Many settlers in the United States found themselves on this continent as refugees from such wars others came to find a place where they could follow their own religion with like-minded people in relative peace.
Even today, the legacy of these wars remains, most notably in Ireland, which has been divided between a mostly Catholic south and a largely Protestant north for nearly a century. In Europe, bitter wars were fought between and within states, often because the established church of one territory was in conflict with that of another wars and civil strife were common, particularly between states with Protestant and Catholic churches that had differing interpretations of Christianity. When the United States was founded, most countries around the world had an established church or religion, an officially sponsored set of religious beliefs and values. Congress is prohibited from creating or promoting a state-sponsored religion (this now includes the states too). The first of these two freedoms is known as the establishment clause. However, it actually protects two related sorts of freedom: first, it protects people from having a set of religious beliefs imposed on them by the government, and second, it protects people from having their own religious beliefs restricted by government authorities. The first portion deals with religious freedom. Given the broad scope of this amendment, it is helpful to break it into its two major parts.
RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION FREE
“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.” The First Amendment is perhaps the most famous provision of the Bill of Rights it is arguably also the most extensive, because it guarantees both religious freedoms and the right to express your views in public.
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