In God We Trust
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the official motto of the United States in 1956. It is also the motto of the U.S. state of Florida. E pluribus unum is the original motto of the United States. In God We Trust has appeared on U.S. coins since 1864 and on paper currency since 1957.[1] Its Spanish equivalent, En Dios Confiamos, is the motto of the Republic of Nicaragua.[2]
Strict Separationists have questioned the legality of this motto because they state that it violates United States Constitution which forbids the government from passing any law respecting the establishment of a religion.[3] Religious accomodationists, on the other hand, state that this entrenched practice has not historically presented any constitutional difficulty, is not coercive, and does not prefer one narrow sect over another.[3]
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[edit] History
The idea of putting the phrase on U.S. currency was conceived by Salmon P. Chase, the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln.[1] Chase wrote in an 1861 letter to James Pollock, then Director of the Mint in Philadelphia, that "no nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be declared on our national coins."[4]
Aspirations for the motto arrose surrounding the turmoil and heightened religious sentiment that existed during the Civil War. The Reverend M. R. Watkinson, in a letter dated 13 November 1861, petitioned the Treasury Department to add a statement recognising "Almighty God in some form in our coins."[5] However Treasury Secretary Chase did not submit the motto with the words "In God We Trust" until December 9, 1863.[1]
The act approving the motto to be placed on the 1-cent and newly created 2-cent piece passed April 22, 1864.[5] This was followed in 1866 by the 5 cent nickel (1866–1883), quarter dollar, half dollar, silver dollar, and gold dollars.[6][7] An 1865 law allowed the motto to be used on coins.[8] The use of the motto was permitted, but not required, by an 1873 law. While several laws come into play, the act of May 18, 1908,[9] is most often cited as requiring the motto (even though the cent and nickel were excluded from that law, and the nickel did not have the motto added until 1938). Since 1938, all coins have borne the motto.
On July 11, 1954, just one month after the phrase "under God" was incorporated into the Pledge of Allegiance,[10] the U.S. Congress enacted Public Law 84-140, which required the motto on all coins and currency. The law was approved by President Eisenhower on July 30, 1956, and the motto was progressively added to paper money over a period from 1957 to 1966.[6] In 1956 the phrase was legally adopted as the United States' national motto by a law passed by the 84th United States Congress.(Public Law 84-851)",[11] and the United States Code at 36 U.S.C. § 302, now states: "'In God we trust' is the national motto."
In 2006, on the 50th anniversary of its adoption, the Senate reaffirmed "In God We Trust" as the official national motto of the United States of America.[12] In 2011 the House of Representatives passed an additional resolution reaffirming "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States, in a 396-9 vote.[13][14] According to a 2003 joint poll by USA Today, CNN, and Gallup, 90% of Americans support the inscription "In God We Trust" on U.S. coins.[15]
Similar phrases or derivations can be found in the Bible (including Psalms 20, Psalms 56, & Psalms 62). The phrase has been incorporated in many hymns and patriotic songs. The final stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner, written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key (and later adopted as the U.S. national anthem), contains an early reference to a variation of the phrase: "...And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust'."[16] During the American Civil War, the 125th Pennsylvania Infantry for the Union Army assumed the motto "In God We Trust" in early August 1862.[17][18]
[edit] Controversy
Critics contend that the motto's placement on money constitutes a "law respecting an establishment of religion" by the government, thus violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and the Separation of church and state. The motto was first challenged in Aronow v. United States in 1970, but the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled: "It is quite obvious that the national motto and the slogan on coinage and currency 'In God We Trust' has nothing whatsoever to do with the establishment of religion. Its use is of patriotic or ceremonial character and bears no true resemblance to a governmental sponsorship of a religious exercise."[20] The decision was cited in Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, a 2004 case on the Pledge of Allegiance. These acts of "ceremonial deism" are "protected from Establishment Clause scrutiny chiefly because they have lost through rote repetition any significant religious content."[21] In Zorach v. Clauson (1952), the Supreme Court has also held that the nation's "institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" and that government recognition of God does not constitute the establishment of such a state church as the Constitution's authors intended to prohibit.[22] Atheists object to sworn judiciaries employing historical context in what they believe ought to be a raw textual interpretation.[23][24]
Outside of constitutional objections, President Theodore Roosevelt took issue with placing the motto on coinage as he considered it sacrilegious to put the name of God on money.[25]
[edit] In popular culture
- A long-standing, irreverent joke slogan was co-opted as the title of Jean Shepherd's 1966 book, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash.
