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Nicole Wildermuth

Professor Thomson

HIST 151

10 December 2017

History 151 Reflection

In this class, we learned a lot of interesting new things, answered many questions, but

most importantly, we gained greater knowledge of the history of our country. As a historian of

the early United States, I learn from our ancestors that religion, morals and traditions influenced

an individual from early American History to act responsibly and contribute towards society.

Our ancestors were influenced by their religion, morals, and traditions and our founding

fathers made that obvious by including that in their politics. It was very often that religion,

morals and traditions were a huge influence on politics because it was the belief of a certain

politician or politicians. For example, according to the Constitutional Rights Foundation, in 1787

it was debated that the constitution should be changed to include slaves to be considered as

people. This is an example because as part of their morals or beliefs, people believed that slaves

were not actually people, but they were in fact something that you could own. Some people

believed that slaves were not even human. While there were those people that believed that

slaves should not be included in the constitution, there were people who fought long and hard for

slaves to be included in the constitution and finally in 1787, the new constitution was signed.

Religion seemed to really influence the American Revolution because according to The

Library of Congress, Religion played a major role in the American Revolution by offering a

moral sanction for opposition to the British--an assurance to the average American that
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revolution was justified in the sight of God. This gave Americans a hope. And they knew that if

they died, they would go to heaven and see their Lord. Ministers also aided the Americans in the

revolution by serving as military chaplains, penmen for committees of correspondence, members

of state legislatures, constitutional conventions and the national Congress. And if needed, some

ministers picked up guns to lead Continental troops into battle. Religion was a lot more involved

in the American Revolution than most people think because that is not included in the lessons

about the American Revolution because they are not allowed to teach anything pertaining to

religion in public schools.

Some of our politicians spoke of religion once in awhile, according to

summit.org, our first President of the United States once said, It is impossible to rightly govern .

. . without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,

religion and morality are indispensable supports. . . . Virtue or morality is a necessary spring of

popular government. in his farewell address after his second term in office. In the quote, George

Washington is stating that religion is important in our government, which also justifies that our

ancestors were influenced by religion, morals, and traditions.

In conclusion, it is obvious with the quotes and information shown that religion, morals,

and traditions were a big influence on our ancestors to help them act responsibly and contribute

towards society. It really helped shape our America for today.

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Works Cited

1. Costly, Andrew. The Constitution and Slavery. Constitutional Rights Foundation,

www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/the-constitution-and-slavery.

2. Locke, John, et al. Religion and the Founding of America. Religion in

Eighteenth-Century America - Religion and the Founding of the American Republic |

Exhibitions (Library of Congress), 4 June 1998,

www.loc.gov/exhibits/religion/rel02.html.

3. Staff, Chuck Edwards and Summit. The Religious Foundation of American Politics:

Why Religion and Politics Do Mix. Summit Ministries, 12 Sept. 2016,

www.summit.org/resources/articles/essays/the-religious-foundation-of-american-politics/