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Lincolns Inauguration
To the dismay of many southern slave owners the 16th president Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated into US presidency, vowing to stop the western spread of slavery -
The Confederate States Adopt a Consitution
After the Lincoln won the Presidency many of the southern states had decided to secede due to a fear of Lincoln ridding them of their ability to own a slave, so they decided to take action in seceding from the US and forming The Confederate States of America which at the time was only made up of 7 states those being: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas and on this date these states formed their own constitution as an attempt to gain more stability.. -
The Beginning of the Civil War
The first fight of the Civil War occurred in Fort Sumter South Carolina after confederate general P.G.T Beauregard led a bombardment, after a 34 hour long artillery fire exchange the Union soldiers that resided here finally surrendered giving the Union its first loss in the newly started Civil War. -
US Declares Why the War is Being Fought
Many believe the US civil war was fought solely on the basis to abolish slavery however on this date the US passed a resolution declaring that the war was being fought not to abolish but to preserve the union -
Lincoln Signs Homestead Act
The Homestead Act encouraged Western migration by providing settlers 160 acres of public land. In exchange, homesteaders paid a small filing fee and were required to complete five years of continuous residence before receiving ownership of the land. -
Congress passes the militia act
On this day the US congress passes the militia act which allows for president lincoln to use black soldiers as nurses, spies, larborers, kitchen workers and scouts -
The Battle of Antietam
The first battle to be fought on northern soil the battle of antietam is regarded as being the bloodiest day in america history, after general Robert e lee invaded the north and face off with general McLlellan near Sharpsburg Maryland. the battle had more then 22,000 casualties. the north ended up reigning victorious. -
The Emancipation Proclamation is published
The Proclamation states that if the Confederates states did not return to the union by the date of january 1 1863 then all slaves in those states we able to walk free of slavery. -
The Proclamation takes effect
After the Confederate states failed to rejoin the Union the Emancipation proclamation comes into effect. This gives rise to the slaves in the southern states to be freed and not be confined to a master any more if the Union were victorious in the Civil War. -
The Conscription Act is passed
This Instituted the first wartime draft the US has experienced. It called for all US citizens between the ages of 25-40 be registered for the draft to be brought into the Civil War -
West Virginia added as a state
West virginia was added to the union as the 35th state. Its constitution garnered for emancipation of the slaves of the state -
The Battle of Gettysburg
Also known as the most important fight of the American Civil war the Battle of Gettysburg was fought between the confederate general Robert E Lee and Union general George E Meade. The battle ended up in favor of the union and resulted in about 50,000 casualties. This Battle is known to have turned the tide of the Civil War into the Unions favor -
The siege of Vicksburg ends
In May of 1863 General Ulyseeus Grants armies converged on the site of Vicksburg entrapping a confederate army within. With the Union coming out of this with it to their of advantage of seeing a surrender by the confederacy it effectively split the union in half and was another large contributor to the Unions overall victory in the Civil War -
New York Draft Riots Begin
Mostly the working class were outraged at the fact of the draft had been implemented mainly because while they were forced to be in the wealthy class were able to pay a 300 dollar substitue fee to get their names removed from the draft. The rioters were largely seen as irish men. By the time the military reached the city much ransacking and destruction had already been done. -
Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Adress
After a ceremony dedicating the ceremony battlefield to Gettysburg Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg address which is effectively regarded as the most known speech in american history -
Lincoln issues the Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
Being Lincolns plan for reunification of the US by allowing for full pardon and for the restoration of all people involved with the rebellion excluding generals and other officials, it also allowed for new states government to go into effect once 10 percent of the voters had taken an oath of allegiance to the US, and that the confederate states could do what they want with slaves as long as it ensured freedom. -
Lincoln pockets vetoes the Wade Davis Bill
The Wade Davis Bill was a bill that was established saying that to be readmitted into the Union 50% of a states white males would have too take an oath of loyalty however lincoln vetoed this as he felt it was to harsh a punishment on the newly readmitted states. -
Lincoln is re-elected
In the election of 1864 lincoln defeats democrat George McLellan and wins what is known as being one of the most important elections in American history as it took place during the Civil War and the victor would be the deciding factor of how reconstruction would play out -
Congress proposes the 13th Amendment
Congress proposes the addition of the 13th amendment effectively ending slavery and making illegal for one to have private ownership of a slave. -
The Freedman Bureau is founded
A very important agency founded at the very beginning of reconstruction, its main goal was to aid freed slaves in the south. However due to the Black Codes that the southern states had in place it proved to be a very daunting task. the groups biggest goals were to reunite freed slaves with their families that they would have been seperated from during the war as well as to teach them basic skills such as reading and writing -
Lincoln is inaugurated for the second time
Lincoln after winning the 1864 election is inagurated again with his vice president Andrew Johnson with the pledge "malice towards none, charity for all" -
Lee surrenders at Appomatox Court House
General Robert E Lee after suffering a loss at in richmond Virginia surrendered to general ulysseuss S Grant. This triggered many other confederate armies to surrender their battles ultamently leading to the end of the Civil war -
Lincoln is assasinated
Lincoln while serving his second term of precidencey was fatally shot in the back of the head by John Wilkes Booth who after shooting lincoln jumped on to the stage of the play house where he had just killled the president and escaped through the back door. Booth was an open south sympathizer during the civil war -
The KKK is founded
Found in almost every southern state the klu klux klan was a black resisitance group that looked to reestablish the white supremacy of the south and had a hatred for all black people even going as far to use tortorous acts upon them -
Congress passes the 14th amendment
US congress passes the 14th amendment to go into place which gave black people the rights to be citizens and encouraged state governments to promote equal rights and protection throughout their states
