Religious phrases such as “In God We Trust” on currency and “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance have survived court scrutiny, having been declared ceremonial and broadly non-sectarian. No student can be forced to recite the Pledge. Most courts, however, have refused to declare that recitation of the Pledge is unconstitutional due to its religious content. (It should be noted that these practices did not originate during America’s founding period. “Under God” was added to the Pledge in 1954.” The phrase “In God We Trust” first began appearing on coins during the Civil war but was not mandated on paper money until 1956.)