Final answer:
The Norman Rockwell painting 'Freedom of Speech' was meant to remind Americans of the fundamental value of freedom of religion in the U.S., a key reason for its involvement in World War II, emphasizing the absence of a state-sponsored religion, which historically led to conflicts in other countries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Norman Rockwell painting titled 'Freedom of Speech' was part of the Four Freedoms series and was published on February 20, 1943, in The Saturday Evening Post alongside an essay by Booth Tarkington. This series was inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt's State of the Union Address in 1941, which articulated the essential freedoms that everyone ought to enjoy, including the freedom of religion. Rockwell's painting sought to remind the U.S. public that the protection and promotion of these freedoms, particularly the ability to worship freely without a state-sponsored religion, was a foundational principle in the United States and one of the reasons for the country's involvement in World War II.
Historically, the concept of a state-sponsored church had led to numerous conflicts in Europe, where religious wars and civil strife were fueled by disputes between territories with differing religious affiliations. The established churches, especially between Protestant and Catholic denominations, engaged in bitter wars throughout European history. Even into the modern era, as seen in Ireland, where tensions between a predominantly Catholic south and a generally Protestant north have been ongoing for almost a century, the impact of such conflicts still lingers. The U.S. founding principle of freedom of religion was therefore significant in distinguishing it from other nations with established state religions, and was seen as a principle worth protecting and fighting for during the global conflicts of the 20th century.