American History Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

American History - Term Paper Example The United States may hold values that are similar to Christian values, but the fact of the matter remains that the country was founded on the ideals of Enlightenment, which meant moving away from the relationship between Church and state. Those who believe that the United States was founded as a Christian nation will point to the fact that many of the laws found in the country are similar to those of British Common Law, which is largely based on the Ten Commandments. Also, early historical documents frequently contain the word God, which could point to the nation being founded on these principles. The truth, however, is that the United States was largely founded on the idea of religious freedom. This is because the Anglican Church had so much power in Great Britain, and many separatists wished to escape this sort of environment. Also, while the Declaration of Independence does contain references to a higher power, there is no direct reference to a Christian God, nor does the Declaration have any impact on how the country was founded. This is because the Declaration, while an important historical document, is not lawful in any way and, therefore, does not affect the foundation of the country. Those who believe that the country was not founded on Christianity would argue that the founding fathers wished to eliminate the connection between Church and state. This was a manner of granting citizens complete freedom, including freedom of religion. In fact, the first treaty that the United States ever entered into was the Treaty of Tripoli, which stated, â€Å"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity, of Musselmenâ€Å" (Walker). This document was produced by the founding fathers and stated that there was no connect, so it should be taken at what it says. There will always be the