The founding of America, particularly through the English colonies that formed the United States, involved significant Christian motivations, especially among Puritan and other Protestant groups seeking religious freedom. While not all colonies or founders were uniformly Christian (e.g., some sought economic opportunities or were influenced by Enlightenment ideas), substantial evidence from primary sources demonstrates that many key settlements were established explicitly for worshiping Jesus freely and structuring society around biblical principles.
Plymouth Colony (1620) – The Pilgrims
- Mayflower Compact (1620): This foundational document, signed by 41 adult male passengers on the Mayflower, explicitly invokes Christian purpose. It states: “In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten… having undertaken, for the Glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith… a voyage to plant the first colony in the Northern parts of Virginia.” The signers were Separatist Puritans fleeing persecution in England to worship according to their interpretation of the Bible.
- William Bradford’s Journal (Of Plymouth Plantation): Bradford, governor of Plymouth, described the Pilgrims’ exodus as akin to the Israelites fleeing Egypt, aiming to establish a “city upon a hill” (referencing Matthew 5:14) where they could live by God’s laws without interference from the Church of England.
Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630) – The Puritans
- John Winthrop’s Sermon “A Model of Christian Charity” (1630): Winthrop, governor of the colony, declared: “For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us… We must delight in each other; make others’ conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body.” This envisioned a society governed by biblical covenants, with laws derived from Scripture (e.g., the Body of Liberties in 1641 drew from Exodus, Deuteronomy, and other Old Testament books).
- Charter of Massachusetts Bay (1629): It mandated that the colony’s purpose was “to encourage the planters in the Christian faith” and to convert Native Americans.
Other Early Colonies with Christian Foundations
- Connecticut (1636): Founded by Puritans like Thomas Hooker, who preached that government should be based on “the free consent of the people” but rooted in biblical authority. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639) is often called the first written constitution and begins by referencing “the Gospel of our Lord Jesus.”
- Rhode Island (1636): Roger Williams, a Puritan minister, founded it for “soul liberty” – freedom to worship Jesus without state interference – though it emphasized separation of church and state more than others.
- Maryland (1634): Established by Catholic Lord Baltimore as a haven for Catholics fleeing Protestant persecution in England, with the Act of Toleration (1649) protecting Christians (Catholics and Trinitarian Protestants) in worship.
- Pennsylvania (1681): William Penn, a Quaker, framed it as a “holy experiment” based on biblical principles of justice and peace, drawing from the Sermon on the Mount.
Colonial Laws and Customs Reflecting Biblical Principles
- New England Primer (1690): The primary textbook for children, it taught the alphabet with biblical phrases (e.g., “A: In Adam’s Fall, We sinned all”) and included the Lord’s Prayer and Ten Commandments.
- Colonial Legal Codes:
- Massachusetts Body of Liberties (1641): Prohibited idolatry, blasphemy, and witchcraft based on Exodus 22:18, 20; required Sabbath observance (Exodus 20); and drew capital crimes from Deuteronomy.
- New Haven Colony Laws (1656): Explicitly stated the Bible as the basis for all laws, with Scripture citations for offenses like adultery (Leviticus 20:10).
- Education: Harvard (1636) was founded “to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity; dreading to leave an illiterate ministry to the churches.” Yale (1701) aimed to educate youth “in the Christian Protestant faith.”
- Thanksgiving Proclamation (1621): The Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving was a religious feast thanking God, setting a precedent for national observances.
Evidence from the Founding Fathers and National Documents
While the U.S. Constitution (1787) is secular in not establishing a religion, many founders were Christians who referenced biblical principles in governance, and state constitutions often did.
Declaration of Independence (1776)
- References “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” “endowed by their Creator,” and “divine Providence” – language echoing Christian natural law theology (e.g., from Romans 2:14-15).
- Signed mostly by Christians (e.g., 24 Episcopalians, 11 Congregationalists, per historical counts).
State Constitutions (1776–1780s)
- Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776): Drafted by George Mason, influenced by Baptist demands for religious freedom; many signers were Christians.
- Massachusetts Constitution (1780): Written by John Adams, required officeholders to declare belief in “the Christian religion” until 1833.
- All 13 original state constitutions mentioned God or divine guidance; 9 required Christian oaths for office.
Quotes from Key Founders
- George Washington: In his Farewell Address (1796): “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports… Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.”
- John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other” (Letter to Massachusetts Militia, 1798). He signed the Treaty of Tripoli (1797), but its “not a Christian nation” clause referred to no established church, not denying Christian influence.
- Patrick Henry: “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
- Samuel Adams: “The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles” (Rights of the Colonists, 1772).
Northwest Ordinance (1787)
- Passed by the Continental Congress: “Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” It banned slavery in the territory and reflected Christian ethics.
Supreme Court Precedents
- Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States (1892): The Court reviewed colonial charters, state constitutions, and laws, concluding: “This is a Christian nation” based on overwhelming evidence of Christian foundations, though this is a historical observation, not legal establishment.
Counterpoints and Nuances for Completeness
- Not all founders were devout (e.g., Jefferson and Franklin were deists); the First Amendment (1791) prohibits establishing religion to prevent any single denomination’s dominance.
- Native American conversions were often coercive, and slavery contradicted biblical equality principles for some.
- However, the query focuses on evidence showing Christian founding intent, which the above primary sources substantiate for key colonies and influences.
This compilation draws from primary documents (charters, sermons, laws) and historical records, demonstrating that major settlements were founded by Christians for free Jesus worship, with laws/customs often biblically derived. For full texts, consult archives like the Avalon Project (Yale) or Library of Congress.