In God We Trust Religion and the Founding Fathers Kevin P. Dincher CSU-East Bay.

In God We In God We TrustTrustReligion and the Founding Fathers

Kevin P. Dincherwww.kevindincher.com

CSU-East Bay

In 1492In 1492In fourteen hundred ninety-twoColumbus sailed the ocean blue.

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And got lost!

October 12, 1492October 12, 14923

1493/14941493/1494

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Francis IFrancis IKing of France (1515-1547)King of France (1515-1547)

“Show me Adam’s will!”

1524: Giovanni da Verrazano◦ Claimed Newfoundland for the

French ◦ Founded New Angoulême on the

actual site of New York City.

1531: trading post in Brazil

1534: Jacques Cartier to explore the St. Lawrence River in Quebec

1541: Jean-François de la Roque de Roberval to settle Canada and to provide for the spread of "the Holy Catholic faith."

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National IdentityNational IdentityCatholic SpainCatholic FranceProtestant England

◦ 1517: Martin Luther 95 Theses

◦ 1534: Henry VIII Act of Supremacy

◦ 1553: Mary I Repealed the Act of Supremacy

◦ 1559: Elizabeth I New Act of Supremacy Supremacy of the Crown Act

(1562)6

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Sword of the Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy◦ Andrew Preston

◦ English Colonization of America National expansion National identity

Protestant Contain Catholic

Spain and Catholic France

Is Religion in America’s Is Religion in America’s DNA?DNA?

Alexis de Tocqueville◦ “On my arrival in the

United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention.”

◦ “The Americans combine the notions of religion and liberty so intimately in their minds, that it is impossible to make them conceive of one without the other.”

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Is Religion in America’s Is Religion in America’s DNA?DNA?

De Tocqueville Founding Generation

Religion: ◦Indispensable to the maintenance of republican institutions

◦Calvinism (Congregationalist, Presbyterian, Reformed, Baptist)

The role of religious faith in public life?

The degree to which religion could be supported that was not inconsistent with the revolutionary imperatives of the equality and freedom of all citizens

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Is Religion in America’s DNA?

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“A Christian Nation”

“Separation of Church and State”

In God We TrustIn God We Trust

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“Colonial roots!”

“Founding Fathers!”




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In God We TrustIn God We TrustWhat separated us from the Old World was

the idea that books, education and the liberty to think and worship as we wished would create virtuous citizens who cherished and defended, reason, faith and freedom.

In our finest hours, we have been neither wholly religious nor wholly secular but have drawn on both traditions.

John MeachamAmerican Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers and the Making of a Nation

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“A Christian Nation”

“Separation of Church and State”


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In God We TrustIn God We TrustRecommended Reading: Handout

Additional Recommendations:

• Andrew Preston: • Sword of Spirit, Shield of Faith: Religion in American War and Diplomacy

• www.kevindincher.com/fathers

• www.facebook.com/kevinpdincher

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• Christopher Phelps: Constitution Café: Jefferson’s Brew for a True Revolution


Course Outline

1.Our National Motto

2.Founding Reality

3.Founding Philosophies

4.Founding Fathers• Thomas Jefferson• Benjamin Franklin• George Washington• John Adams• Others?

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OUR NATIONAL OUR NATIONAL MOTTOMOTTO

In God We Trust

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Great Seal of the USA Great Seal of the USA (1782)(1782)

E Pluribus Unum Has approved of our Undertakings

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Great Seal of the USA Great Seal of the USA (1782)(1782) July 4, 1776: Ordered by Continental Congress

First Committee (July – August, 1776)◦ Franklin, Jefferson and Adams – with Pierre Eugene du Simitiere

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Franklin•Exodus: Moses at the Red Sea•“Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God.“

Jefferson•Exodus: Israelites in the Desert•Hengist and Horsa

Adams•Judgment of Hercules

Judgment of HerculesJudgment of HerculesAnnibale Carracci (1560 - 1609)

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Great Seal of the USA Great Seal of the USA (1782)(1782) July 4, 1776: Ordered by Continental Congress

First Committee (July – August, 1776)◦ Franklin, Jefferson and Adams – with Pierre Eugene du Simitiere

Second Committee (March - May, 1780)◦ Lovell, Scott and Houston – with Francis Hopkinson

Third Committee (May, 1782) ◦ Rutledge, Middleton, Boudinot (Lee later replaced Rutledge) – with

William Barton

Final Design (June 1782)◦ Charles Thomson, Secretary of the Continental Congress◦ June 20, 1782: Submitted/accepted ◦ September 16, 1782: first used by Thomson

September 15, 1789: made official by US Congress

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"Defence of Fort McHenry"◦1814 Poem – Francis Scott Key◦4th Stanza

“And this be our motto: In God is our Trust.”

