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Harper's Ferry
Antislavery zealot, John Brown, seized a mountain fortress in Virginia from which, he believed, he could foment a slave insurrection in the south. He and a group of 18 followers attacked and seized control of US in harpers ferry, Virginia. -
Lincoln's first election
Lincoln ran in the election of 1860 for the Republican Party. He ran against J.C. Breckinridge(southern democratic), John Bell (Whig), Stephen A. Douglas(northern democratic). He won the most electoral and popular votes, thus winning the election. -
South secedes
South Carolina was the fist state to secede from the union. By the time Lincoln took office six other states seceded. These states were Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. They formed a new nation: the Confederate States of America. -
Confederate States of America established
In February 1861 representatives from the seven seceded states met at Montgomery, Alabama. They then announced the formation of their new confederate nation. -
1st Battle of bull run
Took place in Manassas, Virginia, McDowell almost succeeded in dispersing the confederate forces but then the confederates began a savage counterattack. McDowell and his troops panicked and retreated back to Washington. -
1st Confiscation Act
Declared that all slaves used for "insurrectionary" purposes (in support of the confederate military effort) would be considered freed. Subsequent laws in the spring of 1862 abolished slavery in the District of Columbia and in the western territories, and compensated the owners. -
Trent Affair
Two confederate diplomats, James M. Mason and John Slidell boarded and English steamer, the Trent, for England. American commander, Charles Wilkes, stopped the British vessel and arrested the diplomats. British commanders demanded the release of the prisoners, Lincoln returned them with an apology. Later the confederacy bought 6 ships from the British, the US argued that the sale violated the laws of neutrality. -
Shiloh
Grant was marching south to gain control of the railroad lines vital to the confederacy. He was caught by surprise when a force almost equal to his own came to him. This resulted in the battle of Shiloh, on the first day grant was pushed back to the river but on the next day recovered ground and forced the confederate troops (commanded my Johnston and Beauregard) to withdraw. -
Capture of New Orleans
Union ironclads gathered at the Gulf of Mexico and smashed past weak confederate forts near the mouth of the Mississippi. From there they sailed up to New Orleans, which was defenseless because the confederate high command had expected the attack to come from the north. This was the first major union victory. -
Homestead/ Morrill Land Grant Acts
The homestead act of 1862 permitted any citizen or prospective citizen to claim 160 acres of public land and to purchase it for a small fee after living on it for five years. The Morrill Land Grant Act of the same year transferred substantial public acreage to the state governments, which were to sell the land and use the proceeds to finance public education. -
First income tax
To help finance the civil war congress enacted the first income tax law in 1862. It stated that a person earning from $600 to $10,000 per year paid tax at the rate of 3%. Those with incomes of more than $10,000 paid taxes at a higher rate. This was known as the Internal Revenue Act. -
2nd Confiscation Act
In July 1862, the Radicals, pushed through congress the second confiscation act. It declared free the slaves of persons aiding and supporting the insurrection and which also authorized the president to employ African Americans, including freed slaves, as soldiers. -
Antietam
The battle of Antietam was the bloodiest battle, September 17th was the bloodiest day with 6000 soldier casualties and 17000 injuries. McClellan had the opportunity to end the war but he retreated instead of marching forward so Lincoln removed him from command. -
Write of Habeas Corpus suspended
A write of habeas corpus is a court order directing that anyone arrested be brought before the court to see whether there is sufficient evidence to hold the person for trial. Soon after the civil war started there was a mob in Baltimore that attacked union troops moving through the city. Lincoln then suspended Habeas corpus in the areas surrounding Washington DC; thus permitting military authorities to arrest persons suspected of being disloyal to the Union even without evidence of guilt. -
Emancipation Proclamation
After the victory at Antietam, Lincoln announced his intention to use war power to free all slaves. He formally signed the emancipation proclamation, which declared forever free slaves in all areas of the confederacy except those already under Union control: Tennessee, western Virginia, and southern Louisiana. -
National Draft Law instated
The union did not have enough men for war so they started enlisting men. Virtually all young males were eligible to be drafted; but a man could escape service by hiring someone to go for him or by paying the government a fee of $300 -
Vicksburg
Grant attacked Vicksburg from the back and six weeks later Vicksburg surrendered because the residents were starving. At almost the same time Port Hudson, Louisiana surrendered. -
Capture of Atlanta
Sherman had significantly more men than Johnston did. They had a battle at Kennesaw Mountain on June 27th Johnston scored an impressive victory. Even so, he was unable to stop the Union advance toward Atlanta. President Davis replaced Johnston with John B. Hood who twice daringly attacked Sherman's army but accomplished nothing except weakening his own forces. Sherman took Atlanta on September 2nd -
Lincoln's Re-election
Before this election there were several northern military victories. This rejuvenated northern morale and boosted republican prospects. Lincoln was re-elected with 212 electoral votes to McClellan's 21 votes. -
13th Amendment
Declared that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." The 13th Amendment was passed by the Congress on January 31, 1865, and ratified by the states on December 6, 1865. -
Monitor v. Merrimac
The monitor and Merrimac were ironclads. The Merrimac was a frigate refitted with iron plating and was a confederate ship and was renamed the Virginia. The union built an ironclad of their own, the monitor, which put an end to the Virginia's raids and preserved the blockade. -
Capture of Richmond
Biggest union victory by Grant. Capture of confederacy Capital, very bloody. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Lee's army surrendered because there was no way he could defend Richmond with only 25,000 men. This was the end of the war but there was no treaty. -
Lincoln's Assassination
The president and his wife attended a play at Ford's theatre in Washington. As they say in the presidential box, John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor, entered the box from the rear and shot Lincoln in the head. The president was carried to a house across the street, where early the next morning, surrounded by family, friends, and political associates, he died. -
Sherman's march to the sea
Sherman left Atlanta to begin his march to the sea. He marched 60,000 soldiers along 285 miles from Atlanta to Savannah in order to frighten civilians.