Free expression and manifestation of religious beliefs without government repercussions constitutes religious freedom. Although the concept of religious freedom exists in some places throughout the world, many citizens experience religious persecution, the discrimination and belittling of people based on their faith. The Founding Fathers of America established the colonies in the hope of making a country in which one could practice religion freely and escape the tyranny of the Crown. Through Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, religious freedom proves one of the most important founding principles of the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence states that the Creator endowed humans with certain unalienable rights. Jefferson writes that, “among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” (US Declaration Ind). Jefferson uses the words, pursuit of happiness to illuminate the idea that every human wants to achieve happiness and achieve self-realization. To achieve self-realization, one must have the right to explore and strengthen their relationship with their Creator. In order to become closer with their creator, one must have the freedom to worship their faith. Jefferson also states that, “to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed” (US Declaration Ind.). This means that the government exists for the people, not the people exist for the government. The government does not have the authority to take away the peoples’ God given rights, but it has the responsibility to protect these peoples God given rights from those who wish to take them away. This includes the right of religious freedom. Through this document, Americans today continue to retain the right of religious freedom. The Founding Fathers of America added the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution in 1791 to insure that the American people receive e