Articles for tag: oath-taking traditions

Why Do Officials Raise Their Right Hand? The Story Behind the Oath

Photo: A brand could be applied to hands, cheeks, shoulders, or foreheads, as a way to publically mark the offense. Photo: https://research.colonialwilliamsburg.org Many elected officials are being sworn into office over the next few months, marking their terms’ start with a time-honored tradition. But why do they raise their right hand when taking an oath, and ...