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In God We Trust

In God We Trust. Religion and the Founding Fathers. CSU-East Bay. Kevin P. Dincher www.kevindincher.com. In 1492. In fourteen hundred ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. And got lost!. October 12, 1492. 1493/1494. Francis I King of France (1515-1547). “Show me Adam’s will!”

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In God We Trust

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

  2. In 1492 In fourteen hundred ninety-twoColumbus sailed the ocean blue. And got lost!

  3. October 12, 1492

  4. 1493/1494

  5. Francis IKing 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."

  6. National Identity • Catholic Spain • Catholic France • Protestant England • 1517: Martin Luther • 95 Theses • 1534: Henry VIII • Act of Supremacy • 1553: Mary I • Repealed the Act of Supremacy • 1559: Elizabeth I • New Act of Supremacy • Supremacy of the Crown Act (1562)

  7. 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

  8. 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.” Is Religion in America’s DNA?

  9. 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 Is Religion in America’s DNA?

  10. Is Religion in America’s DNA?

  11. In God We Trust “Colonial roots!” “Founding Fathers!” “Colonial roots!” “Founding Fathers!” “Separation of Church and State” “A Christian Nation”

  12. In God We Trust

  13. In God We Trust What 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 Meacham American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers and the Making of a Nation

  14. In God We Trust “Colonial roots!” “Founding Fathers!” “Colonial roots!” “Founding Fathers!” “Separation of Church and State” “A Christian Nation”

  15. In God We Trust Recommended 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 • Christopher Phelps: Constitution Café: Jefferson’s Brew for a True Revolution

  16. In God We Trust Course Outline Our National Motto Founding Reality Founding Philosophies Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin George Washington John Adams Others?

  17. In God We Trust Our National Motto

  18. E Pluribus Unum Has approved of our Undertakings Great Seal of the USA (1782)

  19. Great Seal of the USA (1782) • July 4, 1776: Ordered by Continental Congress • First Committee (July – August, 1776) • Franklin, Jefferson and Adams – with Pierre Eugene du Simitiere • 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

  20. Judgment of HerculesAnnibale Carracci (1560 - 1609)

  21. Great Seal of the USA (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

  22. In God We Trust "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)

  23. In God We Trust 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 coins

  24. In God We Trust 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 coins

  25. In God We Trust 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

  26. In God We Trust “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 Allegiance

  27. In God We Trust “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."

  28. In God We Trust Past Decade 2003: 90% support inscription on coins • Joint 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 Representatives • Reaffirmed "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States

  29. In God We Trust Founding Experience

  30. 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 Founding Mythology

  31. Founding Experience • Jamestown (1607)

  32. Founding Experience 1606: King James I • 2 Charters • The London Company • Virginia Company of London • The Plymouth Company • Plymouth Adventurers • Virginia Company of Plymouth • Virginia Bay Company

  33. Founding Experience • 1609 • The Plymouth Company • Dissolved • The London Company • New charter • Joint-stock companies • Business owned by shareholders • Proprietary Colonies 1608

  34. Founding Experience “Proprietary” Colonies . . . … not “Crown” Colonies

  35. Founding Experience • Proprietary Colony • Crown Colony Monarch Proprietor (Company/Individual) Governance of the Colony

  36. Founding Experience • Proprietary Colony

  37. Founding Experience • Jamestown - 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

  38. Founding Experience • Jamestown • 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."

  39. Founding Experience • Jamestown • 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 Seal of the Virginia Company of London

  40. Founding Experience • Jamestown • Anglo-Powhatan Wars • 1610 – 1614 (Pocahontas) • 1622 – 1632 • 1644 – 1646 • Fourth Charter (1624) • Restrictions • Greater involvement by the Crown • Rejected by shareholders

  41. Founding Experience • 1624: 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

  42. Founding Experience • Massachusetts • 1620: The Plymouth Council for New England • Joint-stock company • Business owned by shareholders • Proprietary colony • 1635: Crown colony

  43. Founding Experience • Massachusetts • 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

  44. Founding Experience • Massachusetts • 1630: Puritans (English Calvinists) • Church of England: purify from within • Massachusetts Bay Company • John Winthrop • Sermon: A Model of Christian Charity • Shining City on a Hill • Theocracy: Christian commonwealth • 1630 – 1640: 21,000 Puritans immigrated • 16 million descendants in the US today

  45. Founding Experience • Massachusetts • 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

  46. Founding Experience • Rhode Island • 1636: Roger Williams • Providence Plantation • 1638: First Baptist Church of Providence • 1637: Anne Hutchinson • Mary Dyer 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."[

  47. Mary Dyer • Hanged in Boston on June 1, 1660 for being a Quaker

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