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2019-04-09 2019-04-09

The Founding Faith Archive

Early documents on religious freedom and the spiritual beliefs of the Founding Fathers.

Authors

Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
George Washington
John Adams
Benjamin Franklin
Patrick Henry
Isaac Backus

Topics

Indians
Pennsylvania
Christopher Columbus
Tolerance
Protestant
Separation Of Church And State
Pluralism
Bill Of Rights
Religious Tyranny
Jesus Christ
Jefferson Bible
Condolences
Great Britain
Anne Hutchinson
Puritans
Congregational
Church Of England
Massachusetts
Danbury Baptists
Charles Pinkney

See all authors and topics

Founding Faith

“If asked to recommend the best book on this controversial topic, I would choose Founding Faith.”

- Joseph Ellis, author of American CreationFounding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America

Diary of John Adams July 25 1796

Tom Paine had become a leading Deist, arguing against the infallibility of the Bible.

Declaration and Resolves

In describing the colonies' grievances, the Continental Congress cited the Quebec Act, which gave religious freedom to Catholics...

Diary Entry of Christopher Columbus

Draft of The Virginia Act for Establishing Religious Freedom

This was Jefferson's original draft of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom. This version placed a greater emphasis on...

Letter from James Madison to James Monroe

In the third paragraph, Madison updates his friend James Monroe about the "general assessment," Patrick Henry's proposal to tax...

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