Writing in the 1830s, Alex de Tocqueville noted the profound influence religion had upon the American populace, arguing that there are some who profess Christian dogmas because they believe them and others who do so because they are afraid to look as though they did not believe in them. So Christianity reigns without obstacles, by universal consent. At times, his comments continue to ring true, particularly with regard to the centrality of religious faith to the American experience. While not intended to be exhaustive, this course examines representative episodes in the history of religion in the United States, albeit largely in its Christian (and Protestant) form.