Radical social changes that occurred in the late eighteenth century played a significant part in creating the American culture as it is known today. Before the American Revolution, several colonies had laws that strictly limited religious freedom and followed the Anglican Church while restraining the rest (Shi, 214). However, after the event, the support for the pro-British belief system dropped rapidly. Instead, Baptists and Methodists had an opportunity to promote their values freely (Shi, 214). They were permitted to contradict others’ opinions but could not enforce their own. Moreover, the separation of the church from the government led to the elimination of the official financial support of religious communities, further allowing people to freely choose whom they could follow (Shi, 214). Without tax funds, churches could no longer easily impose their views on others, leading to major changes in Americans’ spiritual beliefs.
For example, some of the traditional religious views suddenly lost their popularity. One of the primary reasons behind this shift is the focus on the personal freedom of Americans. Shi and Mayer’s (2019) book provides a clear view of these changes through Thomas Jefferson’s Religious Liberty Statute, who wrote how “civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions” (p. 113). No single religion was placed above others, as people were free to follow any pastor they deemed fit. In conclusion, religious groups that originated from Britain were no longer officially supported, and Americans were allowed to select and openly proclaim their spiritual beliefs without any persecution.
References
Shi, D. E. (2018). America: A narrative history (11th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.
Shi, D. E., & Mayer, H. A. (2019). For the record: A documentary history (7th ed.). New York, NY: W. W. Norton.