Religion, Jefferson Bethke: Chapter Summary

Thomas Jefferson, in his inaugural address, stated that America was, “A rising nation, spread over a wide and fruitful land, traversing all the seas with the rich productions of their industry…advancing rapidly to the destinies beyond the reach of mortal eye...” He was a strong believer in the progressive nature of morality and held an optimistic view of the nature of humanity and human ability. Jefferson believed that all people were equally naturally endowed with the ability to determine right and wrong regardless of their status, and belief that gave him a foundation for his support of democracy. Jefferson believed that since all men had this judgement naturally gifted to them, they were capable of selecting the correct people to lead them and the nation would flourish with liberty. Jefferson’s optimistic faith in human nature and the democratic ideals he formed around its principles guaranteed the future liberty of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson was born and raised in Virginia, where he became a lawyer and plantation owner. Jefferson won the 1800 election with ten states voting for him and Aaron Burr came in second with four states this vote broke the tie between the two. He bought the Louisiana Territory even though the constitution never said he could. His time in office ended March 3rd, 1809 after he finished his second term. He believed strongly in political ideology within the tradition of the English Whigs. During Jefferson’s presidency the nation had tremendous growth.

about religious freedom. In his document he wrote that “no man shall be compelled to frequent

     Joseph J. Ellis, a historian who was educated at the College of William and Mary and Yale, is a Ford Foundation Professor of History at Mount Holyoke University. He has written four books on historical topics, centered on the time Jefferson was alive, dealing with issues and personalities Jefferson dealt with firsthand. After authoring a book on a politician such as John Adams, Ellis seems to have felt a need or want to focus on Jefferson, presumably because of his status as founding father and main contributor to the constitution.

The Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1802 are similar yet different in multiple ways. The three documents were descriptively and precisely written. Each one play distinctive rolls in the foundation of our government and country. They all contribute a vital part to the freedom one has in the United States. Each were written at different times. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, when the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia were meeting, and was established by the Second Continental Congress. The U.S. Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787 in the same place that the Declaration of Independence was written and signed, during the Philadelphia Convention. Thomas Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptists was written on January 1, 1802, which answered a letter from the Baptists to him.

Benjamin Banneker, whom was the son of former slaves, had wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson to argue against slavery. Banneker stated his point against slavery by using a strong tone to demonstrate his views. In order for his letter to catch Jefferson’s attention, Banneker developed his tone from the usage of repetition and diction.

or the Anglican Church, which was headed by the king of England. Henry’s actions stimulated

In Americas history, religion has played a major role in society. In Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural, Lincoln uses religion in an effort to reunite the North and South and to justify slavery and its end. Likewise, in the Declaration of Independence, religion is used to unite the colonies and justify the Declaration to Britain and the American people. The religious beliefs of early America are not respected and are used as common ground to unite the people and legitimize actions.

Fawn M. Brodie, in the biography, Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History (1998), provides an in depth picture of the distressing private life and complex personality of Thomas Jefferson. When he was boy, he lived on a plantation in Virginia, where his father’s slaves raised him and became his alternative family. For Jefferson’s education, his father sent him to boarding school, where young Jefferson felt incongruous with a classroom filled with white children and missed dearly his slave friends. Later on, Jefferson studied to be a lawyer, a profession he hated and gladly abandoned for politics, which he did not fully embrace until the death of his wife. After Jefferson experienced the deaths of those he cared dearly, the frail nature of his

In his self-authored epitaph, Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) describes himself as the “author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the statute for religious freedom, and father of the University of Virginia.” (Collins 37). Jefferson is established in American history for his accomplishments and beliefs that have had a tremendous impact on the meaning and understanding of religion today. Known as the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, one of the first people of his time to push religious independence and disestablishment, among many other achievements, such as serving the United States as the third President. Jefferson is widely recognized as an extremely

     When the Federalist party was organized in 1791, those people who favored a strong central government and a loose constitutional interpretation coagulated and followed the ideals of men such as Alexander Hamilton. The first opposition political party in the United States was the Republican party, which held power, nationally, between 1801 and 1825. Those who were in favor of states rights and a strict construction of the constitution fell under the leadership of Thomas Jefferson. These Jeffersonian republicans, also known as anti-federalists, believed in strict adherence to the writings of the constitution. They wanted state’s rights and individual rights, which they believed could only be granted under

James Madison and Thomas Jefferson are two of the seven key founding fathers of the United States. The motive of the founders of the U.S. was to establish religious freedom in the colonies; therefore, religion was of importance to them. When the policy of the separation of church and state was enacted by the founding fathers through the Constitution, it meant that under a secular government, religious freedom would always be protected. Issues such as the freedom to practice one’s religion arose in the earlier colonies and the separation of church and states prevents these issues from occurring again. The separation of church and state protects the rights of all and ensures religious freedom. This policy has proven to be nothing but a

Benjamin Banneker was the son of a former slave and an extremely educated African-American man. His letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1791 was a carefully worded opposition to the institution of slavery. In his letter, Banneker uses influential allusions, a tone that changes midway into his essay, and well-read diction that call the recipient (Jefferson) to make a gradual change and understand his own hypocrisy.

"Prayer has been banished from schools and the ACLU rampages to remove “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. Moreover, “Separation of Church and State” is nowhere found in the Constitution or any other founding legislation. Our forefathers would never countenance the restrictions on religion exacted today." -- Bill Flax, Forbes, 2011

The era of France Enlightenment and religion have a misconception that leads one to believe that they were enemies. The Enlightenment was not against religion but it was against the superstitions and the supernaturalism of religion. Philosophes during the era of France’s Enlightenment did not look to abolish religion or the Catholic Church of France. They simply wanted a separation of religion and state because it was believed that the state was based on reason and religion was based on morality. Religion and the Enlightenment were compatible and Dr. Sorkin argues: “the Enlightenment was not only compatible with religious belief,” it actually generated new formulations of that belief. One goal that was a reflection of the