Quotes from David Barton

Dr. Rush was firm in his belief that education, to be successful, must infuse the principles of Christianity throughout all of its academic disciplines. In fact, when he presented his plan for universal public education on March 28, 1787, he explained:

Let the children who are sent to those schools be taught to read and write. . . . [and a]bove all, let both sexes be carefully instructed in the principles and obligations of the Christian religion. This is the most essential part of education – this will make them dutiful children, teachable scholars, and, afterwards, good apprentices, good husbands, good wives, honest mechanics, industrious farmers, peaceable sailors, and, in everything that relates to this country, good citizens.

The great enemy of the salvation of man, in my opinion, never invented a more effectual means of extirpating [extinguishing] Christianity from the world than by persuading mankind that it was improper to read the Bible at schools.25 Dr.

That the Bible contains more knowledge necessary to man in his present state than any other book in the world.

T]he longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God* governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been assured, sir, in the Sacred Writings that "except the Lord build they labor in vain that build it" [quoting the Bible from Psalm 127:1].4

The Democrats' response against open education for black youth sometimes went beyond words to acts of violence – as when they burned down eight schools in Memphis in which black youth were being taught.

THE RELIGIOUS PILGRIMS OPPOSED SLAVERY

Signer of the Constitution Alexander Hamilton, like so many others, viewed religious and civil liberties as inseparable, pointing out: Remember: civil and religious liberties always go together; if the foundation of the one be sapped, the other will fall.31

Although the history of black Americans begins in 1619 with the arrival of the first slaves in America, the political history of black Americans actually begins much later, in 1787 – the year in which the American political system was constructed – the year in which the Constitution was written.

The Democrats' website is accurate when it says that the Democratic efforts for civil rights "began" with Truman in 1946, for there certainly is much about civil rights that they would rather not talk about before that time.

The term "Kansas-Nebraska Territory" does not describe the area of Kansas and Nebraska as they are known today. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska territory included not only Kansas and Nebraska but also what is now part of Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota and South Dakota. 48 Therefore, by extending slavery into parts of the Kansas-Nebraska territory, Democrats were pushing slavery westward across the nation, essentially from coast to coast.)

Democratic President Grover Cleveland removed Frederick Douglass from office but Republican President Benjamin Harrison reappointed him.

I have never seen a contemporary history book that informs students that witch trials were also occurring across the world at that time with 500,000 put to death in Europe,45 including 30,000 in England, 75,000 in France, and 100,000 in Germany.46 Why do modern texts point out the twenty-seven deaths in America but ignore the 500,000 elsewhere? Historical Negativism.

Our story is not one of a perfect people, but it is a compelling account of people seeking religious and civil freedom, escaping oppression, pursuing opportunity, and often joining hands with diverse people to achieve common goals.

That wall is a one directional wall. It keeps the government from running the church but it makes sure that Christian principles will always stay in government.

And you get Thomas Paine, who's the least religious Founding Father saying, you've got to teach creation science in the classroom. Scientific method demands that.

Only majorities can expand political rights in America's constitutional society.

The 1947 Court (Everson v. Board of Education) for the first time had used only Jefferson's metaphor - completely divorced from its context and intent.

When the First Amendment was finally approved, it contained two separate clauses on religion, each with an independent scope of action. The first clause (called the Establishment Clause) prohibited the federal government from establishing a single national denomination; the second clause (called the Free Exercise Clause) prohibited the federal government from interfering with the people's public religious expressions and acknowledgments.

It's interesting that many of the best instructors in early America were Scottish Presbyterians. As historian George Marsden affirmed, "[I]t is not much of an exaggeration to say that outside of New England, the Scots were the educators of eighteenth-century America."7 These Scottish instructors regularly tutored students in what was known as the Scottish Common Sense educational philosophy –

These anti-slavery Founders argued that if the South was going to count its "property" (that is, its slaves) in order to get more pro-slavery representation in Congress, then the North would count its "property" (that is, its sheep, cows, and horses) to get more anti-slavery representation in Congress. Of course, the South objected just as strongly to this proposal as the North had objected to counting slaves.

This is why Frederick Douglass (unlike many Americans today who have never taken the time to study the Constitution) could therefore emphatically declare that the Constitution – all of the Constitution – was anti-slavery.

In 1864, following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, several civil rights laws – and laws preparing to facilitate civil rights – were passed by Republicans.85 One was a bill establishing the Freedmen's Bureau 86 and another equalized pay for soldiers in the military, whether white or black. 87 The Fugitive Slave Law was also repealed that year 88 – over the almost unanimous opposition of the northern Democrats still in Congress. 89

While Republicans were working to end slavery and secure civil rights, the new nation of southern Democrats was determined to head in an opposite direction.