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Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis supports the succession of southern states for the first time. -
Copper Institute
Abraham Lincoln delivered one of his longest speeches at the Copper Institute. He showed that he intended for Congress to regulate slavery. -
Union Party
The Union party selects its President and Vice President. -
South Carolina Considers Succession
Due to the different views between the north and the south at this time, South Carolina is considering to leave the United States. -
Abraham Lincoln is elected President
Abraham is elected President of the United States. He received 103 electoral votes. -
Secede Convention
South Carolina held a convention to decide if the state should leave the Union. -
James Chestnut Resigns
Senator James Chestnut is the first southern senator to resign from the Senate. -
Fort Sumter
Robert Anderson reports Fort Sumter is being threatened in Charleston. -
Independent Nation Convention
Georgia calls for a convention of Southern states to form an independent nation. -
Southern States Succeed
South Carolina secedes from Union. Followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. -
Southern States Unite
The southern states form the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis is selected as president. -
Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as President
Lincoln was sworn in as the United States 16th President. He was the first Republican to take office. -
Fort Sumter
The Confederate forces launch an attack against Fort Sumter. This marks the start of the Civil War. -
President Lincoln issues Proclamation
Lincoln issued a proclamation for 75,000 troops to suppress the rebellion. -
Virginia Secedes from the United States
Virginia secedes from the Union, followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. -
Blockade of Southern ports
President Lincoln issues proclamation to block all Southern ports to prevent the south from receiving supplies for the war. -
Lincoln calls for reinforcements
Lincoln calls 500 thousand men to support the Union army. -
Bull Run
The Union army with General Irvin McDowell gets defeated at Bull Run. Confederate Thomas J. Jackson earns the nickname "Stonewall," -
George B. McClellan
Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as commander of the department of Potomac -
McClellan promoted
Lincoln promotes McClellan to General-in-Chief of the entire Union army. -
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Henry, and ten days later Fort Donelson. -
Shiloh
The confederates surprise attack on Ulysses S. Grant's and his troops at Shiloh on the Tennessee River. 13,000 Union killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates. -
Seven Days Battle
Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond, resulting in losses for both armies. -
Battle of Seven Pines
Joseph E. Johnston's Army attacks McClellan's troops in front of Richmond and almost defeats them. -
Bull Run 2nd Battle
The Union army is defeated by 55,000 Confederates under Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet at the second battle of Bull Run in northern Virginia. -
Robert E.Lee
Robert E. Lee invades the North with 50,000 Confederates and heads for Harpers Ferry, northwest of Washington. -
Antietam
The bloodiest day in U.S. military history as Robert E. Lee is stopped at Antietam in Maryland by McClellan and his troops. 26,000 men are dead, wounded, or missing. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves. -
McClellan replaced
Lincoln grows impatient with McClellan and his slowness, He replaces him with Ambrose E. Burnside. -
Loss at Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was an early battle of the civil war and stands as one of the greatest Confederate victories. -
Slaves to Soldiers
President Lincoln issues the final Emancipation Proclamation freeing all slaves in territories held by Confederates and emphasizes the enlisting of black soldiers in the Union Army. -
Capturing of Vicksburg
Grant is placed in command of the Army of the west and given orders to capture Vicksburg. -
Draft
The U.S. Congress enacts a draft, affecting male citizens aged 20 to 45, but exempts those who pay $300 or provide a substitute. -
Chancellorsville
The Union Army lead by Hooker is defeated by Robert E. Lee's smaller forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia. -
Stonewall Jackson dies
Stonewall Jackson dies from his wounds suffered at Chancellorsville -
Lee's second attempt
Lee with 75,000 Confederates leads his second invasion of the North, heading into Pennsylvania. -
Gettysburg
The war turns as the Confederates are defeated in Gettysburg Pennsylvania. -
Vicksburg surrenders
Vicksburg surrenders to Grant. It was the Confederates last stronghold. -
Grant appointed
The president appoints Grant to command all operations in the west. -
Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers a two minute Gettysburg Address at a ceremony dedicating the Battlefield as a National Cemetery. -
Grant commands all
President Lincoln appoints Grant to command all of the armies of the United States. -
Cold Harbor
A mistake by Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes during a battle against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia. -
Petersburg
Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines. A nine-month siege of Petersburg begins with Grant's forces -
Sherman in Atlanta
At Atlanta, Sherman's forces battle the Rebels. -
McClellan versus Lincoln
Democrats nominate George B. McClellan for President to run against Abraham Lincoln. -
Atlanta captured
Atlanta is captured by Sherman's Army. -
Lincoln re-elected
Abraham Lincoln is re-elected president, defeating Democrat George B. McClellan. -
March to Sea
After destroying Atlanta Sherman, with 62,000 men begins a March to the Sea. -
Hood loses Nashville
Hood's Rebel Army is defeated at Nashville. -
Sherman reaches Savannah
Sherman reaches Savannah in Georgia leaving behind a destroyed Atlanta -
Thirteenth Amendment approved
The U.S. Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment. -
War Continues
A peace conference occurs as President Lincoln meets with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens in Virginia, but the meeting ends in failure, the war continues -
Lee tries for Northern Virginia
The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack of Grant's forces at Petersburg. -
Lee leaves Petersburg
Grant's forces begin a general advance and break through Lee's lines at Petersburg. -
Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army
Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. -
The Civil War ends
The remaining Confederate armies surrender. This leads to the end of the war. -
Lincoln is shot
Lincoln and his wife see a play at Ford's Theater. At the play, John Wilkes Booth shoots the president in the head. -
President Abraham Lincoln Dies
President Abraham Lincoln dies in the morning due to his injuries. Vice President Andrew Johnson takes over. -
John Wilkes Booth is caught
John Wilkes Booth is shot and killed in a tobacco barn in Virginia. -
Lincoln is buried
Abraham Lincoln is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Illinois. -
Freedman's Bureau
New Freedman's Bureau bill passed by Congress. -
Secessionist Convention
Texas repeals the actions of the Secessionist Convention. -
Civil Rights Act vetoed
President Johnson vetos the Civil Rights Act of 1866 because it was unconstitutional. -
The United States is at Peace
The United States at peace with Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia -
Ford's Theater
Congress appropriates $100,000 to buy Ford's Theater. -
Congress overrides Johnson
Congress overrides President Andrew Johnson's veto of the Civil Rights Act. -
Winfield Scott dies,
Winfield Scott died in West Point, New York -
Freedman's Bureau Bill passed
Congress overrides Andrew Johnson's veto of the Freedman's Bureau bill. -
General of Armies
Congress establishes "general of the armies". -
Ku Klux Klan
The U. S. Secret Service begins an investigation into the Ku Klux Klan. -
African Americans given the right to vote
African Americans in Washington D. C. gain the right to vote in a bill passed over President Andrew Johnson's veto. -
Nebraska
Nebraska becomes a state -
Tenure of Office Act
Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act. -
Virginia ignores the Reconstruction Act
Virginia rejects votes cast by Negroes, who were granted universal suffrage under the Reconstruction Act. -
Reconstruction Act
Congress passes the 2nd Reconstruction Act. -
Buying Alaska
William P. Seward signs a treaty with Russia buying Alaska for 2 cents an acre. -
Edwin Stanton
President Andrew Johnson demands the resignation of Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War. -
Secretary of War
Ulysses S. Grant becomes ad interim Secretary of War. -
Johnson suspends Stanton
Edwin Stanton suspended by President Andrew Johnson after he clashed with Johnson over his lenient treatment of the former Confederate states. -
Alaska is officially the United States
Russia turns over Alaska to the United States
