set itself apart from religion-condemning socialist doctrine.
By expressing a heartfelt belief and devotion to God, the U.S. God’s name was not added due to religious sentiment or out of a dedication to perceived ideals of the intentions of the founding fathers, but instead was a strategic political move to reaffirm America’s anti-socialist stance. In the 1950s, America was at the height of the Cold War and McCarthy’s witch hunts were well underway. This was around the same time that the words “under God” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. While the phrase “In God We Trust” slowly began to appear on coins in the mid-19th century in the midst of the religious fervor surrounding the Civil War, it wasn’t until the 1950s that Congress passed a law requiring the motto to be on all coins and currency.
One of the founding ideals of this nation is the separation of church and state, made evident in the First Amendment of the Constitution, which states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This separation was upheld throughout the early years of the country following the American Revolution. The phrase “In God We Trust” simultaneously corrupts the Constitution and demeans religious values. Those who support the use of the name argue that the nation was built upon God and that removal of any mention of God’s name would be a betrayal of American values. There is a long-standing debate over the phrase “In God We Trust” on coins and currency.