Religious tests have shaped Georgia's political culture from its inception until post-independence. From the establishment of Georgia as one of the thirteen colonies of America until the post-independence era, religion played an important role in shaping Georgia's political culture. In colonial Georgia, many religious tests were imposed and affected the political atmosphere and structure. These traditions continued throughout the post-independence period, regardless of federal laws. The federal government established the trend toward separation of church and state, which is explicitly expressed and established in Article VI of the United States Constitution. Article IV states: "The Senators and Representatives above mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all Executive and Judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification for any office or public trust in the United States. » The Constitution of the United States must have supreme power and must also be respected by the states, however, when it comes to religion in politics. ; this was not the case. This issue has always been a struggle and in the case of Georgia, it has also proven difficult. Georgia has historically imposed many requirements for political office regarding religious qualifications, which is inconsistent with the federal government's position on this issue. First of all, clarifying what a religious test is very important in understanding the argument. The definition of religious tests is a legal religious requirement for obtaining and holding office. ......middle of paper......the otetestants could be elected officials supports this argument. The only point I don't completely agree with is that religion and politics are so closely linked, because people in that era were very religious and their religious beliefs were aimed at keeping politics morally right. This establishes that the power of religion is greater than political power. (Corbett 55-67) Work cited Albert B. Saye (ed.). Georgian Charter of 1732. Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1942. Corbett, Michael and Julia. Politics and religion in the United States. Garland Publishing, Inc. (1999). Georgia Constitution of 1777. February 15, 2011.. Sodaro, Michael J. and Dean Walter Collinwood. “Chapter 12.” Comparative politics: a global introduction. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2007. 293-95.