A note: Politics, a sore subject, particularly in our nation where we are currently divided in formulated parties, is hardly ever analyzed objectively, without personal views weighing in. As a student analyzing politics through the years strictly for the benefit of proving a point, will try to my best, not let personal matters interfere with this analysis. My point for analysis, the role morality has played in politics, will involve the study of the comings of the government of this nation over the many years since its founding.

Morality: Principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong proceedings

Confined to the boundaries of U.S. political matters, it is just to say that morality plays a significant, and vital role in politics.

The foundation of our government today is found in the Constitution, which was constructed in the hands of our Founding Fathers more than 200 years ago in an effort to build a strong, independent nation that would one day rival others. After just barely removing British forces in the colonies, the aftermath of the Revolutionary War was an era of trial and error, successful and unsuccessful buildings to a young nation. Morality seeps into the equation long before our independence.

Arguably the largest and most prominent question of morality in our history has been the existence of slaves. In the time of our founding, slaves were banned nearly altogether in the other nations of the world, leaving the U.S. as one of the only countries to continue to maintain it. Moral debate on this matter is evident as far back as the drafting of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson, in which he removed a passage concerning the injustice of black slavery at the angry demands of Southern delegates who threatened to abandon the movement. This moment in history marked the rise of a perilous conflict that would inevitably lead us to go to civil war.

See, the conflict of slavery at the time was a completely moral matter, as much as people tried to handle it politically. The North was free, and deemed it morally unjust of forced labor, while the Southern economy was built almost entirely on slave labor.

The Revolutionary period and its aftermath were extremely delicate times for our young nation, so naturally, the problem rolled down an endless road of temporary fixes.

Founding Fathers, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, along with John Laurens were highly outspoken abolitionists at the time and probably made a direct impact on the events surrounding slavery to follow. Hamilton in particular, found this matter morally excruciating, as he once served as a laborer in his adolescence.

Past the Revolutionary period with Presidents Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, the U.S., (which had now entered the Antebellum period) gained new additions to the Union, including the Louisiana Territory, Florida, Missouri Territory, Texas, and the Southwest from the French and Mexico. This led to new problems arising: with both sides, pro-slavery and abolitionists rising alarmingly, how was Congress to decide whether the new states should be admitted as free states, or slave states?

With temporary fixes like the Missouri Compromise and ideas of Popular Sovereignty, the U.S. was launched inevitably into civil war when the South, who then referred to themselves as the Confederacy, seceded from the Union immediately after the election of President Abraham Lincoln.

Morality put the people of our country on two sides of the matter of slavery, and eventually put the government on the path of heavy incorporation of morality in all of their future executions.

Similarly the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s was led headstrong by morality. Those fighting for equal rights were once again backed by people on different sides of morality. Should segregation be addressed? Or shall it remain the rights of the states to strip those of colors of their rights? Yet another question in history answered by morality and ethics.

Around the same time the world was faced with oppressing conflict, and World War II occurred. Unbeknownst to many, a fatal error in the history of our free nation took place at the start of World War II, shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In response to the horrific event, President Roosevelt signed an executive order, relocating all Japanese-Americans to internment camps, stripping them of their land and possessions. Although later apologizing profusely, this event still transpired. The internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II was obviously, morally wrong.

A more modern example of a moral matter that has taken its course through politics, is the subject of gay and lesbian marriage. In 2015 Congress legalized gay and lesbian marriage in all 50 states. Before the Supreme Court made their official decision on the matter, the topic of gay and lesbian marriage had been left to the people’s devices. This led to the unjust treatment of members of the LGBT community, who often faced prejudices by those who did not abide by the same principles. These decisions were often made by personal morals, until gay and lesbian marriage was officially legalized.

In summary, after a brief account of many historically prominent events taking place in our history, it is just to say that morality plays an integral role in politics. Many of the fateful decisions made in our political history have been the result of differing morals. These morals often have a way of integrating them in our politics, thus immensely influencing our political decisions.