10. What is freedom of religion?
Answer:
You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion.
Explanation:
Many of the earliest Americans followed a religion
that was different from the one practiced (or believed in) by the people in government.
These early Americans fled (or ran away from) their original countries
because they were treated unfairly because of their religious beliefs.
When it was time for them to write their own governing document (or laws to create a country)
they felt that freedom of religion was very important.
Freedom of religion is also sometimes called separation of church and state.
Separation of church and state means
that religion (also called the “church”) and government (also called the “state”)
are separate and independent and should not work too closely together.
For example,
it is unconstitutional (or against the law) for Congress
to make a law that says Americans have to attend (or go to) a church,
synagogue, mosque, temple, or any other place where people meet for religious purposes.
The government also cannot endorse one religious group over another,
meaning that the government cannot tell Americans which religion it thinks is the best.