Colonial Religion

During the colonial period there were many differences in the 3 main regions of our country (just as there are today).

If we begin with the Southern colonies we will find a group of settlers whose lives revolved around agriculture. Poor white settlers worked on rural farms while the wealthier populous owned large plantations with slaves and indentured servants. No public schools were in existence, and unless you were a wealthy white male, there was not much chance of you getting an education at all. Only the wealthy parents could afford tutors for their children, sometimes even putting their money together to get a tutor for a group of children. If you were a wealthy male receiving an education but you did not have a tutor, you perhaps went

It was the cornerstone of most schools in the early colonial period. The Church of England was prominent in the South, while the Middle colonies had an array of denominations, and the Northern colonies were dominated by Puritans.

Our founding fathers decided that because the formation of the colonies came about in large part due to religious disagreements, we should put no single religion above any other. This is what we know as "separation of Church and State".

This separation is controversial today because people interpret it differently. While this actually means that religions are free to be discussed, practiced, etc. among students and teachers, no religion is to be taught to a student as the "right" religion to follow. Some people think that there is no place for religion in the school system at all. Others think that religion (usually Christianity as the religion) should be allowed and no one can take that away, however, no other religions should be allowed in. This is the reason that there is separation of Church and State. If one religion is allowed, then all must be, for no one religion is above any other. This has been a cause for controversy for as long as I have been around. Should be able to pray at school? Should money be allocated to religious based school groups? Should religion be a part of character

If one is in, all are in. Since colonial times our country has become even MORE diverse. Where we once had a "melting pot" of Puritans, Lutherans, Quakers, Baptists, Catholics and so on, we now have many other religions from across the globe as common religions in America. Christianity as a whole, Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, even Scientology and the Church of Satan are all common religions in America today. Not only are they common, but Atheists and Agnostics are common as well. And according to the forefathers, no one religion should be put above another. Controversy will always be found within a group of people as diverse as Americans, especially on a topic as dear to many as