Final answer:
The statement about American states never having legislation restricting marriage between people of different religions is true. However, the history of same-sex marriage in the United States has been complex, with a variety of state laws and federal changes, culminating in the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage in all states in 2015.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that unlike many European nations none of the American states has ever had legislation restricting marriage between people of different religions is mostly true. American states generally have not enacted laws that prevent interfaith marriages.
This reflects the U.S. constitutional commitment to religious freedom, as seen in the First Amendment, which prohibits the government from making any law "respecting an establishment of religion" or "prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This principle has supported a legal framework where individuals are free to marry regardless of religious differences.
Same-sex marriage has a more complex history in the United States. While no federal or state law has historically prohibited interfaith marriage, the same cannot be said for same-sex marriage. The journey towards marriage equality has been long and fraught, involving numerous court cases and legislative changes.
It was only after a landmark 2015 decision by the United States Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges that same-sex marriage was legalized nationwide, overriding state laws that had been enacted to ban such unions.
The evolution of marriage rights in the United States shows a trend from exclusive practices, such as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between a man and a woman and allowed states to refuse recognition of same-sex marriages, towards a more inclusive understanding of marriage that encompasses all individuals, regardless of sexual orientation.
State bans on same-sex marriage varied widely, with some states allowing same-sex marriage and others enacting restrictions or constitutional amendments against it, which exemplifies the complex interplay between federal and state laws on the issue of marriage equality.