Those truly interested in history and considering Barton's views owe it to themselves to check out Chris Rodda's thoroughly researched and meticulously documented critique of the work of Barton and others similarly motivated by religious views to revise history to their liking. See Chris Rodda, Liars for Jesus: The Religious Right's Alternate Version of American History (2006). She presents Barton's claims, reviews the evidence and explanations he offers, and then shines a bright light on the evidence omitted, misinterpreted, or even made up by Barton with documentation and references so complete one can readily assess the facts for one's self without the need to take either Barton's or Rodda's word for it. For those wanting an easy preview, check [...].

I think this book should be required reading in every 7th grade in our country. Every word in it is well reseached and backed up with ducumented facts and statements from public documents that anyone can go to and verify for themselves. Thank you Mr. Barton for putting this book together. It made me proud to be an American as it proved to me that my heritage is awesome and honorable.

It is hard to argue with the founders own words. For Pete's sake, the Declaration itself proclaims that it is God who has created all men equal. The men who signed it, and helped write it, most definitely believed that man's rights derived from God and that God wanted all men to live in liberty and happiness. The founders stated numerous times that without the moral foundation that is in the bible, a free nation cannot long be free. If you ignore their own words, which are available to all in many different documents, you just end up looking like an idiot, except maybe to those who don't bother to dig and read either, and only spout what some brainwashed professor or teacher says from their lying bully pulpit.

This is a great book. Should be read my every American. If you are unsure of your country's history this is a great way to refresh your knowledge.

As a history major, one area that I consider is supporting documentation. This work is full of just that and should be required reading for anyone, especially those who are majoring in history.

Do read this book. Do check out the sources. Read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution for yourself before passing judgment on this book. The book has alot of factual, historical information that you will not hear in public school education today. The author draws some personal conclusions which you may or may not agree with. However it will be hard to dispute the acutal words written by those who said them and lived them. It is a must read.

Excellent service, shipping, quality. I would buy from you anytime. Thank you!

As to Mr. Rodda, of course his confusion is that of a true revisionist. Talk about distortions and untruths. No, ours is not the first secular government in the sense that you would like to make it. It was simply one that stated no state establishment of religion. And again, as had been so often stated but ignored by progressives, it is not freedom FROM religion but FREEDOM OF RELIGION. Imagine the impact and power a simple preposition can have-huh? The founders, with their particular differences on issues regarding Christianity, etc, were pretty clear on Judeo-Christian principles and the Bible--like it or not. Read their writings. You will find it was a MAJOR source of reference when in came to issues of individual liberty and the like!

You revisionists can spin and spin and spin in order to move our nation to a socialized "democracy," an oxymoronic condition in itself and also resembling nothing of what our nation truly was and is supposed to be, and that is a free representative republic!!!! The truth cannot be changed (though try as they will)--b/c thankfully there are enough original written works of many of our founders and others of noteworthy influence supporting its intent back to the basis of their position on The Constitution, The Declaration of Independence, and even clarified in The Federalist Papers.

What you do have going for you to help move your agenda along, however, is a nation of pretty close to illiterate people when it comes to many things (which would include researching founding documents on our nation and its very origin and original ideologies) w/o all the throwing about of indoctrination, distortions, misinformation and disinformation that is in too many textbooks and among too many NEA members to count.

Since knowledge is power, showing students the value of procuring insights from original, non-adulterated materials would really put a huge damper on the work of false indoctrination of the very young and those uninformed college students that were duped into voting in the present administration.

David Barton did a good job. We can only hope that before it is too late people will dig into the writings of the original founders and other great minds that indeed supported much of their perspectives before our nation and its freedoms are totally flushed down the toilet and a real life Orwellian state exists in mass in the country.

Great source for the true history and heritage of this nation. This is the information you'll probably never hear from the media or academic institutions. This book is bad news for those who wish to revise history.

Original Intent is a well written scholarly book, showing the true intent of our Founding Fathers. Clearly, the Christian faith played a huge role in the founding of the U.S., and without the faith of the founding fathers the country would been formed very different without that influence. Read the founding documents. Where do our rights come from (hint: our Creator)? The constitution empowers the people and limits the Federal government and limits its authority, clearly stating all the things the Federal government has not authority to do. However, we no longer follow the Constitution, and instead, use it to remove and attack any expression of faith in the public. We empower the Federal government and limit the rights of the people. That is a shame. Congress (Federal government) should make no law the prohibits the free exercise of religion, well now they do. And they apply these laws to the all states too. The Federal government does not have this authority according to the Constitution. The states are supposed to be independent governments, united together over the Federal government. The Federal government only exists to unite and protect the individual states. Let's get back to the original intent of the Founding Fathers. Faith was never supposed to be removed from public expression. Faith is foundational to the representative form of democracy that the Founding Fathers envisioned and established. Limited government, have God fearing elected representative who are able to openly express their faith and defend the rights of individuals, and rights of the people that come from our Creator alone not from government. God bless America. Good read, get the book and read it. Let's return to our Original Intent.

Original Intent By David Barton

This book has meticulous foot notes and references to it's sources. Barton uses the words of the founding fathers themselves to make his points. He uses actual court cases, and even puts the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in the back of the book for your reference. The author presents the material in a clear and precise manner, and the reader can easily look up, reference, and test his conclusions themselves (his footnotes and index make it that easy) ..... Better yet, Barton actually invites the reader to read the federalist and anti-federalist (the words of the founding fathers themselves) papers after reading this book . If Barton's conclusions are false as some have concluded he's definitely a horrible revisionist since he gives the reader all the ammunition in the world to check his sources and refute him.

This book has done more for my understanding our founding fathers than the many secular based history texts I've pawned through. The author is thorough, complete, and as I said earlier he gives the reader all the power by giving him/her the power to reference the original documents. The truth is many of our founding fathers were Christians, did read the bible, and most wouldn't approve of the course of action taken against religious expression in our country today. This is a worthy read for the Christian and secular skeptic alike. Truly, this is a must read!!!!

Postscript: There have been many attacks on this book and those who give favorable reviews to it (as of this date the reviews are 44 five star reviews and 30 some one star reviews on the hard back version). Instead of believing what any man says I urge the reader to do what I'm doing.... Look up the material yourself... Read the book, check it's sources, and make your own conclusion... Don't let the many individuals who leave nasty comments under these reviews steal from you your right to make your own conclusion....