IN’s Lt Gov [FN1] says ““America absolutely was founded on Christian values” & “writings of our Framers & founding documents are very clear on that.” [FN1] What are 1) “values” uniquely “Christian” and 2) “writings of our Framers & founding documents.” [FN2] 1/12

1) Beckwith says only Christians can be moral. [FN3] “Morals are societal norms about right and wrong. [] Values are personal beliefs & principles.” [FN4] Relevant documents & writings are “very clear,” so we can look for any such clarity w/”God” or “Jesus” noted. 2/12

2) Beckwith cites “writings of our Framers & founding documents.” The National Archives lists three founding documents, the: Declaration of Independence, Constitution & Bill of Rights. They “establish the basis for our government and guarantee rights of its citizens.” [FN5] 3/12

Congress includes 85 papers written by Hamilton, Madison and John Jay, in 1787 and 1788, as a founding document. The Federalist advocates ratification. Hamilton and Madison, as delegates to the Philadelphia convention, were Framers. [FN6] Jay was not. 4/12

The Articles of Confederation were adopted during the Revolutionary War & provided a central, though weak, government for the colonies/States. The Philadelphia convention was called by a 2/17/1787 resolution of Congress to remedy the Articles’ shortcomings. [FN7] 5/12

Finally, individual States, by conventions, determined whether to ratify the Constitution. Some States’ records consisted of little more than the vote to ratify. Other States left lengthy records, including minutes of arguments. These are contained in Elliot’s Debates. 6/12

Such works are considered to be primary sources, i.e., original materials used by historians to reconstruct a certain event in the past or moment in history. [FN8]. We can study this history now, before efforts to snuff the Republic reach fruition. 7/12

Footnotes:
FN1. IN Lt Gov Micah Beckwith has made the outrageous claims that obviates the need to look at values & the relevant “writings of our Framers” and the founding documents.
FN2. 04/30/23 tweet. 8/12

FN3. In a 10/24/19 selfie video titled “The Church’s role in politics,” Beckwith says “the church” provides the morality America was founded on and that you cannot be moral if you are a “Hindu, an atheist or a Jew.” 9/12

FN4. Vanta, Brindusa, Ph.D, “Values And Morals Clarification,” Mentalhealth dotcom, 05/31/24, accessed 05/29/25.
FN5. National Archives, “America’s Founding Documents,” accessed 05/29/25. 10/12

FN6. The National Archives refers to the 55 delegates who attended, at one time or another, the convention in Philadelphia, the Framers.
FN7. Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 38 (manuscript), Library of Congress. 11/12

FN8. Orig docs, phys objects, relics, artifacts created during time under study by witnesses who lived through event, produced at time of event, or published at a later date. “Primary & Secondary Sources,” UCLA Dept of History, accessed 5/29/25. 12/12