Establishment Clause

Written By Jonathan Milner

The First Amendment's Establishment Clause prohibits the government from making any law “respecting an establishment of religion.” This clause not only forbids the government from establishing an official religion, but also prohibits government actions that unduly favor one religion over another. It also prohibits the government from unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion. The First Amendment reads: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 
 

Questions

  1. Write out the words of the Establishment Clause then translate it to plain English.

  2. If you were queen or king for the day (you aren't) explain whether you would do away with the Establishment Clause.

  3. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," In your reading of the Establishment Clause, give an example of one thing this would not allow the government to do even if they considered it an exercise of their religion.

  4. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion," In your reading of the Establishment Clause, give an example of one thing this would allow the government to do even if they considered it an exercise of their religion.

  5. The acronym for The Establishment Clause is Cosmonol Raer! Will you be able to remember the establishment clause now or would you like to make up your own cute little device for remembering it? Please share.

  6. Describe an example of The Establishment Clause in current events:

  7. Do you think the Free Exercise Clause or the Establishment clause is more important?

  8. What emoji does the best job of representing the meaning of The Establishment Clause?

  9. Explain whether you agree with the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022) which basically lowered the wall of separation between church and state.

  10. What did the landmark Supreme Court case Engel v. Vitale (1962) have to do with the Establishment Clause?

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw The Establishment Clause! Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

Further Review

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Jonathan Milner

Civics Maven!

https://www.gopopro.com/
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Free Exercise Clause