Religious Freedom
6th Grade Religious Freedom Inquiry

Does Religious Freedom Exist?
Download Entire Inquiry Here

Supporting Question 1- What are the major religions of the world?
  • Source A: Graph illustrating religious affiliation around the world, 2015
  • Source B: Chart depicting characteristics of five world religions, “World Religions Overview Chart,” 2015
  • Source C: Maps of War, animated map of the history of religion, “History of Religion,” no date
  • Source D: Geographics, infographic about religion in Asia and the world, “World of Religions,” 2011
Supporting Question 2- What is religious freedom?
  • Source A: B. A. Robinson, “Definitions of Religious Tolerance,” Public domain. 
  • Source B: Source bank: Definitions of religious freedom
Supporting Question 3- How has religious freedom been supported over time?
  • Source A: Excerpt on human rights from the Cyrus Cylinder
  • Source B: Excerpt from the Magna Carta
  • Source C: First Amendment text and "First Amendment and Religion"
  • Source D: United Nations, background on and text of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (excerpts), United Nations General Assembly, December 10, 1948
Supporting Question 4- What is the current status of religious freedom around the world?
Source B: Social Progress Imperative, map comparing social progress and religious freedom around the world, “Social Progress Index,” 2015
  Source C: Pew Research Center, charts describing restrictions on religious activities in the world, “Latest Trends in Religious Restrictions and Hostilities,” February 28, 2015
New York State Social Studies Framework Key Idea & Practices 6.4 COMPARATIVE WORLD RELIGIONS (ca. 2000 BCE–ca. 630 CE): Major religions and belief systems developed in the Eastern Hemisphere. There were important similarities and differences between these belief systems.
 Gathering, Using, and Interpreting Evidence   Geographic Reasoning   Comparison and Contextualization
 Chronological Reasoning and Causation