Know Your Rights: Freedom of Religion
How well do you know the First Amendment? Our quiz series will test your knowledge on each of the five tenets of the First Amendment and challenge your assumptions about the ways the First Amendment protects human rights in the United States. This quiz covers some general information about your First Amendment protected freedom of religion.
True or False: The establishment clause establishes the U.S. as a Christian nation.
Which founding father came up with the idea of “separation of church and state?”
True or False: A public school teacher can lead a classroom in a prayer “thanking god” as long as the prayer is non-denominational and does not favor a specific religion.
False: Public school teachers are considered state actors. Even though a prayer may seem non-denominational, it can still be construed as establishing one religion or showing preference toward a certain religion.
True or False: The phrase “In God We Trust” on the dollar bill establishes the United States as a religious nation.
True or False: A public school student cannot pray before lunch.
A woman gets a job at a kosher winery. Her boss tells her that she must dress according to Orthodox Jewish law while at work. She isn’t Jewish. Does this violate her First Amendment rights?
A local government office displays a statue of the Ten Commandments on the front lawn. Is this a violation of the First Amendment?
It depends, but it usually is a violation. This is a common point of conflict between local governments and First Amendment watchdog groups, and different lower courts don’t always agree. Generally, if the Ten Commandments statue is displayed inside or near a courthouse or lawmaking establishment, it is ruled unconstitutional. Sometimes courts make an exception if the statue has "historical" rather than "religious" significance. Ten Commandment statues on public property that are not near a courthouse or statehouse are often, but not always permitted. Basically, it shouldn't ever seem like religious law is influencing the legal system.