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Line 38: − + − + − The U.S. is a predominantly Christian nation. A Pew Report showed 76% of Republicans, 63% of Democrats,and 67% of independents view the U.S. a Christian nation. [[Humanism#Secular_Humanism|Secular]] categories are the only subgroup in which fewer than a majority sees the U.S. as a Christian country. <ref>[http://pewforum.org/docs/index.php?DocID=153#1 Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life], August 24, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2007.</ref> − − The [[Declaration of Independence]] acknowledges the existence of a God when it refers to "the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God" and says all men "are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." That statement was inserted by the author, [[Thomas Jefferson]], a Deist. Most Americans were Protestants; the Anglican Church of England, which had been the eestablished church in several colonies, was disestablished. That is, it was no longer supported by taxes. Massachusetts and Connecticut later dropped their taxpayer support of the Congregational Church, and the principle of legal separation of church and state became established. [[James Madison]] in 1791 wrote the [[First Amendment]] to the U.S. Constitution, stating "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The first clause is referred to as the [[Establishment Clause]], and the second the [[Free Exercise Clause]]. An informal letter that President Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists, called the First Amendment as "a wall of separation between Church and State."<ref>[http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists], January 1, 1802. Retrieved November 11, 2008.</ref> − [[Image:Cathedral of the Plains, Kansas.JPG|thumb|Cathedral of the Plains, [[Kansas]].]] − − In recent decades, the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] has used the "[[Lemon test]]" as a means for determining whether or not a particular controversy causes excessive entanglement between government and religion, though in some cases has allowed religious icons (such as [[the Ten Commandments]] display in [[Texas]].<ref> http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=US&vol=000&invol=03-1500 </ref>)
→The Role of Religion in Government
The U.S. is politically dedicated to [[republicanism]] with its commitment to civic virtue, and opposition to corrpution and aristocracy. The United States invented popular parties in the 1790s; currently the two major political parties are the [[Democratic Party]], and the [[Republican Party]]. Minor parties are of little importance.
The U.S. is politically dedicated to [[republicanism]] with its commitment to civic virtue, and opposition to corrpution and aristocracy. The United States invented popular parties in the 1790s; currently the two major political parties are the [[Democratic Party]], and the [[Republican Party]]. Minor parties are of little importance.
== The Role of Religion in Government ==
=== The Role of Religion in Government ===
see [[Religion and U.S. Government]]
==History==
==History==