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(Week 8: 10/09-10/13)

Def. Arrival of 23 Jewish immigrants in New Amsterdam New York in 1654. They were fleeing from the Portuguese Inquisition in Brazil.

Colonial Jewish Settlement was when 23 Jewish immigrants arrived in New Amsterdam also known as New York today in 1654. They fled from the Portuguese Inquisition in Brazil and sought refuge in the Dutch colonies. This marked the beginning of Jewish settlement in the United States where Jews would contribute to the religious diversity in the country.

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This is an image of part of the Tolerant Act written in 1689. This image is from https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jacobite-1715/secretary

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(Week 3: 09/04-09/08)

Def. The Tolerant Act: An act passed by the English Parliament as an agreement between the Quavkers and others giving them freedom to worship in return for loyalty to the British royalty.

This act was passed by the English Parliament which gave Quakers and other denominations freedom to worship as they wished and built Churches in the colonies. However, this right was granted under the promise that these people would remain loyal to British royalty and land. The main idea behind the passing of this act was for Britain to ultimately stay in power and control over the colonies using this oath tactic.

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This is an image of what a Salem Witch Trial would typically look like. This image is from https://www.bostonmagazine.com/news/2016/09/22/salem-witch-trials/. 

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(Week 3: 09/04-09/08)

Def. Salem Witch Trials: A time period of 1692-1693 in the Puritan community of Salem Village, Massachusetts where two girls were seen acting hysterical and it was believed that Witches were the cause and this was the "Devil on Earth". Most of the people killed were innocent women and the impact of the Salem Witch Trials was extremely devasting on the community.

In 1692 a mass hysteria engulfed the Puritan community of Salem Village, Massachusetts, and Witchcraft was considered to be the reason. Puritans believed that this was the Devil in the form of the visible world. The majority of the people killed as a result of being accused of being witches were women. This was done in hopes of purifying the Church and the area. This type of event had a huge impact on the community as many innocent lives were lost. Religion became strengthened and taken to extremes due to the fear of the Devil and God.

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This is an image of thousands of American Indian children standing in front of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. This image is from https://home.epix.net/~

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(Week 2: 08/28-09/01)

Def. Carlisle Indian Industrial School: Stripping Native American children from their families to "Americanize" their beliefs and habits. Hence taking away any sort of Native American identity attached to them.

Richard Henry Pratt ran a "test" on Native American prisoners of war where he taught them to read, write, and do labor. He took his findings to the Federal Government. The government decided to fund this project in 1879 hence opening the first ever Carlisle Indian Industrial School. His motto was "Kill the Indian and save the man". Hence this boarding school would strip Indian children of their religion, culture, and identity. This was considered to be hidden genocide as Native American children were stripped from their families without any real or defining reasons.

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This is an image of workers in factory during the Industrial Revolution. This image is from https://www.historycrunch.com/working-conditions-in-the-industrial-r

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(Week 5: 09/18-09/22)

Def. The Industrial Revolution was a significant time in which the economic transformation occurred in Europe and then the United States. Ultimately, the shift from agricultural activities to rather factory-driven production occurred changing the world economy for years to follow.

The Industrial Revolution was almost a decade long happening from 1780 to 1830. The Industrial Revolution can be seen as how we see "new tech" today, it completely changed the way the economy and life worked. There was an extreme shift from agricultural production to industrialization and machinery manufacturing. This meant that more and more factories were built to meet the demand for products in mass production. This also opened lots of job opportunities for the public so the working class grew significantly during this period. The Industrial Revolution changed the economy and how it functions and has everlasting impacts. It was one of the most remarkable and memorable things in history.

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(Week 9: 10/16-10/20)

Def. During the 19th century there was a rise of Mormonism. The movement gained followers quickly and eventually settled in Utah under the leadership of Brigham Young.

In the 19th century, there was an emergence of several new religious movements in the United States. One of the most well-known was the founding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also known as Mormonism. Joseph Smith published the Book of Mormon and organized the Church in New York in 1830. Eventually, Mormons gained some backlash and had to move their settlement towards Utah under Brigham Young.

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(Week 10: 10/23-10/27)

Def. Transcendentalism was a popular movement in the 19th century specifically the 1830s to 1840s in the United States that encouraged spirituality, individualism, and nature.

