1. Religious vitality refers to the importance and popularity of religion within society. The vitality of religion can be difficult to understand because of a long-standing misconception that religion does not influence American politics at all. However, religion has been encrypted in politics since the birth of the United States. American exceptionalism is the belief that the United States is an exceptional place, special compared to other nations, blessed by God. With American exceptionalism comes the creation of American values ​​and what it means to be American. One value, which emerged during the westward expansion, was manifest destiny, a God-given duty to America to imperialize the West. American exceptionalism can be a religious underpinning. The Constitution of the United States is sometimes called the national compact. The Constitution was presented to the people as a “contract” which they were free to accept or reject. Just as accepting a covenant from God would involve giving and receiving, the Constitution promised to provide “benefits such as justice, order, welfare, and liberty” (Wald 45-46) if accepted by the people. In addition to benefiting from what the Constitution promises, it would also limit the government's power in terms of what it can and cannot do. Even today, Americans continue to live by the Constitution, an idea derived from the Puritan Covenant. “The Constitution provides U.S. citizens with a national identity, sacred civic values, and comforting rituals” (Levinson 1988; Rountree 1990, The Puritans pioneered democracy by demanding religious choice from the Church of England. Gaining freedom, the Puritans planned of for justice and good. Another reason why Puritans living in the colonies wanted to free themselves from the Church of England was due to the fear of losing their religious freedom. The same fear would also play an important role in the development of nationalism American of England, the Puritans wanted to build a church they could join voluntarily and be active in managing the congregation “The American governmental system was designed by political architects who assumed that power could not be entrusted to human beings” (Wald 49) .The Founders focused more on humanity's flaws rather than its virtues, just like the Puritans. In Reformation theology, the Puritans saw the story of Adam as a lesson that when given the choice between good and evil, humanity often chooses evil. The Puritans also believed that redemption did not exist and that God had already chosen those who would experience His grace and those who would experience only sin and torment. From this belief came the political conclusion that government would never be perfect because it is a product of human beings. Since God had already chosen those who would be saved and actions in life would not redeem someone, “it was not the government's job to make people good” (Wald 49). Everything a government can aspire to