Thus communities were free to establish local laws reflecting religious customs: Maryland was largely Catholic, Pennsylvania Quaker, New England largely Anglican, the South Baptist, etc.
Yes, i believe our founding fathers believed it was up to the people of each state to make thier own laws, except those things mentioned in the bill of rights.
The 10th amendment says the people or respectively the state,
meaning the people and the state are the same thing, shall make thier own laws where not prohibited by the amendments.
the first amendment does not prohibit the states from doing anything.
Colorado constitution
The colorado bill of rights
Section 4. Religious freedom. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination, shall forever hereafter be guaranteed; and no person shall be denied any civil or political right, privilege or capacity, on account of his opinions concerning religion; but the liberty of conscience hereby secured shall not be construed to dispense with oaths or affirmations, excuse acts of licentiousness or justify practices inconsistent with the good order, peace or safety of the state. No person shall be required to attend or support any ministry or place of worship, religious sect or denomination against his consent. Nor shall any preference be given by law to any religious denomination or mode of worship.
Utah constitution
Article I, Section 4. [Religious liberty.]
The rights of conscience shall never be infringed. The State shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office of public trust or for any vote at any election; nor shall any person be incompetent as a witness or juror on account of religious belief or the absence thereof. There shall be no union of Church and State, nor shall any church dominate the State or interfere with its functions. No public money or property shall be appropriated for or applied to any religious worship, exercise or instruction, or for the support of any ecclesiastical establishment.
So many people do not like the first amendment because they are so afraid that it gives the state the right to make a certain church the state church, which could be true as far as the first amendment is concerned, bud it did not happen and as you can see from the colorado and utah constitutions that it can not happen in these states.
So our representives, including the federal judges have been and are trying to change the meaning of the first amendment to mean that the states can not make no laws mentioned in the first amendment.
If the purpose is to take away states rights or not is any ones guess, but that is what it amounts to.
I can not imagine a state congressman or a state senator wanting to do that so maybe its just no guts or maybe just ignorance, but the point is if they can take away the real meaning of the first amendment, they can also do that with the other amendments, and even the declaration of independence and the constitution.
Any one can see that the first amendment does not even mention state.
It is directed to the congress of the united states, the law makers of the federal goverment, not the states.
And i hate to have to say this, if an ignorant grade school
drop out such as myself can see what the first amendment is actually saying, then it has to be pretty simple.
And in closing i will just say that it makes me madder than hell to have to be the one to try and defend states rights and individual rights just because our highly educated and prestigous so called leaders of this country are either too dumb or too gutless to do it.