Transcendentalism was a philosophical and literary movement that happened in the United States during the 130s to 1840s and promoted the idea of spirituality, individualism, and nature. It rejected traditional religious viewpoints and brought in the idea of self-reliance and trusting yourself and experiences rather than relying on a being. The idea was you would be able to connect with the "gods" or "divine" through your own experiences. Nature is the main focus of Transcendentalism and overall connecting with nature to see a more philosophical outlook on life. Transcendentalism had a long impact on the overall literature and culture of America and influenced several famous works.

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(Week 9: 10/16-10/20)

Def. During the 19th century rise of the Millerite movement which was led by William Miller occurred discussing the belief of Jesus coming back to Earth for the second time.

Around the 130s to 1840s, the Millerite movement had become popularized which was led by William Miller. Miller had predicted that the "Second Coming" of Jesus Christ would happen during the years 1843-1844. He was able to gain a huge following as many people were intrigued by such an event. Eventually, this did not happen and led to the Great Disappointment and the movement was changed a bit. Many followers began to emphasize observance and the Seventh-Day Adventist church was created. Eventually the Adventist movemment became a distinct religion that had followers all around the world.

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(Week 10: 10/23-10/27)

Def. A set of writings created by Henry David Thoreau from 1837 to 1862 that had a personal reflection and observations of nature and his experiences.

Henry David Thoreau began writing in his journal in 1837 and continued to do so till the end of his life in 1862. The journal covered various topics on nature, societal standards, harmony with nature, and philosophy. He even included personal experiences in his writings. He would analyze the details of nature like how the sun would set and where the light would hit. He looked at how animals interacted with one another. He also discussed the intellectual and spiritual journey he had and how to live a purposeful and fulfilling life in harmony with nature.

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This is an image of two women holding up the ban alcohol sign. This image is from https://womensmuseum.wordpress.com/2020/07/24/womens-christian-temperance-unio

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1874: Women's Christian Temperance Union

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1874: Women's Christian Temperance Union

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(Week 5: 09/18-09/22)

Def. The Women's Christian Temperance Union was a women's organization that promoted the ban on alcohol in the United States. As most Christian women were housewives the ideology was women were to be housekeepers they did not want their husbands to drink alcohol as oftentimes paychecks would be spent on that and men became violent towards their families.

The Women's Christian Temperance Union was a significant part of women's history and women's suffrage. It landmarked one of the catapults to women standing up for themselves in a patriarchy-based society. The union quickly grew in members and it became more than just limiting alcohol but also helping with problems like domestic violence. The organization later also started to support other issues like women's education and women's rights overall in society and was a crucial part of the progressive era.

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This is an image of what a Ghost Dance would potentially look like when performed by Native American tribes. This image is from https://www.britannica.com/topic

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(Week 2: 08/28-09/01)

Def. Ghost Dance Movement: Originated in Nevada in the early 1890s and was a way of connecting the spirits of the alive and dead and asking for help to stop the American expansion and bring back peace to the Native American lands.

The Ghost Dance Movement first originated in Nevada in the early 1890s. The focus of the movement was in a way a cry for help to connect the living spirits and the death of the Native Americans to help fight for them and regain the land that American expansion. The spiritual practice involved a dance which was to promote peace and prosperity for the Native Americans. The Americans were taking away the natural resources that Native Americans relied on like the water in the rivers(gave them muscles) and the grass. Since their main resources were being taken away from them, their only way of survival was to work for the American colonizers to be able to feed their families which meant they had to steer away from their original lifestyle. The Ghost Dance Movement was a way of hope for Native Americans to possibly end this devasting number of events.

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(Week 12: 11/06-11/10)

Def. Sikh immigration to America has been characterized by several waves but first originally occurred in the late 19th century when many Sikhs migrated from all over India specifically Punjab. Most of them came to America during the Agricultural wave to find jobs as well in the lumber industries.

Sikh immigration to America has occurred in many waves, the first of which occurred in the late nineteenth century, when many Sikhs traveled from all over India, particularly Punjab. The majority of them migrated to America during the agricultural boom to work in the lumber industries. They contributed to the cultural diversity in the United States but also opened doors for South Asian communities to come together and migrate from different regions in India. They continued to practice their culture and worship while integrating into the American lifestyle. Sikh Americans have upheld their beliefs of equality, service, and community throughout their immigration history, leaving an everlasting mark on the American narrative.

