Conclusion to my US History Paper

In conclusion, it is clear that Lincoln’s decisions to lead the nation into Civil War and issue the Emancipation Proclamation were direct results of his idea of a “political religion” and his view of Christianity. When the Confederacy succeeded from the Union, Lincoln felt that this was an attack on the laws of the United States and on the God given gift of democracy. Lincoln saw this as a violation of his philosophy of “political religion.” Therefore, Lincoln declared war on the Confederacy. Lincoln was against slavery from the beginning of his political career and he favored a system of gradual emancipation and compensation. Lincoln also favored the system of colonizing newly emancipated African Americans. However, after being influenced by educated African Americans, Lincoln began to understand that a biracial society could exist. Lincoln decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation because of several factors. Lincoln felt that God wanted the slaves to be emancipated, Lincoln needed the military benefits that an immediate emancipation would bring, and Lincoln decided a new policy needed to be enacted after his gradual emancipation proposals were rejected by the loyal Border States. Therefore, both Lincoln’s idea of political religion and his view of Christianity led him to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.