Religious Toleration and Freedom
Expanding the meaning of political freedom during the American Revolution had the largest impact on religion and religious toleration, which was considered the “common cause of Freedom” by some Patriots. It was important for the Framers to make sure that the violent wars over religion that had engulfed Europe for centuries would not take place in America. And as Enlightenment thinkers, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Hamilton, and others hoped that a separation of church and state would mean that religious ideology would not corrupt the government. Jefferson was a strong believer in religious toleration and considered the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom as one of his greatest accomplishments. Jefferson believed that the statute guaranteed religious freedom for “the “Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mahometan, the Hindoo (Hindu), and infidel of every denomination.” Jefferson believed that such broad freedom and toleration were essential in a republic.
Thomas Jefferson’s personal copy of the Qur’an, which is in the Library of Congress’s collection.
Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia Statute for Establishing Religious Freedom (1786).
In practice, this meant that states eliminated public funding and legal privileges for churches and committed to the “free exercise of religion.” Several states adopted constitutions or laws that guaranteed freedom of conscience and religion. Because of these measures, religious pluralism flourished, as was evident by the autonomy of religious communities.
In the Highlight It activity below, you will read and analyze excerpts of two letters.
Analyze George Washington's Letters
Highlight the text that helps you answer the prompt.