- In the movie Oh God, God (played by George Burns) says to his reluctant disciple Jerry Landers (John Denver), "Trust me. Like it says on the money."
[edit] Gallery
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[edit] Notes and references
- ^ a b c U.S. Department of the Treasury. (2011) "History of 'In God We Trust'" www.treasury.gov. Last accessed 11-6-2011.
- ^ As shown on the Córdoba (bank notes and coins); see for example Banco Central de Nicaragua
- ^ a b Richard H. Fallon (2004). The Dynamic Constitution: an Introduction to American Constitutional Law. Cambridge University Press. pp. 60. ISBN 9780521600781. http://books.google.com/?id=vonnZcMHs8kC&pg=PA60. ""Strict separationists" believe that the government has no business supporting religious beliefs or institutions in any way - for example, by providing tax breaks to churches, assisting parochial schools, including prayers or benedictions in public ceremonies, or inscribing "In God We Trust" on the currency. Religious accommodationists can well explain why certain entrenched social practices (such as the inscription of "In God We Trust" on the currency) were not historically perceived as presenting constitutional difficulties: The relevant practices are not coercive and do not prefer one narrow sect over another."
- ^ Duncan, Ann W. (2008). Religion, Rhetoric, and Ritual in the U.S. Government," Church-state Issues in America Today. Westport CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, pp. 77.
- ^ a b United States (1897). Congressional Serial Set. US: Government Printing Office, p. 260.
- ^ a b "U.S. Treasury - Fact Sheet on the History of "In God We Trust"". United States Department of the Treasury. http://www.treasury.gov/about/education/Pages/in-god-we-trust.aspx. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ Congressional Record, 1956, p. 13917, via NonBeliever.org
- ^ Sikorski, Robert (1993). Prayer in public schools and the Constitution. Courier Corporation. pp. 440–41.(13 Stat. 517,518)
- ^ Sikorski, loc.cit.(35 Stat. 164)
- ^ "The Pledge of Allegiance" ushistory.org
- ^ Steven B. Epstein, "Rethinking the Constitutionality of Ceremonial Deism" Columbia Law Review, Vol. 96, No. 8. (Dec., 1996), p. 2083-2174, quoting the peroration (abridged here) of the speech by Charles Edward Bennett, sponsor in the House, the only speech in either House of Congress on the subject. President Eisenhower and W. Randolph Burgess, Deputy to the Treasury for Monetary Affairs, had approved of the legislation! 101 Congressional Record pp. 4384 (quoted), 7796. (1955)
- ^ Felicia Sonmez (1 November 2011). "Social issues return to fore with 'In God We Trust' resolution". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/2chambers/post/social-issues-return-to-fore-with-in-god-we-trust-resolution/2011/10/31/gIQAXQasZM_blog.html. Retrieved 7 November 2011. "“In 2006, on the 50th anniversary of its adoption, the Senate reaffirmed ‘In God We Trust’ as the official national motto of the United States,” Forbes said in a statement announcing the vote. “Tomorrow, the House of Representatives will have the same opportunity to reaffirm our national motto and directly confront a disturbing trend of inaccuracies and omissions, misunderstandings of church and state, rogue court challenges, and efforts to remove God from the public domain by unelected bureaucrats.”"
- ^ Jennifer Steinhauer (3 November 2011). "In God We Trust, With the House's Help". The New York Times. http://nation.foxnews.com/congress/2011/11/01/see-which-congressmen-voted-against-god-we-trust#ixzz1cYiMXHil. Retrieved 7 November 2011. "Citing a crisis of national identity and mass confusion among Americans about their nation’s motto, the House on Tuesday voted on a resolution “reaffirming ‘In God We Trust’ as the official motto of the United States.”"
