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Tyler Woicicki
Lurie Oberg
English 11
February 22, 2016
The words under God in the Pledge of Allegiance are a controversial topic. After
looking at all the facts the words under God clearly need to stay in the Pledge of Allegiance.
The words under God share religious symbolism with other symbols of the United States of
America; the Pledge of Allegiance or the words under God does not have to be recited, and it
has stood the stand of time.
The words under God are a patriotic statement not a religious one. Other examples of
this symbolism are the national motto In God we trust and presidents saying so help me God
at the end of being sworn in which is not a requirement. The reason for the reference to God is to
acknowledge the importance of religion in the history of the United States of America
(pewfourm.org). Religion has been part of the United States since before there was the United
States the first people to come to America came for religion.
Students do not have to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or can omit the words under
God if they fell that it is against their beliefs. In the 1943 Supreme Court case of West Virginia
State Board of Education v. Barnette the Supreme Court made a decision that the Free Speech
Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the right of students to
refuse to salute the American flag and recite the Pledge of Allegiance (wikipedia.org).
The original Pledge of Allegiance was wrote by Francis Bellamy in 1892 the words
under God where added to the pledge in 1954. The pledge has had the words under God in it

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for as long as it did not have the words under God. The change probably would not have lasted
so long if the public did not accept it.
People that have the opposing view on the use of the words under God in the Pledge of
Allegiance would argue that the Pledge of Allegiance promotes monotheism and that peer
pressure causes students to recite the pledge that would not recite the pledge in other settings.
The words under God are meant to be a symbol of religions significates in the history of the
United States. Religion is at the core of the United States government and history. The use of the
words under God could have to do with the fact the founders of the United States where
Cristian and under God connected to the United States beginning than any other divine title.
Peer pressure may have an effect in students which causes them to recite the pledge removing the
words under God will not fix the problem which is the peer pressure that causes the students to
recite the pledge. Changing the pledge does not fix the real problem it just gives it less power.
The Pledge of Allegiance does not need to be altered. It is a symbol of patriotism; people
do not have to recite it if they dont believe in God, and it has been Part of American tradition for
a long time.
Works Cited
"One Nation Under God? - Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life." Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
"West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web.
25 Feb. 2016.