Concerns about the Freedom of Religion

Throughout their colonial development, Americans had a profound appreciation for religious freedom. Although nearly all Americans espoused the principles of religious liberty, the exact meaning was not firmly fixed. Depending on the colony, the meaning had a range of understandings. If a colony had an established Christian church it often tolerated Jews, Quakers and other denominations (including the Dutch Reformed Church in New York, the Catholic Church in Maryland, and Baptists and Methodists all over America). After the American Revolution, a general secularization process began especially on the Confederation level. Additionally, in the minds of some like Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, the concept of the freedom of conscience had a religious as well as a political meaning. However, there was wide consensus on the functional importance of religion in public life. When one surveys the literature of the period, it is as though they wrote in broad, general strokes about religious liberty, and did not concern themselves with complex issues discussed today. Thus, we have selected documents that have varying shades of meaning, but might be gathered under the heading of religious liberty. 

Concerns about the Establishment of Religion during the Ratification Period

Concerns about the Freedom of Conscience during the Ratification Period

Concerns about Conscientious Objectors during the Ratification Period