George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom

Teach the Letter

Teach the Letter

George Washington’s Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport is a powerful starting point for teaching young people about a big idea that has shaped American life: religious freedom.

Our free Educators Classroom Kit uses the Letter to help teachers and students explore concepts of freedom of religion, liberty of conscience and separation of church and state, and brings alive their relevance today.

All modules of the Educators Classroom Kit meet curriculum standards of the National Council for the Social Studies.


You can use the Educators Classroom Kit in these two ways:

Research George Washington's letter online

Online

Explore these key concepts, along with three learning modules covering the Letter’s history, its relationship to the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, and the difference between religious freedom and religious tolerance.

Print the Educator's Kit

Print

Download, view, and print a copy of the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom Educators Classroom Kit that contains a variety of learning tools to help you bring the letter alive at your school.