original pledge of allegiance

If it [the Pledge of Allegiance] was good enough for the founding fathers, it’s good enough for me. — Sarah Palin

Pop quiz! What historical event is associated with the origin of the Pledge of Allegiance?

  1. The American Revolution, 1775-1783
  2. The Declaration of Independence, 1776
  3. The Constitutional Convention, 1787
  4. The swearing in of George Washington as president, 1789
  5. Attempted secession of southern states, 1860-1861
  6. Lincoln assassination, 1865
  7. World’s Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair), 1892

Answer after the break.

For bonus points, when did we start to print “In God We Trust” on our currency?


Answer:

7. World’s Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair), 1892.

The Pledge of Alliance was written in 1892 by a Christain Socialist, Francis Bellamy. (He was the cousin of Socialist Utopian novelist Edward Bellamy.) The pledge was associated with the opening of the Chicago exposition, more than a century after the founding of the nation.

Bonus:

“In God We Trust” first appeared on U.S. currency on April 22, 1864. It would finally be made law under President Eisenhower in 1955.

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Shown: The original Pledge, from the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.

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