“To Anacreon in Heaven” ◦John Stafford Smith (1778)

Star Spangled Banner◦1931: US National Anthem (Herbert

Hoover)24


Civil War Era

1861: Reverend M. R. Watkinson

1863: Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase

1864: Congress – 1¢ and 2¢ coins

1865: Congress – all gold and silver coins

1873: Congress (Coinage Act) – any coins25


Early 20th Century

1908: Congress made it mandatory that the phrase be printed on all coins upon which it had previously appeared

Teddy Roosevelt

1908: all gold/silver dollars, half-dollars and quarter-dollar

1909: 1¢ coins

1916: 10 ¢ coins

1930: all US coins26


Cold War

1952: US Supreme Court (Zorach v. Clauson)◦Nations "institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" ◦Government recognition of God does not constitute the establishment of a state church

1954: “under God” added to Pledge of Allegiance

1956: In God We Trust = official motto of the USA

1957 – 1966: progressively added to paper money

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“Ceremonial Deism”

◦ 1962: Eugene Rostow Dean of Yale Law School

“Nominally religious statements and practices deemed to be merely ritual and non-religious through long customary usage”

2004: Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow

“Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance28


“Ceremonial Deism”

◦1970: US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit (Aronov v. United States)

"It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise."

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Past Decade

2003: 90% support inscription on coinsJoint USA Today, CNN and Gallup poll

2006: Senate Reaffirmed "In God We Trust" as the official national motto of the United States of America.

2011: House of RepresentativesReaffirmed "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States

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FOUNDING FOUNDING EXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE

In God We Trust

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Founding MythologyFounding Mythology

Religious Freedom Biblical Mandate

◦ Escape persecution 1620: Pilgrims/Plymouth 1630:

Puritans/Massachusetts 1632: Catholics/Maryland 1681:

Quakers/Pennsylvania

◦ Seeking religious freedom

◦ Religiously intolerant

◦ “Driven by” persecution God’s purification

◦ Christian/biblical community

◦ John Winthrop 1630 sermon “”A Model

of Christian Charity” Shining City upon a Hill

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Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceJamestown (1607)

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Founding ExperienceFounding Experience1606: King James I

◦ 2 Charters

The London CompanyVirginia Company of London

The Plymouth CompanyPlymouth AdventurersVirginia Company of Plymouth Virginia Bay Company

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Founding ExperienceFounding Experience1609

◦ The Plymouth Company Dissolved

◦ The London Company New charter

Joint-stock companies Business owned by shareholders

Proprietary Colonies

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1608

Founding ExperienceFounding Experience

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“Proprietary” Colonies . . .

… not “Crown” Colonies


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Proprietary Colony

Monarch

Proprietor (Company/Individu

al)

Governance of the Colony

Crown Colony


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Proprietary Colony

Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceJamestown - 1607

◦ 1st Successful British Settlement Charter: Purpose of the

colony Conversion of Native Americans Trade Agreement

◦ John Smith Faith = the “color” Profit = “aim”

◦ Catholic Spain 40

Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceJamestown

◦ 1606: First Charter 1607: settlement (proprietary colony)

◦ 1609: Second Charter Sea to Sea Great freedom to run own affairs Reverend Robert Grey (London) – supported

emigration Solution to England's overpopulation. “…advanced the glorie of God…” “…inlarged the glorie and wealth of their countrey."

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◦ Winter of 1609–1610 “The Starving Time” 80% of colonists died Martial Law

Strict religious rules

◦ 1612: Third Charter Lottery Added territory Increased political autonomy

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Seal of the Virginia Company of London


◦ Anglo-Powhatan Wars 1610 – 1614 (Pocahontas) 1622 – 1632 1644 – 1646

◦ Fourth Charter (1624) Restrictions Greater involvement by the Crown Rejected by shareholders

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Founding ExperienceFounding Experience1624: Crown Colony

Anglican Church state religion Worship limited to Anglican Church Anglican Church supported by taxes

