The '''The Establishment Clauseclause''' of the [[First Amendment]] restricts [[Congress]] with regards to public practice of [[religion]].
The text of the clause reads: :"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion."
{{cquote|[[Congress]] shall make no [[law]] respecting an establishment of religion.}} As a result of this clause, enacted into the [[United States Constitution |Constitution]] as a part of the [[Bill of Rights]] in 1791, Congress may not establish an official state religion, nor give political preference to one religion over another. The original prohibition has been expanded by the [[Fourteenth Amendment]] to include not just Congress, but government organizations at the state and local levels. It does not apply in any way ro to actions by private organizations, such as private schools; however, many states have enacted more restrictive measures, called collectively [[Blaine amendments]], to prohibit State funding of sectarian schools.
The Establishment Clause is also complemented by the [[Free Exercise Clause]] which continues "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." In addition to being restricted from favoring one religion over another, the government may not unduly restrict one religion over another or the practice of religion.
The establishment clause creates the basis for [[separation of church and state]]. Its intention and meaning remains a subject A long series of great controversy and political disputecourt cases have been filed to determine how the Establishment clause applies to specific fact patterns. Under In response to lawsuits asserting the Establishment Clauseclause, courts have justified rulings ruled against [[school prayer]] and public displays of the [[Ten Commandments]] on government property.
==see See also==
* [[Religion and U.S. Government]]
* [[Separation of church and state]] ====references==References==
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[[Category:United States Constitution]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
[[Category:First Amendment]]