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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 Sacremento, 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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Congress approves the minting of a five cent piece, know as the nickel. This eliminates the half dime.
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Grace Bedell, an 11 year old girl, writes Lincoln. In her letter she tells him that a beard would make his face look better because it is so thin. Lincoln immediatly decides to let his whiskers grow out.
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Abraham Lincon wins the 1860 election. Lincoln won 39% of the popular vote and would become Cheif of Party for the Rebublicans.
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Seven senators and twenty-three representatives issue a manifesto urging southern secession. It also recommends forming a Souther 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 agknowledge 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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Lincoln was inaugurated as president after his election in 1860.
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Confederates under Gen. Pierre Beauregard open fire marking the start of the Civil War. This event is said to be the start of the Civil War.
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Lincoln calls for 75,000 troops/millitiamen.
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Confederate victory over a Union army invading Virginia. Bull Run ensured that the Confederacy would survive past its first few months but also increased determination to fight on in the North.
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Battle in Missouri that saw the death of the key Federal commander in the area.
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The first of a series of battles that saw the Confederates loose control of most of the North Carolina coastline.
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A Confederate defeat in West Virginia, notable as the first battle commanded by General Lee.
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Important Union naval victory against the land fortifications of Port Royal. The victory gave the Union control of the coastal islands of South Carolina.
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South Carolina is the first state to secede from the union, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Kansas follow shortly after.
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Naval battle that saw the destruction of a small Confederate fleet on the North Carolina coast.
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The fort surrendered, but only after several Confederate commanders escaped, including Nathan Bedford Forest, later a famous cavalry commander. The Union victory soon led to the capture of Nashville.
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Union forces drive Confederate garrison out of New Madrid.
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Second Union success during the Burnside expedition on the North Carolina coast. New Berne remained in Union hands for the rest of the war
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Shiloh was the first of the really big battles of the Civil War.
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Union naval force under Farragut ran the defence of New Orleans and forced the surrender of the Confederacy’s largest city.
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Confederate rearguard action that delayed McClellan even more.
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First battle of ‘Stonewall’ Jackson’s campaign in the Valley. The battle disrupted General Fremont’s plan to attack south into Eastern Tennessee
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Minor Confederate victory on the Mississippi when their gunboat fleet surprises the Union fleet attacking Fort Pillow.
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Naval battle that saw the defeat of the Confederate fleet guarding Memphis and the Union capture of the city.
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Federal combined operation against a Confederate position on the Arkansas river that succeeded but at too high a cost for General Grant, who ordered a withdrawal.
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Part of Grant’s Vicksburg campaign in which a small Confederate army of 6,000 was defeated by 23,000 Union soldiers.
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First battle during the Big Black River campaign
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Largest cavalry battle of the war. A confederate victory in which a large Union cavalry force, sent on to find General Lee, was repulsed after some initial success.
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The garrison of 30,000 was released on parole, on the expectation that they would spread gloom around the Confederacy. General Grant was later to say that the surrender of Vicksburg was the decisive event of the war.
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Confederate army under General Hill attacked one Union force, just to find itself under attack by a second.
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Accidental battle that marked the only Confederate attempt to break Grant's 'Cracker Line' feeding supplies into Chattanooga.
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First attack by Grant’s new army forces the Confederate forces off Lookout Mountain.
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Second Union attack outside Chattanooga that included one of the few occasions in the war where a frontal attack against a fortified position succeeded. The battle breaks the siege of Chattanooga.
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Failed Confederate assault on the Union positions at Knoxville.
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Confederate victory over a Union invasion of north eastern Florida.
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Union army under General Banks attacking into northern Louisiana defeated by a confederate army under General Richard Taylor.
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Taylor tries a second attack but is repulsed. Banks still decides to withdraw, after a support force fails to arrive.
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Failed Union attack on Petersburg, one of the great missed chances of the war. After the battle, the Union settled down to a regular siege (to 3 April 1865)
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Grant dispatched 10,000 cavalry under General Sheridan south. Jeb Stuart gave ineffective chase with half of his cavalry, before standing and fighting at Yellow Tavern, six miles north of Richmond, where his cavalry was crushed. Stuart was fatally wounded during the fighting.
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Defeat of a Union army that had been sent into the Shenandoah valley as part of Grant’s plan for 1864
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A period of unproductive fighting during Sherman’s advance towards Atlanta.
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Confederate victory in Mississippi in which a force of 8,000 Union soldiers sent to defeat Forest’s cavalry force found them, and was defeated by a force half their size.
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Bloodiest cavalry battle of the war, between a raiding force under Sheridan and Wade Hampton’s confederate cavalry. Something of a draw, but the raid soon withdrew.
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Force of 14,000 Federal troops sent to deal with Forrest’s raiders in Tennessee defeat a Confederate force half their size, wounding Forrest.
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Union victory that finally isolated Wilmington, the last southern port capable of helping Lee’s army.
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Lee became general in chief of the South.
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Final destruction of Early’s army of the Shenandoah by a force led by George Custer
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Confederate delaying action whose main significance was that it told the Confederates that Shermans’ army was split into two wings, with a twelve mile gap.
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Confederate attempt to defeat one wing of Sherman’s army before the other wing could come to its assistance. The attempt failed, and two days later Union reinforcements forced a Confederate retreat.
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A Confederate force guarding a key crossroads was overwhelmed by Sheridan’s cavalry. The defeat showed Grant that the Confederate army was starting to collapse.
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As Lee’s army begins to dissolve, one quarter of it was cut off by Union forces. 6,000 Confederates surrendered.
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He was attending a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D. C. The assassin was and actor named John Wilkes Booth. After twelve days of running Booth was fatally shot.
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Confederate forces in Alabama and Mississippi surrendered.
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Jefferson Davis was captured near Georgia.
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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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Robbery by Jesse James and his gang, although no one is quite sure where Jesse James fits into this event.
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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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Jesse James robs a bank in Savannah,Missouri. The attempt failed with one casualty.
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The first reconstruction act sets up five military districts in the South, each under the control of a military commander.
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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 Johnsons' 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 possesion 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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Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Today it is known as the Grange.
