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Civil War
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Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis presents resolutions as to why slavery should be allowed in the territories. He also gave reasons as to why the nation should protect slaveholders. His intention was to unite the Democratic party.
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Lincoln gives the Cooper Union Address, in which he validated the Federal Government banning slavery in new territories. This was Lincoln's most influential speech and many people believe it won him the presidency.
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The Pony Express begins going from Saint Louis, Missouri to Sacramento, California. It had 119 stations that were each 12 miles apart. They made it possible for more letters to be delivered in a more timely manner.
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The former members of the American and Whig parties meet in Baltimore and form the Constitutional Union Party, They elect John Bell to be their candidate for president and Edward Everett as candidate for vice president.
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Lincoln won the election of 1860 by over 108 electoral college votes and over 500,000 votes by the people
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Seven senators and twenty-three representatives issue a manifesto urging southern secession. It also recommends forming a Southern Confederacy.
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South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union as a direct result of Lincoln becoming president. The south did not want their way of life changed and they knew that Lincoln would abolish slavery.
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The South Carolina Congressmen resign due to secession. However, their names remain on the roll because the Union still does not acknowledge secession.
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South Carolina issues their "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Seccession of South Carolina from the Federal Union". This was South Carolina's version of the "Declaration of Independence".
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Harriet Tubman arrives un Auburn NY, for her last attempt at freeing the slaves. She then runs from being captured on the Underground railroad for 8 years.
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The southern states wanted slavery to not be abolished. So, 11 states left the Union to form their own country and independent nation.
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Abraham Lincoln officially becomes the 16th president of the United States of America.
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This was the start of the civil war, but not the first battle. The confederates wanted control of fort sumter which was located in charleston, south caroline, a confederate state. over 4000 rounds were shot by the south
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Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus. This meant that people could now be imprisoned without being seen by a judge and told what their crimes were
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This was the first real battle of the Civil War. The confederate troops scared off the union army, forcing them to retreat, This was a moral booster for the confederates.
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Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant, capture Paducah, Kentucky without spilling any blood. This gives the union control of the Tennessee River.
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Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as commander of the Union Army, He replaces the aging Winfield Scott. This is probably Lincoln's worst decision of the entire Civil War.
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Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjamin as his Secretary of War, This put him in charge of the Confederate army.
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Kentucy becomes the 13th Confederate state, This is really turning point because the Confederate states are becoming larger and larger. This also means they are gaining more power and resources.
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The attempt to capture of Richmond, Virginia for McClellan failed. He met with Confederate Robert E. Lee. And Lee still unnerved McClellan enough to retreat.
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Lincoln issues the first General War Order, telling all land and sea army forces to advance. McClellan igornes this, but because of his backing Lincoln could not punish him.
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Union troops attacked fort henry, a place controlled by confederate troops. This battle was very important for Grant and the union army.
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This battle from February 12-16 1862 where grant and the union army would also take fort donelson in west Tennessee
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A unsuccessful attempt by the south to make the north retreat away from Mississippi. Instead, the north launched a surprise attack the next morning and the south were forced to retreat.
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Jefferson Davis and the Confederate Congress approve the conscription act. This calls forward any white male ages 18 to 35 to fight for the confederate army.
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The Union takes New Orleans which is one of the Souths biggest seaports.
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The Union army is officially allowed to hire African Americans as laborers. This is a step in the right direction because they are on their way to becoming equal. The slaves are now allowed to help in the army that is being fought to free them.
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This battle was the bloodiest single day battle of the civil war. About 26,000 men lost their lives fighting in this battle
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Lincoln's plan for Emancipation is published in the Union newspapers. This gives the slaves hope for their freedom and even more of a reason behind the war.
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Lincoln signs the Emancipation and officially frees 3.1 million of the nation's slaves. This document only freed slaves that were not under Union control but allowed them to serve in the Union army.
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The National Conscription Act is signed forcing able bodied males aged 18-35 into joining the Union Army, The signing of this act led to the week long New York Draft Riots.
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This battle took place from May 1st to May 4th, ending in a Confederate victory. Both sides lost many of their soldiers, the Union casualties were 17,500 men and the Confederate casualties were 13,000. The most devastating Confederate loss was General Stonewall Jackson.
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Union troops decided to take the high ground. However he ran into lee and his army.
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Confederates had a very good chance of beating the north and obtaining the high ground
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Lee was confident that he was able to break through Union defenses. However, this did not happen. A fence was the reason why they lost. Lee after this battle sent a letter of resignation to Davis, who refused
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Vicksburg Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, surrenders to Gen. Grant and the Army of the West after a six week siege.
