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Formation of the Rebuplican Party
The Republicans formed from former Whigs, anti-slavery Democrats, and members of the Free Soil Party. Though all members advocated freeing slaves, they did not support equal rights. The Republicans gained power incredibly fast given that they only had 2 years before the first election. -
Election of 1856
Republican Party Beliefs: Ending slavery in new territories, protective tariffs, infrastructure (railroads mainly), Free Homestead Act (Free farmland given to people who moved west) [To prevent slavery and to provide the overflux of immigrants].
Democrat Party Beliefs: Opposite of all the Republicans beliefs.
Know-Nothing Party: Anti-immigrant (nativists). Expanded to hate Catholics (largest immigrant group was Irish and they were Catholic. The winning canidate was Democratic James Buccanon. -
Election of 1860
Democratic Convention: Resulted in a split between Northern Democrats and Southern Democrats
Election of 1860
4 Candidates run from 4 different political parties.
Republican- Abraham Lincoln (winner)
Northern Democrats: Stephen Douglas
Southern Democrats: John Breckenridge
Constitutional Union Party: John Bell Lincoln wins, despite the fact that his name was banned in the voting ballots in 10 states.
Lincoln wins in 1860 because of the spilt Democratic Party. -
Confederate States of America
All of the southern states had seceded by this time. They formed the Confederate States of America, and despite this, Lincoln still considered them as part of the Union. They elected Jefferson Davis as their president. He was their one and only president. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
The Civil War officially began with the attack on Fort Sumter. The battle occured in South Carolina. The Confederate troops stormed the fort and forced the Union soldiers to surrender. -
Battle of Bulls Run
• The Union and Confederate forces collided in an accidental confrontation.
• About 5000 people died, with 3000 of them Union forces.
• This battle was significant because it was a victory for the Confederates, despite the fact that they were outnumbered. It came as a shock to the Union army that they were defeated. -
Western Campaign
The Western Campaign begins. Captain David Farragut leaves Hampton Roads aboard the USS Hartford en route to assume command of military operations on the southern Mississippi River. -
Naval Battle
It was the first battle between two ironclad ships in the Civil war. It was the first battle ever between two ironclads because the US was the first to invent it. It started the US on a track to becoming the most powerful navy in the world. -
Battle of Antietam
The battle was between George McLellan and Robert E. Lee. McLellan was on the offensive attacking Lee’s stations at Mayland. Thebattle was the single bloodiest day in the Civil war and it was truly a draw, however because of the Confederate retreat, Lincoln labeled it as a victory and went on to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
The battle was between Ambrose Burnside and General Lee in Virginia.
The battle had 200000 participants with nearly 13000 casualties.
The battle resulted in a victory for the Confederate despite being outnumbered by 40000 soldiers. As a result, the battle resulted in a plummet of the morale in the Union army. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Freed the slaves in the Southern states
Didn't free slaves everywhere because the border states would have joined the Confederacy.
If this had happened, the population of the Confederacy would have doubled the population and manufacturing capacity of the South.
Lincoln used the 'victory' at Antietam as a platform for launching this.
It was ignored by the south. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Lee was leading his forces north and Meade was leading his forces south and they collided in Gettysburg.There were about 51000 casualties, and the battle was considered a loss for both sides.This battle was extremely significant because it marked the turning point in the war. After this battle, the south was no longer able to ever go on the offensive again, they were retreating until the end of the war. -
Battle of Vicksburg
In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations.This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton’s army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half.
The success of this helped Grant receive his a -
Fall of Atlanta
General Sherman's forces defeat the Confederates in Atlanta.
Boosted northern morale and secured Lincoln re-election.
Crippled the south.
Atlanta was a major center for the South and their thourough defeat killed the Confederacy, financially and morally. -
March to the Sea
Sherman began to move up along the coast to help funnel in the South. As they marched north, they burned everything that they came upon, houses, villages, plantations, etc. They wanted to cripple the south so heavily that they couldn't retreat into the 'Deep South' and rise again to fight the Union. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse (actually took place in a farmhouse).
Civil war officially ends.
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth at Ford Theater.
Even though this officially ended the Civil war. informally the war had already ended. -
Lincoln's Reconstruction Plan
End of 1863 he issued his Amnesty plan.
10% of voters pledged to the Union and the state could rejoin the Union
Lincolns goal was to reunite the US as quickly and painlessly as possible
Forgives all army members
Appointed military governors (temp) to state
Didn't give free blacks any rights Lincoln offered broad pardons for all Confederate soldiers and officers -
Andrew Johnson's Plan
In addition to everything in Lincoln's plan, Johnson also gave pardons to military members and confederate politicians
and required each southern state to write a new state constitution. -
Radical Republican's Plan
Wanted Reconstruction to punish the south
Wanted to 'reconstruct' the south to look like the north
Emphasis on rights for former slaves set this plan apart
Guaranteed through Amendments 13,14,15
A 13- Ends slavery
A 14- Rights of citizens. Made all former slaves official citizens.
A 15- Universal male suffrage
Under the 15th amendment, no man can be denied the right to vote.
A 50% vote was required to join the Union. -
End of Reconstruction
South was placed under military supervision until 1877
Reconstruction ends in 1877 because that is when the north pulls their troops out of the south
The south is now self-functioning, and the country is officially re-united
Radical republicans also limited the rights of former Confederate officers, and prevented them from holding office