Isolation Country

Values are considered to be something that is held to deserve importance. Knowing our own

values helps us develop a clearer sense of who we are. Same goes to learning about the values of our

government's history; understanding the values of the past will make it easier for us to see why we use/do

the things in our democracy today. Our government deserves our attention to learn about its past. Because

of the ideals of religious freedom, voting, and self government in the 1600's to 1750's, we now can makes

our own decisions to believe in what we want.

Started out settling in the 1600's on New England were Pilgrims who were looking for

religious freedom. Later on, in the Religious Society of Friends, known as the Quakers, refused to support

the established Church of England with taxes. They made their own meetinghouses and spoke up in their

own meetings. The Quakers also refused to take oaths because Jesus commanded to not "swear at all."

Though they seemed stubborn and unreasonable, the Quakers were just simple, devoted, democratic

people contending for religious, as well as civic freedom. Drafted in 1683 was the New York Charter of

Liberties which defined the colony's form of government, affirmed basic political rights, and guaranteed

religious liberty for Christians. Though this charter was later on disallowed, it became part of the influence

to build religious freedom for the people. In Maryland, the people started to develop which what was

called Maryland Toleration Act. This act was a law that mandates religious tolerance for Christians. The

colony which was originally Rhode Island, passed a series of laws in 1636, prohibiting religious

persecution. The second series of laws in 1649 created first legal limitations towards hate speech. It was

then claimed by historians that this act later helped the US inspire legal protections for the freedom of

religion.

During the colonial times of voting, the