Line between religious and civil authority became quite blurry

Other Religions Evangelical Protestants Native Americans Africans

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Massachusetts

◦ 1620: The Plymouth Council for New England

Joint-stock company Business owned

by shareholders

Proprietary colony 1635: Crown

colony 45


Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceMassachusetts

◦ 1559: Act of Uniformity

◦ Pilgrims (English Calvinists) Separatist: irreconcilable difference Netherlands (1607-1617) Plymouth Colony (1620)

London Company Agreement: Hudson River Mayflower/Speedwell (90 + 30 = 120 passengers)

40% of the adults (56% of families) = “pilgrims” Mayflower Compact – Majoritarian Model

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◦ 1630: Puritans (English Calvinists)Church of England: purify from withinMassachusetts Bay CompanyJohn Winthrop

Sermon: A Model of Christian Charity Shining City on a Hill

Theocracy: Christian commonwealth

◦ 1630 – 1640: 21,000 Puritans immigrated16 million descendants in the US today

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◦ Rev. Samuel Skelton My 11th great-grandfather 1630: Salem

Congregational Church

◦ Dominion of New England 1684: Crown Colony 1686: Plymouth, Rhode Island, Massachusetts Bay,

Connecticut, and New Hampshire 1688: New York, East Jersey and West Jersey 1691: Return to original charters

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Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceRhode Island

◦ 1636: Roger Williams Providence Plantation 1638: First Baptist Church of

Providence

◦ 1637: Anne Hutchinson Mary Dyer

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There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking."[

Mary Dyer◦ Hanged in Boston

on June 1, 1660 for being a Quaker

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Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceRhode Island

◦ 1636: Roger Williams – Providence Plantation

◦ 1637: Anne Hutchinson

◦ 1644: Charter – Rhode Island and Providence Plantation abolished witchcraft trials, imprisonment for debt, most

capital punishment, most religious groups were welcomed – restrictions on

Catholics

◦ 1652: Abolished chattel slavery of both blacks and whites

◦ 1663: Crown colony "Roman Catholics shall not enjoy the rights of freemen." 51

Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceMaryland (1632)

◦ Charter to Caecelius Calvert, Lord Baltimore

Proprietary colony Baltimore directly owned all of the

land Catholic Colony”

◦ 1639: Ordinance granting religious freedom

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◦ 1649: Maryland Tolerance Act

◦ 1654: Act Concerning Religion

◦ 1676: Maryland Tolerance Act reinstated/revised

◦ 1689: Protestant rebellion ("Coode's Rebellion“) Crown Colony Catholicism outlawed

◦ 1704: Act “to prevent the growth of Popery in this province” Catholics banned

from political office53

1644: Fighting between Catholics and Protestant in Maryland begins

Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceConnecticut (River Colony,1636)

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Founding ExperienceFounding ExperienceConnecticut (River Colony,1636)

◦1650: Ludlow’s Code First codification of Connecticut’s laws

Prohibits murder, forgery, theft and heresy Heresy punishable by death Denied vote to Quakers and Catholics Prohibited providing lodging to Quakers, Jews,

Catholics and other heretics

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Founding ExperienceFounding ExperiencePennsylvania

◦ 1677: West NJ

◦ 1681: Pennsylvania Proprietary colony Frame of Government:

Democratic system with elected representatives

Separation of powers Full freedom of religion

Complete freedom for everyone who believed in God

◦ Most diverse population Quaker Catholic Presbyterian Lutheran Amish Unity of the Brethren Mennonite Moravian Schwenkfelder, Reformed

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1776: Population of 3 1776: Population of 3 MillionMillionChurch MembershipNew England: 33%South: 5%

Church Participation50% to 75% of the population

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Established ChurchesAnglican

1. Georgia

2. New York

3. Maryland

4. North Carolina

5. South Carolina

6. Virginia

Congregational1. Connecticut

2. Massachusetts

3. New Hampshire

None1. Delaware

2. New Jersey

3. Pennsylvania

4. Rhode Island

1776: Population of 3 1776: Population of 3 MillionMillion Anglicans

◦ 510,000 (17%)

Calvinists◦ 2.4 million (80%)

Congregationalist Presbyterians Reformed Baptists

Quakers◦ 40,000 (1.3%)

Catholics◦ 30,000 (1%)

Jews◦ 1000 (.033%)

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In God We Trust Religion and the Founding Fathers Kevin P. Dincher CSU-East Bay.

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Transcript of In God We Trust Religion and the Founding Fathers Kevin P. Dincher CSU-East Bay.