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Jan 1, 1500
Native American Faith
Native American religion dictated that the Great Spirit brought prosperity. The Algonquians, the Iroquois, Sioux, and the Seminoles worshiped this entity found within flora and fauna alike. Elaborate dances like Sundance, Round, Snake, Crow, Ghost and others were developed as religious rituals. -
Period: Jan 1, 1500 to
Religion
This timespan illustrates important religious events in American history, These events helped shape forms of American faith in the past and the present. Many of these events will play a role in shaping American faiths in the future. -
First Anglican Church Established in American Colonies
The first Anglican (Episcopal) church in the American colonies was established on this date in Cape Henry, Virginia. This event signified the beginning of a religious presence of settlers in the American colonies. -
Puritan Pilgrams Land in Massachusetts
This event is important because it marks the beginning of the English Separatist and Anglican Puritans' efforts to establish their own religious freedom in the form of an American colonial settlement: Plymouth (within Massachusetts). -
Harvard College Founded for Training Ministers
Harvard College (later University) was founded by the Massachusetts Puritans at New Towne. It was the first institution of higher learning established in North America. It was creating for training future ministers. -
Maine Passes Religious Freedom Legislation
The colony of Maine passed law creating religious freedom for all citizens. This, however, was on the condition that those of religious beliefs deemed "contrary" behave "acceptably." This legislation helped made up the basis of religious American freedom but still held many flaws. -
Celebrating Christmas is Illegal in Boston and Not Yet a National Holiday
Between 1659 and 1681, celebrating Christmas was illegal in Boston. In addition, sentiment against the celebration of Christmas in the North prevented the day from becoming a national holiday until 1870. -
America's First Synagogue Dedicated
America's first synagogue, Shearith Israel, was dedicated in New York City, New York. This event signifies the growing presence of Judaic faith in America and especially New York City. -
The First Great Awakening
The First Great Awakening was a Christian revitalization movement that occurred in the American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s. It transformed American Christianity from ritual and ceremony dominated faith to one attainable to the average person: one of deep spiritual conviction and personal morality. -
American Army Begins Employing Chaplains
The American Army began employing chaplains (members of the clergy attatched to specialized settings). This event illustrates how religious faith was present in American life to the point of the American Army employing ministers to preach within it. -
First Amendment Adopted
This event is important because the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights established free excercise of religion in its statement, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." -
Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise was Born
Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, founder of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Hebrew Union College, was born. The implications of this event are that a major figure in Jewish American religion was born. This man united synagogues of Jewish faith and provided a forum for further higher Jewish education. -
The First American Temperance Society is Formed
The American Temperance Society was founded in Boston. Within ten years there were 8,000 lsimilar groups with more than a total of 1.5 million members. Temperance included not only alcohol abstinence but also all other activities deemed "immoral". This event illustrates the impact of religion and its dictations against alcohol and other immoralities upon everyday life. -
James Buchanan Proposes U.S. as a Christian Nation
Senator James Buchanan introduced a resolution in the Senate that the United States be declared a Christian nation and acknowledge Jesus Christ as America's Savior. The resolution was rejected. This event is important because although the resolution was rejected, it shows that some shared the sentiment that church and state should indeed not be separate. -
On the Origin of Species Published
Charles Darwin's 'The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection' was first published. All opies of the first printing were sold out on the first day. This event signified the beginning of evolutionary theory, which conflicts religious Creationionism with scientific evidence. -
Fear of Communist Atheism
The 1950's Red Scare harbored much American fear of Communism and the Atheism within its idealogy. This event signifies American wariness of Atheism and its implications for religion as a whole. State Atheism of Marxist-Lenin variety specifically seemed to pose a threat to America during the Cold War. -
"Under God" Added to Pledge of Allegiance
The phrase "under God" was incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance by a Joint Resolution of Congress amending §7 of the Flag Code enacted in 1942. This event affirmed the place of religion in American culture, politics, and society. -
Pope John Paul's Orders in Encyclical Evangelium Vitae
In the encyclical Evangelium Vitae, Pope John Paul II ordered all Catholic voters, judges, and legislators to obey Vatican teaching in their decisions and votes. He stated that
these people could not obey or take part in propoganda for unjust laws such as ones permitting abortion or euthenasia. This event highlights the issue of the role religion could/should play in political/legal decisions. -
Combs v. Central Texas
In this case, the Fifth Circuit Court ruled that a church could not be sued for gender discrimination after one of its female members was fired. This case involved the relationship between the congressional mandate to eliminate discrimination in the workplace and the constitutional mandate to preserve the separation of church and state. The Court decided that when these two were in conflict, the constitutional must override the congressional.
