| Native Peoples |
| At the time of European contact, indigenous cultures in North America had developed coherent religious systems that included creation stories and ethical systems, transmitted orally from one generation to the next. Spiritual beliefs and practices were fully integrated into daily life and varied widely based on culture. |
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| Colonial America |
| From the first European settlers to American independence, a hugely diverse set of religious ideas, leaders, and institutions exercised major influence on society and political realities in America. Building a unified society from this pluralism in the midst of the Enlightenment resulted in a social compact that included a level of religious liberty unknown in other parts of the world. |
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| New Nation |
| The Founders were tasked with developing a constitutional democracy that would serve the most pluralistic society on earth. Remembering the devastation of the religious wars in Europe and drawing on Enlightenment philosophy, and the experiences of religious minorities in America, these new American leaders created a new experiment in liberty based on freedom on conscience. |
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| 19th Century |
| From the Second Great Awakening to abolition, Manifest Destiny to the Know Nothings, and women’s suffrage to temperance, the nineteenth century was awash in religiously motivated social and political change. The era, marked by massive immigration from less represented cultures and geographic regions, resulted in new religious movements, utopian societies, and a commitment to expand the ideals of America through imperialism. |
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| 20th Century |
| Challenges between religion and the secular forces of modernity were in overdrive from 1900 to the end of the century. Clashes between Liberalism and Fundamentalism, struggles between popular media driven culture and conservative religious values marked society. Varied religious responses were made to Darwinism, the Cold War, and Civil Rights. Court decisions rebalancing the free exercise and establishment clauses of the Constitution demonstrate the influence of issues involving religion and conscience on American society. |
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| Contemporary |
| The influence and power of world religions domestically and internationally are a focus as Americans struggle with the issues of 9-11, environmental issues and global conflicts. Religious influences on politics, interdenominational and interfaith peace efforts, and economic and social reforms mark the first years of the 21st century. |
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| General |
| Overviews, maps, long-range trends, and analyses of the influence of religion on social reform, foreign policy, government, the environment, and much more may be found in this section. |
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