I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands: One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This iconic sentence, known as the Pledge of Allegiance, was first crafted in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister and Christian socialist from near Boston, Massachusetts. Surprisingly late in America's history, its creation raises questions about its intent, especially given Bellamy's socialist background and his relation to socialist utopian novelist Edward Bellamy. The Pledge, a loyalty oath to the federal government, demands allegiance to the flag and the republic, not to states or American values, but directly to the government, using patriotism to bind free peoples to it. Originally published in The Youth's Companion, a children's magazine, the Pledge was part of a national public school celebration for Columbus Day, marking the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America. The initial version read: I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands: One nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Notably, it lacked the phrase "under God," which was added by an act of Congress in 1954 during the Eisenhower Administration. Bellamy's omission of this phrase is striking, prompting speculation about whether his socialist views outweighed his ministerial role. The Pledge was accompanied by a specific salute, initially with the right hand extended palm upward, later changed to palm downward, and finally altered in 1942 due to its similarity to the Nazi salute, reflecting uncomfortable parallels with socialist movements of the time. Supported by President Benjamin Harrison, his challenger Grover Cleveland, Congress, and public school officials, the Pledge was rapidly implemented across the nation by October 12, 1892, aiming to instill patriotic zeal in schoolchildren amidst declining national pride post-Civil War. Criticism of the Pledge has arisen, particularly from religious groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, who argue it violates their free exercise of religion by compelling divided loyalties, and from atheists objecting to "under God" as establishing religion. Despite legal challenges, the Pledge remains voluntary, with mandatory recitation laws in schools struck down as unconstitutional. Ultimately, it raises questions about where loyalties should lie, especially in comparison to allegiance to God.