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The First Battle of Fort Sumter
The Confederacy attacked Fort Sumter, resulting in the fort being surrendered less than 2 days later. This occurrence signaled the start of the Civil War and resulted in tremendous support for military action from both the North and South. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of the Bull Run marked the first major land battle of the American Civil War. Near Manassas Junction, Virginia, Confederate and Union armies clashed, and eventually, the Confederate troops won. This gave the South a surge of confidence and stunned many people in the North. -
The Battle of Fort Henry & Fort Donelson
February 6, 1862, marked the battle of Fort Henry. This was the first meaningful Union victory of the Civil War. The Battle of Fort Donelson happened from February 11-16 in 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donelson forced the Confederacy to give up southern Kentucky and much of Middle and West Tennessee. -
The Battle of Hampton Roads
This was the first naval battle between ironclad warships. Although the battle was inconclusive, this naval battle was the start of a new era in naval warfare. It was the most popular and well-known naval battle of the Civil War and it revolutionized how warships were built (changed from wooden to ironclad). -
The Union Captures New Orleans
The capture of New Orleans by the Union was a huge turning point in the Civil War. The Confederacy lost one of its major cities & ports and this generated the capture of the Mississippi River, which divided the Confederacy into two. -
The Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the first battle of the Civil War that occurred on Northern soil. This was the bloodiest single-day battle that has occurred in American history. The Battle of Antietam was one of the key turning points of the Civil War, as the Union's victory presented President Lincoln with the chance to announce the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 (next event). -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Released on September 22, 1862, the Emancipation Proclamation declared that on January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in the Confederacy states would be "forever free". This document cleared the way for a more permanent abolition of slavery in the United States (13th amendment). Also, its symbolic power announced that freedom for slaves was one of the North's goals, and it helped other nations that had considered supporting the Confederacy to back off. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Lasting from July 1, 1863, to July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most important confrontations of the Civil War. It was the bloodiest battle of the war (that lasted over a span of days), in which the Union had won. This battle turned the flow of the Civil War in the Union's favor. -
Abraham Lincoln Gets Re-Elected
Abraham Lincoln's victory in the 1864 election confirmed that he would be the one to oversee the ending of the Civil War. His victory was a very important moment in the war, as it established a continuance of the war to end slavery & save the Union. -
Lee Surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse (Ends Civil War)
On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, promptly ending the Civil War. He did this as he was surrounded and had no way out, and he also wanted to prevent unnecessary destruction to the South. Once both sides agreed on the surrendering terms, the deal was sealed.