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The Establishment Clause | BRI’s Homework Help Series
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Founding Principles
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What is the proper relationship between church and state? In this Homework Help video, we analyze this question by reviewing the history behind the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment as well as how the Supreme Court has interpreted its meaning.
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Short, classroom ready videos covering U.S. History, Government, and Civics topics.
A viewing guide for our Establishment Clause Homework Help video.
The original thirteen states that formed the United States included individuals from a variety of religious traditions. To ensure that the national government respected freedom of belief, freedom of conscience, and freedom of religious practice, the First Amendment prohibited the federal government from either establishing a national church or interfering with existing state religions. Since then the Supreme Court has created various "tests" to determine if government practices violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This lesson explores the history and principles behind this clause.
What is the importance of religious liberty in America? How does the Constitution protect it and what is the reason it is significant today? Examine these questions with students so they can see the model religious liberty in America has become for other nations and is an ongoing experiment.