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AJC logo. They are still a committee that exists today and this is from https://www.ajc.org/regionaloffices.

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1906: Founding of American Jewish Committee (AJC)

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1906: Founding of American Jewish Committee (AJC)

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(Week 8: 10/09-10/13)

Def. The American Jewish Committee was founded in 1906 as a response to the anti-Semitism in the United States and Europe.

AJC also known as the American Jewish Committee, founded in 1906, was made in hopes of decreasing the anti-Semitism in the United States and Europe. This organization had a major role in advocating for the rights of the Jews and combatting the heavy amounts of discrimination they were facing. Throughout the years, the American Jewish Committee worked on several social justice issues like promoting the rights of interfaith relations. They contributed heavily to the diverse cultures in the United States and helped many Jewish communities feel they had a place to go when facing discrimination.

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This is an image of multiple KKK members. This image is from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ku-klux-klan/. 

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(Week 7: 10/02-10/06)

Def. KKK also known as Ku Klux Klan was revived in 1915 as a form of opposition to Catholic and Jewish immigrants.

This revival was marketed as a positive or heroic action. However, the revival of the KKK was simply a deeply rooted racist idea that was used to oppose the Catholic and Jewish immigrants. The KKK is well known for its actions towards the black community however the revival had a target for all immigrants especially Catholics and Jews because they saw them as a threat to the homogenous America. This concept of the "pure" America needing to be maintained by keeping out immigrants was a display of white privilege and power in America. These ideas still exist in the modern day and are disguised in various forms of racism.

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(Week 14: 11/20-11/24)

Def. Scopes Trial also known as the Scopes Monkey Trial was a landmark United States case.

This trial happened in 1925 and advocated for the fundamentalist Christian belief against those supporting the teaching of evolution in public schools, The trial happened in Tennessee and centered around John Scopes who was a high school teacher accused of violating this concern by state law. The issue was that people were seeing the literal interpretation of the Bible and this case brought to attention the tensions between religious fundamentalism and scientific theories.

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Mother Mosque of America in Cedar Rapids, Iowa  Image from https://www.nps.gov/articles/mothermosque.htm

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(Week 11: 10/30-11/03)

Def. The first Mosque in America known as the Mother Mosque of America in Cedar Rapids, Iowa was built in 1929.

The establishment for the Mother Mosque of America was made in 1929 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and marked a significant event in the history of Islam in the United States. It was also popularly known as Masjid Al-Tawba and was built by a small community of Muslim immigrants consisting mainly of Syrian and Lebanese descent. This for the first time became a community and place of worship for many people in the United States. It opened doors and connected people with the Islam faith and traditions. It brought communities and strengthened the Islamic faith in the United States.

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1930: Establishment of the Nation of Islam

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1930: Establishment of the Nation of Islam

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(Week 11: 10/30-11/03)

Def. Nation of Islam also known as NOI was founded in Detroit in 1930 by Wallace Fard Muhammad focusing on the teachings of the Nation of Islam.

The NOI also known as the Nation of Islam was founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 in Detriot. The teachings of the Nation of Islam are slightly different from mainstream Islam and it played a huge role in the shaping of Islam's perspective in America. Under the leadership of Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X the Nation of Islam, they had gained quite a following as they addressed important topics like racial inequality and empowering African Americans. Eventually, the NOI went through a transformation and many of its members embraced Sunni Islam. The NOI remains a major chapter of American history in its ways of diversifying the way religion is practiced and adapted to American lifestyles.

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(Week 13: 11/13-11/17)

Def. L. Ron Hubbard invented Scientology, and the first official Church of Scientology was established in 1953. Scientology's central concept is around something known as Thetans. Thetans are these creatures that are said to be immortal and the "true self of individuals." Auditing is another key part of Scientology. It is a therapy process that is designed to erase any negative effects or traumas from the past, allowing "Thetans" to regain their purity. They also use E-Meters, which are instruments used in the therapeutic process to measure the "spiritual progress" of Church members.

