by Rachel Leah

Created on: May 10, 2008

The American nation was founded on a lot of principles, including Christian ideals. While it is not the most religious country in the modern world, it is high on the list of developed nations.

When the original settlers landed in places such as James Town, gold and a road to China was the most important objective for these early Europeans. However, the Europeans carried their religion with them and it affected heavily their views of the Natives of North America.

In 1620, a second American settlement was settled by a fraction of the Protestants in England, known as puritans. This would become the famous Plymouth Rock landing and the settlement of Salem. Salem would later be known for its Witch hunt, which saw most of the town being accused of witch craft by a group of young girls. Puritans believed in the purity of the religion, and if it was not in the bible it should not be done. For example, Children were not to play idly, because it was strongly believed this would lead to works of the devil.

After the Witch hunts Puritan ideals has begun to slip into the background, but religion would remain present.

At the time of the American Revolution, Americans had grown tired of rule from someone hundreds of miles away, sitting on a throne in England. They believed they only answered to themselves, and to God, for their actions. They were bucking against the institution, not the divine. While a Man, who claimed himself king could not control them, they still answered to their creator.

Of course the American ideal of self rule and a loose federal government protected them from monarchy (breaking the traditional revolution timeline), but God was still a guiding light. In fact the American coins still don the phrase "In God we trust".

The American Revolution did not cement Christian's ideals, nor did it eradicate it. Some Americans, however, would begin to feel the revolution and following wars (such as the Mexican war), were a sort of Godly right.

In the 1920's and 30's, there was even a revival of Christian ideals during the temperance movement, almost bringing back the roots of American Puritism. There was a ban of Drinking and other "bad habits", which sprouted the speak easies and the Mob bosses of the era.

Today, Americans are still the most religious out of the developed nations, and often find their religion within their politics. For example the recent gay marriage debate, while other counties such as Australia and Canada have legalized the practice, only a few states have ignored the federal governments wish.

It seems Americans will forever meld politics with their religion, only separating when bulking at a system, still believing "In God we trust".

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