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While the Virginia institution of slavery was spreading to the colonies of [[Maryland]], [[Carolina]] and, later, [[Georgia]], [[Massachusetts]] was spreading a different sort of institution: religious intensity.  [[Roger Williams]] was an extraordinary individual of such great faith that found even the Puritans lacking in their treatment of Indians.  Williams also disagreed with how the Puritans combined government and religion, and had even executed several Christians based on differences with the Puritan faith.  Williams was fabulous with languages and learned to communicate with many different Indian tribes, and even lived with them at times in spite of the danger.  He left the Puritans in Massachusetts and started the colony of Rhode Island, which to this day has prided itself on its independence.  Rhode Island was the only state to refuse to support a colonial tax on imports after the Revolution, and the only colony to refuse to ratify the Constitution until long after [[George Washington]] was President.  Rhode Island, under Roger Williams’ direction, separated state government from religion.  No mandatory church attendance, and no funding of churches with tax revenues were allowed in Rhode Island.   

While the Virginia institution of slavery was spreading to the colonies of [[Maryland]], [[Carolina]] and, later, [[Georgia]], [[Massachusetts]] was spreading a different sort of institution: religious intensity.  [[Roger Williams]] was an extraordinary individual of such great faith that found even the Puritans lacking in their treatment of Indians.  Williams also disagreed with how the Puritans combined government and religion, and had even executed several Christians based on differences with the Puritan faith.  Williams was fabulous with languages and learned to communicate with many different Indian tribes, and even lived with them at times in spite of the danger.  He left the Puritans in Massachusetts and started the colony of Rhode Island, which to this day has prided itself on its independence.  Rhode Island was the only state to refuse to support a colonial tax on imports after the Revolution, and the only colony to refuse to ratify the Constitution until long after [[George Washington]] was President.  Rhode Island, under Roger Williams’ direction, separated state government from religion.  No mandatory church attendance, and no funding of churches with tax revenues were allowed in Rhode Island.   

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But while Roger Williams was highly moral, others in Rhode Island made it the biggest importer of slaves in all the colonies.  So censoring religion may have a price.  In contrast, in the larger Massachusetts, taxes funded religious institutions for nearly 200 years, until at least the 1830s.  It successfully prohibited slavery.  Another devout Christian who disagreed with the Puritans and left them was named [[Anne Hutchinson]].  She, however, was later killed by Indians.

But while Roger Williams was highly moral, others in Rhode Island made it the biggest importer of slaves in all the colonies.  So censoring religion may have a price.  In contrast, in the larger Massachusetts, taxes funded religious institutions for nearly 200 years, until at least the 1830s.  It successfully prohibited slavery.  Another devout Christian who disagreed with the Puritans, was tried by them in 1636 for emphasizing "grace" rather than "works", and then fled, was named [[Anne Hutchinson]].  She escaped the Puritans but was later killed by Indians.  Religious persecution continued in Massachusetts in the mid-1600s: the Baptists were banished in 1651, and the Quakers were expelled or, when they remained or returned, they were hung.

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One prominent text claims, under “Rhode Island,” that “This belief [by Roger Williams] in the separation of church and state became a cornerstone of the American Constitution in 1787.”  That is completely false.  Roger Williams was long dead by 1787, and there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution.  Rhode Island did not even send any representatives to draft the Constitution and it had no role in the drafting of the Bill of Rights.  In fact, Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after George Washington was elected president, and even then it took much arm-twisting to compel Rhode Island to ratify the Constitution.  But some people want to keep religion out of government, and they refuse to admit that the First Amendment only prohibits the establishment of a national church by the government.

One prominent text claims, under “Rhode Island,” that “This belief [by Roger Williams] in the separation of church and state became a cornerstone of the American Constitution in 1787.”  That is completely false.  Roger Williams was long dead by 1787, and there is no separation of church and state in the Constitution.  Rhode Island did not even send any representatives to draft the Constitution and it had no role in the drafting of the Bill of Rights.  In fact, Rhode Island did not ratify the Constitution until after George Washington was elected president, and even then it took much arm-twisting to compel Rhode Island to ratify the Constitution.  But some people want to keep religion out of government, and they refuse to admit that the First Amendment only prohibits the establishment of a national church by the government.  Rhode Island was the only colony that supported a "separation" of church and state.

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In between Massachusetts and Virginia there was a third approach:  that taken by Pennsylvania.  William Penn was another extraordinary Englishman.  He converted to become a Quaker in England and began practicing that religion in violation of English law.  He was arrested and prosecuted, but the jury refused to convict him.  The king owed his father money, and gave the son what is today Pennsylvania.  It was nothing but woods at the time.  But William Penn founded his colony based on one principle:  religious freedom for all.  He advertised in Europe and attracted peoples of many nationalities in addition to the English.   

In between Massachusetts and Virginia there was a third approach:  that taken by Pennsylvania.  William Penn was another extraordinary Englishman.  He converted to become a Quaker in England and began practicing that religion in violation of English law.  He was arrested and prosecuted, but the jury refused to convict him.  The king owed his father money, and gave the son what is today Pennsylvania.  It was nothing but woods at the time.  But William Penn founded his colony based on one principle:  religious freedom for all.  He advertised in Europe and attracted peoples of many nationalities in addition to the English.