The United States Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy to commemorate Columbus Day. The original pledge was simpler and did not include the phrase “under God.” The addition of these words has been controversial, and some Americans choose not to recite the pledge. Other countries have similar pledges, such as India’s pledge to their national flag.
The United States Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy. He wrote the Pledge to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ discovery of the New World, despite the fact that Columbus did not land on American soil. The original Pledge is simpler and less controversial than the current Pledge of Allegiance. Bellamy’s original text is as follows: I swear allegiance to my flag and to the republic for which it stands: one indivisible nation, with liberty and justice for all.
Many schoolchildren learned about the commitment to the 1892 Columbus Day celebration on October 12. In greeting the pledge they did so with the right hand raised, just like the salute of respect among the Nazis. Putting hand over heart came much later, after the start of World War II.
In 1923, the Oath of Allegiance underwent minor changes. The phrase “my flag” has been changed to “the flag of the United States of America”. The most significant change occurred in 1958. After years of demonstrations by different Christian groups and prominent leaders, the words “one nation” became “one nation under God,” quoting Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
When people mention that it is time-honored to include “under God” in the oath, it is important to remember that the original Pledge of Allegiance did not contain these words. Also, this is a fairly new addition to the Pledge rather than “true pledge” as some people claim. Even without the reference to God in the Pledge of Allegiance, there were problems getting all the students to learn it or say it.
For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe it is against their religion to take the Pledge of Allegiance because it is considered idolatry. In 1940, the Supreme Court even ruled that public schools were within their rights to force people to learn and pronounce pledge. This decision was not reversed until 1943.
The next controversy with the Pledge was the addition of the words “under God.” This has remained a contentious issue as there are many Americans who either do not worship a Christian God or choose not to worship at all. Several federal courts declared this addition unconstitutional in the 2000s and the requirement to say the Pledge is now optional. Some states have dropped it entirely, while other schools still play it, but any student can opt out, usually with written parental permission. They can ask their children not to learn nor to pronounce the pledge.
Some countries have similar commitments. The most similar is the oath to the flag in India, which is as follows: I pledge allegiance to the National Flag and the Sovereign Democratic Republic it represents. .
Ireland briefly swore an oath of allegiance. China has a sung pledge called Eight Honors and Eight Shames (Ba rong ba chi), which is not their national anthem, but is not tied to a flag. Schoolchildren learn the song, as of 2006. Other nations may have similar pledges or oaths taken to office, but not many actually pledge to a flag like India or the United States.
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