Declaring freedom

Children's Literature

The Constitution refers to religion only twice. In Article VI, which prohibits "religious tests" for public office, and in the First Amendment, which bars laws "respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Swain's text presents an age appropriate interpretation for both references without developing the concept of a separate church and state. The omission reflects the sensitive nature of such dialogue in the U.S., but it does not extend to sound byte quotes about God or a 20th century president who compares the Constitution to the bible. Additional sidebars discuss equal rights for blacks, women, and Native Americans, and highlight Daniel Shay's Rebellion against the first American government. The text concludes with a reference glossary, and a timeline that spans from The Stamp Act in 1765 to The Bill of Rights in 1791. The book is part of the "How Government Works" series. It is a fundamental guide to the Charters of Freedom. 2004, Lerner Publications, Ages 10 up.
—Tina Dybvik