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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
These were papers written by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison protesting the Alien and Sedition acts. These acts dealt with immegrants and foriegners to the US and how to deal with them. Virginia and Kentucky were really opposed to these acts because the limited a person's civil liberties. -
Hartford Convention Meets During War of 1812
The States of New England met during the War of 1812 to discuss the problems New England was facing. The idea of separating was presented and dismissed. -
Missouri Comprimise
A comprimise was made to balance the Slave States and the Free States powers in Congress. Maine was admitted as a Free State, and Missouri was added as a Slave State. also the 36 30 line was set up, this line established different territories from the Lousisana Purchase and also established thet any land on the north side of the line could only become Free States, and anything south had to be a Slave State. -
Abolition of Slavery Act
The Brittish Parlaiment took steps to abolish slavery in the 1800s. In1833 Parlaiment passed an act that ended slavery in the British West Indies, Canada and the Cape of Good Hope. Also the British Navy took steps to slow the trading of slaves in British territories. -
Texas Declares Independance From Mexico
Texas split away from Mexico, as Mexico prohibited slavery and Texans wanted slavery. When Texas split off Mexico was not very happy and there were disputes of where the Texas border was. When the US annexed Texas it would become one of the reasons for the Mexican War -
James Polk Elected President
James Polk was elected 11th president of the United States of America. Nobody really expected Polk to win. Polk talked about expansion in his campain and worked hard after his election to make good on his promises. -
Mexican War
This war started after Texas was annexed by the US and after border conlficts with Mexico. At the end of the war, America had gained California, New Mexico, Arizon, Nevada, and Utah. the war was fought in Texas, and in Mexico and it's surrounding territories (California, Arizona, New Mexico) -
Wilmot Proviso
David Wilmot proped the idea the none of the new territory that would be gained during the Mexican War would be slave-free. This was passed by the House of Representatives, being more representatives from free states, but not by the Senate. -
California Enters the Union
California became the 31st state of the United States of America. California entered as a Free State, and only so after a fierce debate. -
Fugitive Slave Law Enacted
The fugitive slave law was a law that enforced runaway slaves being found and returned to thier owner. this law was included in the Comprimise of 1850. Northerners were really opposed to this law, while Southerners were in favor of this law. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published
Uncle Tom's Cabin was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852. This book was about Slvery, and caused a great deal of debate over the Slavery issue. Stowe wrote it as a book that showed slavery for what it was, as part of the Anti- Slavery movement. it has ben speculated that this book was one of the causes for the Civil War -
Formation of the Republican Party
the Republican Party first appeared after the Kansas Nebraska Act. the Republicans were widely opposed to slavery, as slavery did not give working folks to get jobs and was causing problems. The Republican Party was quickly and widely successful. -
Kansas- Nebraska Act Passed
the Kansas- Nebraska Act was an act that repealed the Missouri Comprimise. This act also introduced Popular Soveriegnty to the territories- letting the people decide if they wanted slavery or not. this threw the Kansas and Nebraska territories into chaos and violence, with the people fighting to gain a foothold for the Pro and Anti Slavery parties. -
Border Ruffians attack Lawrence
A raid that was pert of Bleeding Kansas. Pro Slavery Border Ruffians from Missouri attacked a town named Lawrence. The people that lived in Lawrence were Anti Slavery and alot of Buildings were burned or looted, and one Border Ruffian was Killed. -
Charles Sumner Attacked
Preston Brooks beat Charles Sumner with a cane. this was after Sumner made a speech about Slavery that offended Brooks. Sumner did not fully recover for three years sfter the attack. -
The Pottawatomie Creek Massacre
When John Brown and some of his people went to a Pro Slavery settlement at Pottawatomie Creek. Brown and his men killed five people with sythes. this may have been a reaction to the attack at Lawrence. -
Dred Scott Decision Announced
In 1847 Dred Scott sued for his freedom. The case went on for a decade before a decision was released. The Supreme Court announced that any black man, free of slave, was not a citizen and could not sue. That was the decision and Scott's case was closed. -
Lecompton Constitution Passed
A constitution was passed for the state of Kansas after delegates met at Lecompon. this constitution was written in favor of slavery and didn't allow free black people in Kansas. -
Lincoln- Douglas Debates
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas had debates while competing for a senate seat in Illinois . They debated in seven of congressional districts. Lincoln did not win the senate seat, but did make a name for himself. -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
John Brown had assembled 21 men- both black and white- and went to Harper's Ferry to free slaves. They cut off communications first, then took 60 hostages and hunkered down in the armory of the settlement. the army got involved and by the end of it the raid was thwarted and Brown was sentenced to death. -
Constitutional Union Party Formed
This party was a new political party that emerged just in time for the 1860 election. This party widely tried to ignore the slavery issue, which appealed to the border sates. The Constitutional Union Party won 39 electoral votes in the 1860 election. -
Democrats Split in 1860
The democtrats split in 1860, over the issue of slavery. They split into the Northern Demoncrats, who were more opposed to slavery, and the Southern Democrats, who were in support of slavery. -
Election of 1860
This presidential election was a rocky one. There were four canidates, Lincoln and Douglas among them, the big issue was in the southern states. Lincoln was not on the ballet in ten states, and was elected president. the southerner were not happy with this and a few weeks later south carolina seceded from the Union. -
