legitimate power to intervene for any reason.

1. Religious liberty means the same thing.

2. Religious liberty means people have a human right to worship as they wish without government interference for any reason.
3. Religious liberty means that people have a human right to worship as they wish, and government can intervene only to protect the life, property, and safety of others. 4. Religious liberty means that the government can regulate or deny religious worship as they see fit. 5. Not sure
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Lesson Two
The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Lesson 2: The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Should tax money be used to support churches? (p. 13) Madison Memorial and Remonstrance Against Religious Assessments Jeffersons Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom
James Madison by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1821

The efforts of these men gradually inspired other states to disestablish state churches where they existed.

Thomas Jefferson, Rembrandt Peale, 1800

Roger Williams
[A] hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world"
Roger Williams 1644 Letter to John Cotton

The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

We have abundant reason to rejoice that every person may here worship God according to the dictates of his own heart. In the enlightened Age and in this Land of equal liberty it is our boast, that a man's religious tenets will not forfeit the protection of the LawsGeorge Washington, letter to the members of the New Church in Baltimore, 1793. (p. 13)

George Washington, Gilbert Stuart, c. 1821

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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

As God is the only worthy object of all religious worship, and nothing can be true religion but a voluntary obedience unto his revealed will, of which each rational soul has an equal right to judge for itself, every person has an unalienable right to act in all religious affairs according to the full persuasion of his own mind, where others are not injured thereby... Isaac Backus, Baptist minister, 1779

Isaac Backus

The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Learning goals
Understand the significance of Virginia, to the development of religious liberty in America. Analyze primary source documents about the relationship between church and state. Assess arguments for and against established religion and a public role for religion in civic life. Appreciate the philosophical and political processes of the American experiment in religious liberty.

Read Essay: The Constitution, the First Amendment, and Religious Liberty and answer the comprehension and critical thinking questions. (p. 16)

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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Comprehension and Critical Thinking Questions 1.What was the Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion? What arguments were put forth for and against it? 2.George Washington supported religious liberty, but did not oppose the proposed Bill Establishing a Provision for Teachers of the Christian Religion. How did he reconcile these positions? 3.Why could states establish religions and require religious tests even after the ratification of the Constitution and Bill of Rights?

4.Today, there are over 55 countries with established religions. However, a similar number of countries have moved toward religious freedom over the last 150 years. Why do you think the trend over the last 150 years has been to disestablish religions?

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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Working with a partner or two, analyze the quotations on your 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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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Discuss with your partner(s) Handout C: A Public 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?

The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty

Handout D: Student Activity Students work in pairs, using Background Essay, Handouts A, B, and C to plan a dialogue that might have occurred in 1800. Which reasons for and against establishment are most persuasive? Is the question of establishment/nonestablishment of religion a black and white one? Does any public role for religion constitute an establishment of religion? If yes, why? If not, where is the line drawn?

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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty Homework

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

B. Find news articles about events that involve the relationship between government and religion.
Articles are available at www.BillofRightsInsitute.org/Headlines

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The Constitution, The First Amendment, and Religious Liberty Extensions

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

B. Have student groups research a country with a strong church-government connection. They should create a short documentary to illustrate how life in that country is different from life in America. Students can begin their research at www.BillofRightsInstitute.org/ReligiousLiberty

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Which statement most accurately completes a comparison between religious toleration and religious liberty?
Religious toleration means that people can worship as they wish, but government has the legitimate power to intervene for any reason.

1. Religious liberty means the same thing.

2. Religious liberty means people have a human right to worship as they wish without government interference for any reason.
3. Religious liberty means that people have a human right to worship as they wish, and government can intervene only to protect the life, property, and safety of others. 4. Religious liberty means that the government can regulate or deny religious worship as they see fit. 5. Not sure
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Educating Young People about the Constitution

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