They also use Operating Thetan Levels, or OT Levels, which are considered advanced levels of spiritual awareness and powers. However, it is considered in Scientology that this may only be attained via consistent devotion to Scientology and auditing. The story of Xenu is a highly contentious Scientology-related story. Xenu was an ancient "alien" king whose mythology revolved around "Body Thetans." "The story ultimately says Xenu brought billions of people to Earth years ago and set them up for genocide which is what caused their spirits to be scattered and attached to its individuals in current time" . Scientology is divided into layers, with local churches and a "central body" at the top. Scientology has encountered numerous challenges and criticism throughout the years due to their strict secrecy with their acts. Aside from this, there have been additional concerns alleging that Scientology has committed human rights breaches and has used extraordinarily aggressive legal strategies to keep these controversies hidden. Several celebrities, notably Tom Cruise, are openly connected with Scientology. Scientology is not recognized as a legitimate religion in many countries because to its secrecy and the disputed story of Xenu, as well as claims.

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This is an image of one of the many protests during the movement. This image is from https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement.

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(Week 6: 09/25-09/29)

Def. The Civil Rights Movement in American history became one of the most pivotal civil rights activism cases. It allowed for discussion of systematic racism to be openly discussed and protested against, and made America the nation it is today.

One of the landmark cases associated with the Civil Rights movement is the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board. The Civil Rights Movement was led by many well-known figures today like Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. These two especially are taught in history classes today for their major roles. The movement itself consisted of nonviolent and peaceful marches and protests against discrimination laws in the United States. Unfortunately, many lives were lost during these protests because often there would be backlash from white supremacists. Regardless, the movement ended up becoming one of America's most pivotal points in history changed the lives of many, and challenged segregation.

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This is an image of Kennedy giving a speech to many about Catholicism. This image is from https://www.history.com/speeches/john-f-kennedy-on-catholicism.

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(Week 7: 10/02-10/06)

Def. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States and faced several challenges with his Catholic faith, especially during his presidency. He was able to Americanize Catholicism to the general public.

John F. Kennedy faced several problems as being a Catholic President. He was able to Americanize his Catholicism, especially during his speech in 1960 to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association. He pushed the concept of separating the Church and state as well as described how his decisions were pushed by the American ideologies embedded within the Consitution rather than religious appeal. He was able to challenge these ideas of religious bias and opened the idea of acceptance in a broad sense to the American people of different backgrounds and beliefs.

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This is an image of a New York Times article talking about the official outlaw of school prayers. This image is from https://www.tutor2u.net/politics/reference/

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(Week 4: 09/11-09/15)

Def. Engel v. Vitale was a landmark Supreme Court case that diminished the state sponsorship of prayer in public schools as it was ruled unconstitutional in an 8 to 1 decision. The court decided it violated the 1st Amendment, specifically the Establishment Clause.

Engel v. Vitale of 1962 was a vital Supreme Court case in the United States that dealt with the controversial issue of state sponsorship of prayer in public schools. Specifically, the case came to be from a New York law that required daily prayer in public schools. Ultimately, it was decided this did in fact violate the 1st Amendment, specifically the Establishment Clause which it prohibits the government from promoting any particular religion. This ideology of acceptance was imbedded within the Constitution hence this case solidified it significantly to the American people. This court case decision not only solidified the idea that all religions would be equally accepted as no bias sponsorship would exist but also opened doors to new discussions and a pathway for the United States to become more accepting.

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This image is of Marin Luther King Jr. after delivering a speech and staring into thousands of people there to listen. This image is from https://www.npr.org

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(Week 6: 09/25-09/29)

Def. "I Have a Dream" speech was a pivotal speech delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. discussing the various forms of segregation the black community was experiencing. His moving words of peace and equality among all racial groups and living in unity is still one of the most remembered speeches in history.

Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech on August 28, 1963, at the march at Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. In his speech King focuses on looking at people beyond the color of their skin or what's on the outside but rather the character they bestow. He talks about his dream of a world where segregation and racial prejudice do not exist and how there is unity between all racial groups. This speech was powerful and catapulted into many actions for social change in America. Following this speech, there were many protests and gatherings to eliminate segregation laws set in place.

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(Week 13: 11/13-11/17)

Def. The Source Family is a documentary discussing the rock culture, religion, and social experiments in the new era and focuses on a new religious group formed in California in the early 1970s.

