What does the Establishment Clause prohibit?

• A. It Prohibits the Federal Government From Establishing a National Religion
• B. It Prohibits Congress From Passing Taxes
• C. It Requires Separation of Church and State
• D. It Allows Establishment of a National Church by States

Answer: (A)

The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment is about keeping the federal government from creating an official national religion. It prohibits the United States government from establishing a state church or favoring one religion over others, which protects individuals’ freedom to practice their faith (or not) without government endorsement or pressure. This is why the correct understanding is that the federal government cannot establish a national religion. The other ideas don’t fit: the clause isn’t about taxes, it isn’t a blanket rule that the government must be completely separate from religion in every nuance, and it doesn’t allow states to establish a national church.