The Influence of Religion in America

Religion did much more than play a part in the way that many aspects of culture in North America developed. In reality, religion contributed to the basis on which the initial movement to and colonization of America transpired. Colonies were settled by those who were not willing to concede to the ruthless persecution that was evident in 17th century Europe, and acted on the hope of a new life in America. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland were all founded as what Sydney E.

Ahlstrom explained to be “plantations of religion”, as well as Rhode Island’s foundation as a result of religious persecution (Olmstead). Though it is also acknowledged that many migrated to the New World for several other reasons like economic depression in Europe, a determining factor in the uprooting of most Europeans to travel to America was to live a life based on a religion that they believed to be correct. These grounds on which America was initially colonized held true, despite the ironic eventual religious persecution that would eventually materialize in America itself.Considering the potent influence that religion had on the country’s founding, the resonation of religion throughout many cultural aspects of the United States from it’s founding throughout it’s history was inevitable. Religion played an essential role in American culture from 1607 to present by acting as a basis on which colonies and states were founded, aiding in the establishment of political policies regarding both the separation of church and state and freedom of religious practice, and influencing social development as evident in religious discrimination and fervency observed throughout the country’s history.

The first way in which American culture and history was affected by religion was in its initial settling, as well as the influence that religion had on the country’s expansion. To many Europeans, America was seen as a religious refuge in the 17th century. Religion and government where very closely tied together, and the King of England was said to have been appointed by God. The first main religious practice that initiated a move to America as response to religious intolerance in England was Puritanism.Puritans were English Protestants who wished to reform and purify the Church of England of what they considered to be unacceptable ideals of Roman Catholicism (Heyrman).

In the 1620s, leaders of the English state and church grew increasingly upset by Puritan demands (Faragher et al 63). They insisted that the Puritans comply with the standard religious practices, and acted on their demands by removing Puritan ministers from office and threatening them if they did not observe religious methods that the leaders of the English state and church viewed as the “correct way” (Brewer et al).As Puritans made the first move to the New World to escape persecution, news of the success of their newly found religious freedom travelled back to England. Beginning in 1630, as many as 20,000 Puritans immigrated to America from England to gain the latitude to worship as they chose (Faragher et al 63).

Despite the mass movement of Puritans to America, they were not the only religious group that sought America as a religious refuge. A group of twenty-three Jews fleeing persecution in Dutch Brazil arrived in what would eventually become New York City in 1654 (Spiro).By the next year, this small community had established a religious base in the city. By 1658, Jews had arrived in Rhode Island, also seeking a venue for freedom of religious practices (Spiro).

Small numbers of Jews continued to come to the British North American colonies, settling mainly in the seaport towns (Spiro). Once the New World was settled, religion continued to demonstrate its influence through its role in the expansion of the country’s settling, and the founding of Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.Essentially kicked out of Massachusetts in 1636, former Puritan leader Roger Williams strongly appealed for a world of religious freedom, and founded Rhode Island based on that principle (Faragher et al 63). He welcomed people of religious belief, on the basis of his view that "forced worship stinks in God's nostrils" (Faragher et al 63). The Quakers, radical puritans, saw other states such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania as a religious refuge.

Quakers were committed to religious toleration and pacifism, and were previously severely persecuted in England (Faragher et al 65).By 1680, 10,000 Quakers had been imprisoned in England and 243 had died in jail (Brewer et al). This treatment gave a reason for the Quakers to seek refuge in New Jersey in the 1670s, where they soon became fixed. In 1681, when Quaker leader William Penn negotiated a debt owed by Charles II to his father into a charter for Pennsylvania, many more Quakers were prepared to live in a land where they could worship freely (Brewer et al).

The second and arguably biggest influence that religion had on American culture was in the context of olitics. As previously exemplified by the King of England, religion and politics were likewise often one in the same throughout the colonization of America. A characteristic example of this was John Winthrop, a Puritan leader who founded a society in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, eventually acting as their governor (Faragher et al 58). Since he was a leader in the contest of both politics and religion, the two were tied closely together through the colonies society. Many laws reflected religious beliefs in the colony.

