Rare Artifacts Highlight Scripture’s Impact on Nation’s Founding

A collection at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., offers new insight into the role of Scripture during America’s founding years. Celebrating the nation’s 250th anniversary, the exhibit showcases original letters, family Bibles, and founding-era artifacts that illustrate biblical influence on America’s early history.

The collection includes the first Bible printed in English in America, along with Bibles owned by founding fathers and notable Americans. An original letter from Thomas Jefferson discussing religious liberty is also featured. These items demonstrate how biblical language impacted discussions on liberty, education, and public life during the nation’s formative years.

“The Bible has been an integral part of this nation’s founding and history,” said Anthony Schmidt, director of collections and curatorial at the museum.

Schmidt explained that the collection uses primary sources to examine the Bible’s role in early American history. The founding fathers frequently referenced Scripture, using it to argue and construct political frameworks around human dignity and liberty.

One section of the exhibit explores the presence of Scripture in everyday life, showcasing the first Bible printed in English in America alongside family Bibles of founding fathers and historical figures. Schmidt mentioned that these objects were carefully chosen to portray the most complete story possible of the Bible’s influence on America’s founding generation.

A painting from 1818 by John Trumbull depicts the Committee of Five—Adams, Livingston, Sherman, Jefferson, and Franklin—as they present the draft of the Declaration of Independence. These objects display the Bible’s impact beyond religious life, touching on American art, education, and politics.

Another section examines faith and government interaction through Jefferson’s writings on religious liberty and early arguments for resisting tyranny. The exhibit also includes Revolutionary-era materials that united the colonies, documents on early Jewish civic life, portraits and busts of colonial figures like George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, and a lithograph memorializing Abraham Lincoln.

Schmidt emphasized the goal of encouraging visitors to engage directly with original historical documents. A vintage illustration depicts Betsy Ross sewing an early American flag with George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross during the Revolutionary War.

“We want visitors to encounter the history of this country and see, in the primary documents, what impact the Bible actually had on the people who built it,” Schmidt noted.

Though founding fathers often disagreed on religious issues, the historical record shows many were influenced by biblical language and ideas. Schmidt encouraged people to review the evidence and reach their own conclusions.