American Cultural History: Religion and Freedom in American Colonial Culture

The dominate trend that existed and influenced decisions during the Colonial and Revolutionary period was religion. Religious freedom was the driving force that inspired men of all ages to revolt against their native country of England in order to pursue a life that would develop into the American Dream. As described by James Truslow Adams, the American dream would provide “a better, richer and happier life for all out citizens of every rank.” [1] During the Colonial period, the American Dream was designed to establish “a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe” [2] when the preamble to the Declaration of Independence inaugurated three basic rights: the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

To read the full preamble of the Declaration of Independence visit: http://www.elcivics.com/us_declaration_preamble.html

Religion influenced more than the foundation of the Colonies, the set of beliefs founded by the Puritans prompted intolerance and self-righteousness. While Christianity was the popular religion, there was no unified beliefs system to create a happier life for all people as religion based on Puritan beliefs assisted the influence elitism and the separation of classes. “Although most colonists considered themselves Christians, this did not mean that they lived in a culture of religious unity. Instead, differing Christian groups often believed that their own practices and faiths provided unique values that needed protection against those who disagreed, driving a need for rule and regulation.” [3] The Puritans did have the best interest of the people in mind, but like the Founding Fathers, could not decide amongst themselves how to make the world a better place.

Thomas Jefferson attempted to better American culture through his love of food and entertaining. Jefferson believed that Relationships cultivated through sharing a meal could enhance the community and narrow the gap between classes. He encouraged appreciation of other cultures by sharing food knowledge and crops and bringing a blend of different nations to America. [4]

Religion was a definite trend during the Colonial and Revolutionary period and the inability to agree on an interpretation of liberty continued to shape how the American culture matured. When questioned about the interpretation of liberty in the Declaration of Independence, John Winthrop is quoted as declaring liberty “makes men grow evil, and in time to be worse than brute beasts.” [5] While the loose definition of freedom allowed slavery to continue and the belief that “freedom was to be a relative and racially limited term”[6], during the Revolution period the problem of slavery developed moral clarity. The Revolutionary period was about power and American were able to recognize their own power issues and relate the desire for power with the power that initiated the separation from England.

As religion continued to trend through the American culture, impacting freedom and class, the Declaration of Independence continued to transform and adjust to the beliefs and morals of the nation. The desire for a better and happier life is still a dominate goal for the current culture and much like the Colonial period, the translation of that goal requires clarification and implementation to ensure freedom for all.