The First Amendment begins: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. What was the motivation for making this idea a cornerstone of American law? (1 point)
Churches did not want to pay taxes.
Some people did not trust people of other faiths.
The Founding Fathers wanted the United States to be a religious nation.
Many European and colonial governments placed limits on the freedom of worship.
i am not in your class but i’m gonna assume it’s the last one. the others do not make much sense
thank you
Its the last one...
The motivation for making the idea of religious freedom a cornerstone of American law can be attributed to several factors. One important factor was the experience of the Founding Fathers with religious intolerance in Europe and colonial governments. The Founding Fathers were familiar with the limitations and conflicts imposed by state-sponsored religions in Europe and the control exerted by colonial governments over religious practices. They wanted to ensure that the newly formed United States would not fall into the same pattern.
Another motivation was the desire to protect individual rights and liberties. The Founding Fathers believed that religious freedom was a fundamental human right that should be protected by law. They sought to create a society where individuals could freely exercise their religion without interference or persecution from the government.
It is important to note that while the First Amendment does address the separation of church and state, it does not explicitly declare the United States to be a religious nation. Rather, it establishes the principle that the government should not favor any particular religion or interfere with the free exercise of religion. This allowed for a diverse society with people of different faiths to coexist and practice their beliefs without fear of discrimination or oppression.
Understanding the historical context and the Founding Fathers' concerns about religious freedom and individual liberties helps explain why religious freedom became a fundamental aspect of American law.