1929-1933
Hoover was born into a devout Quaker family in West Branch, Iowa, on Aug. 10, 1874. His family had been Quakers since the early 18th century and had traveled to the New World in search of religious freedom. Throughout his childhood, he went to meetinghouse services every Sunday, and, in his own words, read the Bible "in daily stints from cover to cover." Hoover attended Stanford University in the 1890s, where he sat in on many lectures discussing new scientific developments, including evolution; he had little difficulty reconciling these new scientific concepts with his own personal faith.
In a 1950s national radio broadcast he elaborated: "Our discoveries in science have proved that all the way from the galaxies in the heavens to the constitution of the atom, the universe is controlled by inflexible law. Somewhere a supreme power created these laws. At some period, man was differentiated from the beast, and was endowed with a spirit from which springs conscience, idealism and spiritual yearnings. It is impossible to believe that there is not here a divine touch and a purpose from the creator of the universe. I believe we can express these things only in religious faith."
Hoover's work as a civil engineer led him to travel abroad extensively, making it difficult for him to attend church regularly, but when he returned to the United States, he attended informal Quaker meetings.
Religion was a primary issue in the 1928 presidential election, which saw Hoover easily triumph over Democratic candidate Al Smith, a Roman Catholic. Perhaps because of his own unorthodox religious background, Hoover never attempted to exploit many Americans' unease over Smith's faith. In his Aug. 11, 1928, speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination, Hoover declared: "In this land, dedicated to tolerance, we still find outbreaks of intolerance. I come of Quaker stock. My ancestors were persecuted for their beliefs. Here they sought and found religious freedom. By blood and conviction I stand for religious tolerance both in act and in spirit. The glory of our American ideals is the right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience."
Smith's religion, however, was likely a deciding factor in Hoover's landslide victory; Hoover received 444 electoral votes to Smith's 87 and carried all but eight states. Because his Quaker faith prevented him from swearing the inaugural oath of office, Hoover elected to take an affirmation of office instead. He is one of only two U.S. presidents to do this.
Hoover was born into a devout Quaker family in West Branch, Iowa, on Aug. 10, 1874. His family had been Quakers since the early 18th century and had traveled to the New World in search of religious freedom. Throughout his childhood, he went to meetinghouse services every Sunday, and, in his own words, read the Bible "in daily stints from cover to cover." Hoover attended Stanford University in the 1890s, where he sat in on many lectures discussing new scientific developments, including evolution; he had little difficulty reconciling these new scientific concepts with his own personal faith.
In a 1950s national radio broadcast he elaborated: "Our discoveries in science have proved that all the way from the galaxies in the heavens to the constitution of the atom, the universe is controlled by inflexible law. Somewhere a supreme power created these laws. At some period, man was differentiated from the beast, and was endowed with a spirit from which springs conscience, idealism and spiritual yearnings. It is impossible to believe that there is not here a divine touch and a purpose from the creator of the universe. I believe we can express these things only in religious faith."
Hoover's work as a civil engineer led him to travel abroad extensively, making it difficult for him to attend church regularly, but when he returned to the United States, he attended informal Quaker meetings.
Religion was a primary issue in the 1928 presidential election, which saw Hoover easily triumph over Democratic candidate Al Smith, a Roman Catholic. Perhaps because of his own unorthodox religious background, Hoover never attempted to exploit many Americans' unease over Smith's faith. In his Aug. 11, 1928, speech accepting the Republican presidential nomination, Hoover declared: "In this land, dedicated to tolerance, we still find outbreaks of intolerance. I come of Quaker stock. My ancestors were persecuted for their beliefs. Here they sought and found religious freedom. By blood and conviction I stand for religious tolerance both in act and in spirit. The glory of our American ideals is the right of every man to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience."
Smith's religion, however, was likely a deciding factor in Hoover's landslide victory; Hoover received 444 electoral votes to Smith's 87 and carried all but eight states. Because his Quaker faith prevented him from swearing the inaugural oath of office, Hoover elected to take an affirmation of office instead. He is one of only two U.S. presidents to do this.
No comments:
Post a Comment