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This battle took place in Lawrence, Kansas, the site of much previous violence over the issue of slavery. William Qauntrill's raiders kill over 200 men and boys. The north views this as one of the most vicious atrocities of the war,
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Abraham Lincoln said this famous speech to try to make the north and south be at peace. This failed however. People were expecting him to speak for a long time. But, this wasn't the case, he spoke for only 2 minutes.
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John Hunt Morgan, a confederate calvary leader, and some of his men escape the Ohio state prison. They escape by cutting a hole in a cell and crawling through the ventilation system. They return safely to the South and Morgan picks up his calvary activities. Later in the war he is killed by the Union army.
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The first 500 prisoners of war arrive at the Confederate prison camp, Andersonville. This was the harshest prison camp of the Civil War. Many of the men held there did not survive because of the brutal conditions faced there.
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The Arlington National Cemetery is established by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. It is created using 200 acres land from Robert E Lee's home, Arlington House.
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Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines
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Lincoln signs away the fee that someone could pay to avoid being drafted into the Union Army.
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Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union forces. She is held at the Old Capital Prison in Washington D.C.
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Sherman's army defeated Confederate forced to capture this crucial city in the heart of the south.
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Lincoln dominated his opponent which so happened to be George B. McClellan, his former army general.
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After destroying Atlanta's warehouses and railroad facilities, General Sherman, with 62,000 men begins a March to the Sea.
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A group of Confederate operatives that call themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan set fires in more then 20 places. This is their unsuccessful attempt at burning New York down.
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John Bell Hood's army is destroyed by Union forces. This battle is the end of the army of Tennessee
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The Confederate forces capture Fort Stedman from the Union forces. About 2,900 of Lee's men are killed and 1,000 are captured during the counter attack.
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Confederate President Davis and his cabinet flee the confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia as Union forces near it. The very next day it is captured by the Union.
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General Lee surrenders to General Grant at Appottamax courthouse. This marks the end of the Civil War,
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John Wilkes Booth shoots President Lincoln at Fords Theater during a performance of My American Cousin. Lincoln is pronounced dead early the next morning.
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John Wilkes Booth is captured in a barn in Virginia at the Garret's farm. He is shot and killed by Boston Corbett.
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General Granger arrives in Texas and tells them about the Emancipation Proclamation. It is now celebrated as holiday called Juneteenth.
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The four conspirators in Lincoln's assassination are hanged. These men are Davide Harold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary Surratt. .
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Major Henry Wirz is hanged. He was the leader of the atrocious war camp, Andersonville. He becomes the only soldier hanged for war crimes.
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The 13th Amendment is ratified by three-quarters of the states. This amendment permanently abolishes slavery in the United States.
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Jonathan Shank and Barry Ownby form the Ku Klux Klan to resist reconstruction as well as to repress the freed African Americans.
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The last issue of the Liberator is published. The newspaper has now becomes unnecessary because the slaves have been freed.
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The United States declares a state peace with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
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The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is founded in New York by Henry Bergh.
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Congress approves the minting of a five cent piece, know as the nickel. This eliminates the half dime.
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The 14th amendment is ratified. This gives civil rights to all the freed African Americans.
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Following the Civil War Tennessee becomes the first state readmitted to the Union.
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Congress passes the legislation making General of the Army a rank. Ulysses S. Grant is the first to hold that title.
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The Atlantic Cable is established allowing transatlantic telegraph communication for the first time.
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The first train robbery takes place. The Reno brothers get away with $13,000.
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Jesse James and his gang robs a bank in Lexington, Missouri. They get away with $2,000.
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African American males are given the right to vote in Washington D.C. Congress over came President Johnson's veto to give the African Americans this right.
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The first reconstruction act sets up five military districts in the South, each under the control of a military commander. The Army Appropriations Act is passed, lessening Johnsons' control on the army. The final act passed is The Tenure Office Act which states that Johnson cannot remove cabinet members without the Senate's consent.
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Jesse James robs a bank in Savannah,Missouri. The attempt failed with one casualty.
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African Americans stage a ride on streetcars in New Orleans to protest segregation.
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President Andrew Johnson announces the purchase of Alaska. This would be the second to last state added to the United States of America.
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Johnson vetoes the third reconstruction act which spells out election procedures in the South and reasserts congressional control over the Reconstruction. Congress overrides Johnson's veto.
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Johnson suspends Stanton as Secretary of War after the two clash over reconstruction plans. Johnson places Ulysses S. Grant in the position.
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The United States officially takes possession of Alaska from Russia. $7.2 million is paid for it.
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Congress looks into impeaching Johnson for his lack of effectiveness and unwillingness to follow through with reconstruction.
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Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Today this order is known as the farmers organization Grange.
