| The American's Creed |
| by William Tyler Page |
| "I believe in the United States of America
as a Government of the people, by the people, for the people; whose
just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a
democracy in a republic, a sovereign Nation of many sovereign
States; a perfect union, one and inseparable; established upon those
principles of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which
American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it, to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its Flag; and to defend it against all enemies. |
| –Written 1917, accepted by the United States House of Representatives on April 3, 1918. |
| American's Creed Day - April 13th |
| Historical Notes: The American's Creed was a result of a
nationwide contest for writing a National Creed, which would be a
brief summary of the American political faith founded upon things
fundamental in American history and tradition. The contest was the
idea of Henry Sterling Chapin, Commissioner of Education of New York
State. Over three thousand entries were received, and William Tyler
Page was declared to be the winner. James H. Preston, the mayor of
Baltimore, presented an award to Page in the House of
Representatives Office Building on April 3, 1918. The Speaker of the
House of Representatives and the commissioner of education of the
state of New York accepted the Creed for the United States, and the
proceedings relating to the award were printed in the Congressional
Record of April 13, 1918. It was a time when patriotic sentiments
were very much in vogue. The United States had been a participant in
World War I only a little over a year at the time the Creed was
adopted.
The author of the American's Creed, William Tyler Page, was a descendant of John Page, who had come to America in1650 and had settled in Williamsburg, Virginia. Another ancestor, Carter Braxton , had signed the Declaration of Independence. Still another ancestor, John Tyler, was the tenth president of the United States. William Tyler Page had come to Washington at the age of thirteen to serve as a Capitol Page. Later he became an employee of the Capitol building and served in that capacity for almost sixty-one years. In 1919 he was elected clerk of the House. Thirteen years later, when the Democrats again became a majority party, they created for Page the office of minority clerk of the House of Representatives. He held this position for the remainder of his life. Referring to the Creed, Page said: "It is the summary of the
fundamental principles of the American political faith as set forth
in its greatest documents, its worthiest traditions, and its
greatest leaders." His wording of the Creed used passages and
phrases from the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the
Constitution, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Daniel Webster's
reply to Robert Y. Hayne in the Senate in 1830. |