The Founders included ideas in our nation's government that were not common in the Roman Republic. For example, U.S. citizens enjoy many rights that were not always protected under the Roman Republic.

Question

Give an example one of these rights.

Answer 1

One example of a right enjoyed by U.S. citizens that was not always protected under the Roman Republic is freedom of religion. In the Roman Republic, religious beliefs and practices were tightly controlled by the state, with the state gods and goddesses being paramount. Other religious beliefs and practices were often seen as threats to the established order and were suppressed or even outlawed. However, the Founders of the United States recognized the importance of individual freedom and included the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution, which protects the rights of individuals to practice any religion or no religion at all without interference from the government. This protection of religious freedom was a significant departure from the Roman Republic's approach to religion.