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The Civil War has been commemorated in many capacities, ranging from the reenactment of battles to statues and memorial halls erected, films, stamps and coins with Civil War themes being issued, all of which helped to shape public memory. These commemorations occurred in greater numbers on the 100th and 150th anniversaries of the war. [309]
Freedom of religion includes, at a minimum, freedom of belief (the right to believe whatever a person, group, or religion wishes, including all forms of irreligion, such as atheism, humanism, existentialism, or other forms of non-belief), but some feel freedom of religion must include freedom of practice (the right to practice a religion or ...
American civil religion is a sociological theory that a monotheistic nonsectarian civil religion exists within the United States with sacred symbols drawn from national history. Scholars have portrayed it as a common set of values that foster social and cultural integration.
When the Civil War began, the Union did not state that its goals were civil rights and voting rights for African Americans, though the more radical of the abolitionists felt they had to come. They emerged as political goals during the war: the 13th Amendment , ending slavery, was proposed in 1863.
Most states interpret "freedom of religion" as including the freedom of long-established religious communities to remain intact and not be destroyed. By extension, democracies interpret "freedom of religion" as the right of each individual to freely choose to convert from one religion to another, mix religions, or abandon religion altogether.
The Free Exercise Clause prohibits government interference with religious belief and, within limits, religious practice. [2] To accept any creed or the practice of any form of worship cannot be compelled by laws, because, as stated by the Supreme Court in Braunfeld v. Brown, the freedom to hold religious beliefs and opinions is absolute. [3]
The New Model Army became the champion of Independent religious views and its members helped carry out Pride's Purge in December 1648. Unlike their Presbyterian allies, Independents rejected any state role in religious practice, including the Church of England , and advocated freedom of religion for most non-Catholics.
Civil War historian James M. McPherson confirms in one of his books, Battle Cry of Freedom, "Helping blacks to earn citizenship was not the main motive for the push of their enrollment in the upcoming bill." [33] Instead, the fear of losing the Civil War convinced Congress and Union citizens to take advantage of the willing service.