As an example, when Ann Hutchinson and some of her followers had different beliefs than the traditional Puritan beliefs, claiming that state laws could not win God's love and favor, and that God communicated to people even if they were not public and church officials, she was thrown out of the colony (Faragher et al 63). Those who followed this practiced were known as Antinomianists (Brewer et al). Her different religious beliefs were not allowed by the state, because the state and Puritan church were so closely tied together.These close relations between church and state began to become something of a problem, and Roger Williams's eventually decided separating the two. Rhode Island, the colony that Roger Williams founded, was the first colony to separate the church and government (Faragher et al 63). The idea of Williams's to separate Church and state allowed people to practice their beliefs in any colony.

This concept eventually was used in the Constitution of the United States of America, showing religions continued influence throughout America’s history until the present.This relationship of church and state shows how potent religion was in influencing the growth of politics. As for religious freedom, connections were still seen in the field of politics. One of Jefferson’s most notable successes was his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom. At the beginning of the Revolution, there were established churches in nine of the thirteen colonies, including the Congregationalists in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and the Anglicans in New York (Faragher et al 185).Along with Patrick Henry’s state support for the church, politics were closer knit with religion as the bill passed in 1786 (Faragher et al 185).

Lastly, religion played an important role in how American culture developed socially. The ties between religion and social development often manifest itself in the form of various religious requirements to hold certain positions in society. This concept evolved into a form of religious discriminations. Although this would often be connected to politics, it was apparent that there was a consideration of social class based on religion in the choosing of political positions.This principle was apparent in the removal of Ann Hutchinson from the Massachusetts Bay Colony (Faragher et al 63). Another instance in which social development was directly influenced by religion was when William Penn led the long oppressed Puritans from England to Pennsylvania, where they created their settlement.

The colony contained no one but Puritans. This greatly affected how the people lived, and interacted with one another. Since all the people practiced the same religion, religion gained a more important role in life, and many traditions were built around every day activities.Since all the people living in Plymouth were Puritans, they practiced and shared the same beliefs. Having the same belief system enabled the people of the community to get along easily, which resulted in a closer-knit community.

This did not just happen with the Puritans, but also the Christian communities, the Quaker communities, and all communities that shared a particular religion in common. Religion was so important in the lives of these colonists, that it greatly affected the social development of the colonial society.If any single event were argued to have acted as the greatest influence that religion had on American society, it would be the Great Awakening. The First Great Awakening was a time period characterized by an emphasis on religion among Protestants in the 1730s and 1740s (Heyrman). It resulted from powerful preaching that deeply affected listeners with deep emotions and convictions. As opposed to religion being conserved strictly for certain ceremonies, the Great Awakening made religion more personal by creating a deep sense of spiritual guilt and eventual redemption (Heyrman).

Historian Sydney E. Ahlstrom described it as a "great international Protestant upheaval". The new style of sermons and the way people practiced their faith acted as a greatly needed reboot to religion’s influence on social development in America (Heyrman). People became passionately and emotionally involved in their religion, rather than simply listening to sermons in monotonous settings.

Religion played a role in almost every aspect of the development of America, especially during the time of settlement and colonization. It was the reason that movement to the New World occurred.Those who could not longer put up with persecution in England moved to America. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Rhode Island proved extreme examples of religions influence on America’s history. Persecution based on religion was eventually evident in America itself, however, and this proved to be grounds on which religion influenced society. Politicians, sometimes hardly separating their principles from those of their religion, created laws and advertised ideals based on how religion should be carried out in the culture of their colonies, states, and ultimately the nation.

Religion played an vital role in American culture from 1607 to present by acting as a basis on which colonies and states were founded, aiding in the establishment of political policies regarding both the separation of church and state and freedom of religious practice, and influencing social development as evident in religious discrimination and fervency observed throughout the country’s history. Works Cited Brewer, Lawanda, Heather Jaques, Ranada Jones, and Joshua King. "Religion in Colonial America. " Colonial America, 1607-1783. University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

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