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First State Secedes From the Union
The Southerners did not think the republican party would protect their rights. South Carolina’s secession was the first of the South and marked the real beginning of the civil war now that they were their own country. -
Fort Sumter is Attacked
Confederates seized Sumter and other forts in their states. The siege was the start of hostilities of the war. After this, Lincoln issued a call for troops and the war began. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle in the civil war. Both groups were small and inexperienced, but the Northerners were shocked when they lost. Both sides realized how long this would take after this battle. -
Battle of Antietam
The Confederate and Union forces collided near Sharpsburg, Maryland. 6,000 were killed and 17,000 were badly wounded in one day of fighting. The Union victory forced the Confederates back to the South and thwarted one part of their strategy. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation stated that owning slaves was unconstitutional. It did not affect those areas where slaves were currently, but if the Union won the war, then slavery would be illegal in the USA forever. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The South needed the support from Britain and France. In order to get help, they needed to look like they would win the war. The North’s victory in this costly battle shattered any chance the South had of getting support -
Vicksburg Falls
A day after Gettysburg, the important port city of Vicksburg, Mississippi surrendered after 47 days under siege. The North gained complete control of the Mississippi River. This effectively split the South in two. -
The Fall of Petersburg and Richmond
Petersburg, Virginia was an important city near to the capital city of Richmond, Virginia. After Lee retreated from Petersburg, Jefferson Davis (the president of the Confederacy) gave the order to flee from Richmond. This unofficially ended the war. -
Lee Surrenders
Lee retreated, but the Union troops found him and surrounded him. The formal end to the war came when Lee surrendered in the small town of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The nation celebrated. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
President Abraham Lincoln was shot at Ford’s theater only a few days after the end of the war. The killer, John Wilkes Booth, was captured and arrested. This dampened the celebration over the war ending and interrupted the Reconstruction.