- ^ Todd Starnes (3 November 2011). "See Which Congressmen Voted Against 'In God We Trust'". Fox News. http://nation.foxnews.com/congress/2011/11/01/see-which-congressmen-voted-against-god-we-trust#ixzz1cYiMXHil. Retrieved 7 November 2011. "The House of Representatives passed a bi-partisan resolution Tuesday night reaffirming “In God We Trust” as the official motto of the United States. The 396-9 vote came at the request of Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA)."
- ^ "SUSA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll results". USA Today. 2011. http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/2003-09-29-religion-poll.htm. Retrieved 15 November 2011. "C. The inscription “In God We Trust” on U.S. coins; 2003 Sep 19-21; Approve 90; Disapprove 8; No opinion 2"
- ^ 50th Anniversary of Our National Motto, "In God We Trust," 2006, Proclamation Issued by President Bush, White House.
- ^ The Regimental Committee, 125th PA Volunteers, 1862-1863 (2009). Regimental History. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Library. pp. 150–152. ISBN 9-781112-135705.
- ^ Alexander, ted (2011). The Battle of Antietam. Charleston, SC: The History Press. pp. 76. ISBN 978-1-60949-179-6.
- ^ ""In God We Trust"--Stamping Out Religion On National Currency". Flashline. American Atheists. 1999-03-15. http://atheists.org/God_on_OUR_Money. Retrieved 2011-08-13. "Atheists and separationists are taking pen in hand, and obliterating the "In God We Trust" motto from the national currency. Scratching out "In God We Trust," or stamping separationist slogans on the currency displays the frustration that many Atheists have in dealing with a legal system which rarely holds to a stern and strict interpretation of the establishment clause."
- ^ Aronow, 432 F.2d at 243.
- ^ LYNCH v. DONNELLY, 465 U.S. 668 (1984) U.S. Supreme Court
- ^ ABA Journal Sep 1962. American Bar Association. 1962. http://books.google.com/?id=gymQ6vWfA3QC&pg=PA817&dq=Zorach+v.+Clauson+++In+God+We+Trust#v=onepage&q=Zorach%20v.%20Clauson%20%20%20In%20God%20We%20Trust&f=false. Retrieved 13 November 2011. "Much more recently, in 1952, speaking through Mr. Justice Douglas in Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 313, the Supreme Court repeated the same sentiments, saying: We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being. Mr. Justice Brewer in the Holy Trinity case, supra, mentioned many of these evidences of religion, and Mr. Justice Douglas in the Zorach case referred to ... [P]rayers in our legislative halls; the appeals to the Almighty in the messages of the Chief Executive; the proclaimation making Thanksgiving Day a holiday; "So help me God" in our courtroom oathes-these and ... other references to the Almighty ... run through our laws, our public rituals, our ceremonies ... the supplication with which the Court opens each session: "God save the United States and this Honorable Court" (312-313). To the list may be added tax ememption of churches, chaplaincies in the armed forces, the "Pray for Peace" postmark, the widespread observance of Christmas holdays, and, in classrooms, singing the fourth stanza of America which is a prayer invoking the protection of God, and the words "in God is our trust" as found in the National Anthem, and the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, modified by an Act of Congress of June 14, 1954, to include the words "under God"."
- ^ Atheist protests `In God We Trust' posting
- ^ Judge turns down atheist's suit challenging 'In God We Trust'
- ^ "ROOSEVELT DROPPED 'IN GOD WE TRUST'; President Says Such a Motto on Coin Is Irreverence, Close to Sacrilege. NO LAW COMMANDS ITS USE He Trusts Congress Will Not Direct Him to Replace the Exalted Phrase That Invited Constant Levity". The New York Times. November 14, 1907. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9406E2D8103EE033A25757C1A9679D946697D6CF. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: In God We Trust |
- "The U.S. National Mottos: Their history & constitutionality"
- Final answer? Not quite as star gets second chance to play for a million - article in The Guardian about a disputed quiz question about the motto of the United States.
- A petition the Obama administration to: Change the motto of the United States of America to "E Pluribus Unum" On October 13th, 2011 this petition had 789 signatures needed by October 30, 2011 to reach goal of 5,000. Total signatures on this petition were 6,945 by the October 30, 2011 deadline.
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