Abraham Lincoln's First Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln was beign inaugurated for the firsst time on March 4 1861. there were rumors of assassination and kindnapping, so Lincoln had to be well protected. when the inauguration was over everybody breathed a sigh of relief. Lincoln talked about Liberty for all and preserving the Union in his speech -
Attack on Fort Sumtet
Confederate forces started shooting at Forst Sumpter, in South Carolina, where Union troops were holed up after South Carloina seceding. after hours of cannon fir the only casualty was a horse and the Union surrendered, but the Civil War had started. -
Virgina Secedes
Virgina decides to secede form the Union, eventhough just two months earlier they decided to stay with the Union. the battle of Fort Sumter was what made the Virginians to leave the Union, becase they would only stay if the Confederate States were not attacked. -
1st Battle of Bull Run
The first major battle of the Civil War wasthe 1st Battle of Bull Run, or 1st Manassas. For the first part of the battle the Union soldiers were pushing the confederates back, until they hit "Stonewall" Jackson and his troops. Jackson managed to hold his ground until Confederate reinforcements arrived, and drove the Union back to Washington -
Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimac
The Merrimac (a confederate ship) and the Monitor (A Union ship) fought the first naval battle that involved Ironclads. the the Monitor was more of a floating weapons platform with a turret that could spin and shoot cannons. the Merrimac was a steamboat that was given iron plating for protection. there ws no real winner, but the Merrimac retreated. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Confederates attacked General Grant's Army before it was joined by Buell's Army. The confederates tried, but over night Buell arrived and the Union forced the Confederates to retreat. this happened by a town called Corinth in Mississippi. -
2nd Battle of Bull Run
The Union and Confereate armys clashed again near Manassas. General Jackson wanted to draw the Unon army out to destroy them so he started the fighting at a farm and for a while there was a stalemate. Eventually Longstreet showed up and launched a counter attack for a confederate win. -
Battle of Antietam
The first Confederate push into the Union resulted in the Battle of Antietam. twelve brutal and bloody hours of fighting where around 23,000 men were killed near a town in Maryland called Sharpsburg. Antietam was the single bloodiest day in American History. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
Lee's army dug in near Fredericksburg, and soon the Union army followed. Union engineers set up temporary bridges to cross the river. Union forces tried and failed several times to attack and break Confederate lines. After days of fighting the Union army retreated. -
Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect
The Emancipation Proclomation takes effect. this frees all the slaves in the southern states, but not the border states. This made the war about Slavery. In addition, African-Americans were allowed to join the Union Army. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Fighting continued around Fredericksburg, as the Union campain to take Fredericksburg continued. After days of trying to break the Confederate line, the Union troops couldn't do it. The Confederates then broke thier line, and forced them into a "U" formation. after a few more days of fighting the Union retreated. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Union and Confederate armies meet at Gettysburg, PA, and start fighting. The battle lasted three days, and was the bloodiest battle in American history, with over 51,000 casualties. the Union was able to win with the famous Fishhook formatoin from Cemetary Hill to Little Round Top, and the battle ended with the failed Pickett's Charge. it was the first real union victory, and it left the confederates with low morale. -
Surrender of Vicksburg
Confederate forces surrendered to General Grant at thier base in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Grant laid siege to the confederate base, and when no additional troops or supplies the confederates started to starve. eventually the decision was made to surrender,and the Union was able to gain control of the Mississippi River. -
Battle at Fort Wagner
An attack was launched on Fort Wagner by the union army on july 11th. after being beaten back they tried again in a few days. a black regiment managed to scale the walls, but were driven back, taking heavy casualties. eventually the union laid siege to the fort, but it ended with a Confederate win in Septtember. -
Licoln Delivers the Gettysburg Adress
Lincoln delivered the speech at the end of the ceremony remembering Gettysburg. The Gettysburg Adress was a very short speech, just ten sentences long. Though Lincoln said that noone would really rember his words, it has become one of the more famous speeches in American History. -
Sherman Set Out For Sea
Sherman left Atlanta and started to march east for the Ocean. along his way he looted and butned everything he came across to keep his troops well supplied. Sherman was headed towards Savannah to quater the Confederacy, along with the Union holding the Mississippi River. -
Atlanta Burns to the Ground
Sherman burned Atlanta after it was surrenderd by the Confederates. Sherman was going to march east to the ocean, and was going to adopt a Scorched-Earth policy. he did that so there was nothing that the Confederates had nothing to come back for and nothing they could use. Atlanta was where the Scorched- Earth began. -
Sherman Reaches Savannah
Sherman reached Savannah, his end point on his march, And set up outside of Savannah. his original ploan was to wait and see if they would surrender, and if they didn't he would bombard them into submission. on December 21st the Confederates in Savannah surrendered. -
Lincoln Delivers 2nd Inaugural Address
Lincoln is inaugurated again, towards the end of the war. In his speech Lincoln talked about his understanding of the war, and about forgiveness. Lincoln wants the war to end, but will endure if it was Gods way of punishing them for thier sins (slavery). -
Richmond Falls
Union forces arrived in Richmond and shot at it a little and then managed to overtake it. Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy, and it was around 100 miles from Washington. Thomas Jefferson and most residents manages to escape before the Union Army arrived. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Robert E. Lee and the remaining Confederate Army found themselves surroundede by General Grant and the Union Army. After some fighting Lee Surrendered. The peace talks culminated into the end of the War. Grant was dressed in Infantryman's clothes and was all muddy, and Lee was in his last good uniform.
