The Truth About the Ten Commandments in American Law

Posted: Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

Religious issues aside, the Ten Commandments played a pivotal role in the shaping of our nation's law and history. The Commandments have traditionally been treated as an historical document, rather than one simply promoting a particular religious belief. Each of the Ten Commandments has influenced the laws of our nation, states, and communities. The following summary provides an historical perspective on how the Commandments shaped America's legal and cultural history.

THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
"You shall have no other Gods before me." The presupposition for American liberty is the belief that liberty itself is a gift from God.1 Nearly every state constitution has a mention, or recognition, of the existence of God or a Supreme Being. For example:

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