In the early 1970s, amid a society marked by a rejection of tradition and a quest for freedom, a community known as "The Source Family" emerged, led by Father Yod. Members of this community embraced a distinctive shared lifestyle, pooling resources and living in close-knit relationships. Comprising creative individuals like musicians, artists, and free thinkers, the community aimed to explore a spiritual and harmonious existence. Beyond religious practices, they integrated music, yoga, vegetarianism, and creative arts into their communal life. The community gave rise to the rock band Ya Ho Wa 13, whose music is celebrated as a masterpiece in psychedelic rock and new era genres. This artistic expression reflected their pursuit of freedom, peace, and spiritual exploration. However, internal and external challenges, including financial issues, concerns about leadership, and societal pressures, led to the community's dissolution in the mid-1970s, triggered by Father Yod's fatal paragliding accident in Hawaii. This narrative encapsulates the countercultural movement of the 1970s and the distinctive experimentation in new religious expressions, offering insights into themes of freedom, harmony, peace, and spiritual exploration.

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(Week 14: 11/20-11/24)

Def. The Moral Majority was a politically active Christian conservative movement led by Jerry Falwell.

During the late 1970s, there was the emergence of a group called the Moral Majority. Moral Majority was a politically active Christian conservative movement that aligned with fundamentalist Christian beliefs. They aimed to influence American politics and law-making to advocate for their causes in areas like abortion and the Equal Rights Amendment. This played a major role in how the conservative party in general formed in America and had a huge following from Christian fundamentalists. Several American political leaders also joined in during this time and worked with this group.

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(Week 12: 11/06-11/10)

Def. 9/11 happened on September 11th, 2001, and was a terrorist attack where plains crashed into the two Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City.

9/11 was a tragic day for many people in the United States and around the world. The extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes of which two went into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The attack resulted in almost 3,000 lives lost caused a global outbreak and changed the way the world viewed terrorism. It also ended up resulting in a large amount of racism towards the South Asian community and often Sikhs would be mistaken for terrorists by the general public as they were easy to identify with their turbans and beards. It was a tragic day and changed how international relationships formed. It also increased the amount of security for traveling and overall transportation throughout the world.

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This is an image of Joseph Kennedy, the man who's case was one of the controversial ones. This image is from https://www.kuow.org/stories/hear-it-again-kennedy-

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2019: Kennedy v. Bremerton School District 

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2019: Kennedy v. Bremerton School District 

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(Week 4: 09/11-09/15)

Def. This case, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District dealt with a high school football coach by the name of Joseph Kennedy who wanted to pray on the field after games. He believed his not being able to pray on the field was unconstitutional as it violated his 1st Amendment rights. The Supreme Court agreed with lower courts and decided that the school district was allowed to prohibit the coach from praying while he was at his job.

In Kennedy v. Bremerton School District dealt with where is the line drawn in expressing one's religion. This court case allowed a very grey area of space for the 1st Amendment to be discussed. This was one of the many big landmark cases that dealt with the expression of religion in America. In the actual case, a high school football coach named Joseph Kennedy wanted to pray on the field after games. He claimed that his inability to pray on the field was unlawful since it infringed on his 1st Amendment rights. The Supreme Court agreed with lower courts and ruled that the school system may restrict the coach from praying at work.

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Image of atheists one of the subgroups of "Nones" at a rally. Image from https://sojo.net/articles/meet-nones/meet-nones-general-profile-unaffiliated.

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(Week 15: 11/27-12/01)

Def. "Nones" were a group of people who were religiously unaffiliated or claimed to identify with no religion. This shift was observed to happen starting in the 2000s.

The term "Nones" refers to those who are religiously unaffiliated or profess to identify with no religion. This shift was noted beginning in the 2000s. This became more common among the younger generation who were questioning religion more and expressing a great sense of curiosity. The Nones include atheists, agnostics, and those who identify as spiritual but not religious. The trend overall sparked discussion in various forms of religions and how religion affected everyday life and the dynamics of religious institutions. Overall it changed how American politics evolved throughout time even up until the present day.

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(Week 15: 11/27-12/01)

Def. Pluralism is the term that refers to the coexistence of diverse beliefs and practices within a society or community.

Pluralism refers to the coexistence of various views and behaviors within a society or community. The United States has evolved throughout history and now is considered a melting pot nation. Pluralism for this reason became more relevant in America as the 2000s progressed up until the present. I became aware America was a very diverse place with different faiths, traditions, and beliefs. Developing a nation that can adhere to these different beliefs requires a societal shift to cultural tolerance, acceptance, and cooperation among people from different faiths and backgrounds.