Civil War

By Remson
  • South Carolina votes to secede from the United States

    South Carolina votes to secede from the United States

    On this date, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. This was in response to Lincoln becoming president.
  • Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

    Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address

    Abraham Lincoln's purpose for his Inaugural Address was to unite the nation back together. He did say he would reassure the southern states of their slaves in this speech in an attempt to prevent the secession. At this point, Lincoln didn't support abolishing slavery but didn't support the expansion of it.
  • Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter

    Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter

    This battle is one of the main reasons for the start of the Civil War when the South Carolina army attacked the fort where the U.S. Army was stationed in an attempt to separate itself from the Union.
  • Lincoln suspends habeas corpus

    Lincoln suspends habeas corpus

    Lincoln's purpose of suspending habeas corpus was to give military authorities the ability to silence rebels or people who went against the Union. Critics like Roger B Taney stated that Lincoln did not have the authority to suspend habeas corpus but Lincoln didn't respond.
  • Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy

    Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy

    The previous temporary capitol was in Mongomery, Alabama but then moved to Richmond, Virginia. Jefferson Davis moved the capital to Richmond because it was in a defensible location. The capital of Richmond was very close to Washington D.C(100 miles).
  • First Battle of Bull Run is fought

    First Battle of Bull Run is fought

    The battle of bull run is referred to as the end of illusions because it showed people how this war was really going to be. This war was a massive victory for the Confederates and a big loss for the Union because the Union believed the battle against the Confederacy would be an easy victory.
  • Jefferson Davis elected President of the Confederacy

    Jefferson Davis elected President of the Confederacy

    Jefferson Davis ran for president of the Confederacy without opposition and was elected for a six-year term. His vice president of choice was Alexander Hamilton Stephens.
  • The Merrimac and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast

    The Merrimac and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast

    The Merrimac and the Monitor were both two ironclad ships that fought each other. Between the two ships, it was a draw because both of them decided to retreat. The battle took place a couple of miles off the Virginia coast.
  • Battle of Shiloh

    Battle of Shiloh

    The battle began when the Confederates decided to surprise attack Ulysses S. Grant and his troops. The Confederate's attempt to attack the Union failed and the Union was victorious. This started to show that the Confederacy wasn't going to be able to stop the Union's advancement into Mississippi.
  • Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

    Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

    Robert E Lee was offered to command the Union forces in April of 1861 by Lincoln but declined the offer because he didn't want to have to fight against his own people in Virginia if he fought for the Union. Lee then decided to join and fight for the Confederates just a few months later.
  • Battle of Antietam

    Battle of Antietam

    This was considered to be one of the most bloody battles because of the newer and better technology, terrible tactics, and bad decision-making. The U.S. ended with 12,400 casualties and the Confederates ended with 10,320 casualties. The battle ended in a victory for the Union and is important because it gave Lincoln the opportunity to announce the Emancipation Proclamation. After Antietam, Great Britain wasn't interested in the Confederacy because they didn't want to support a losing cause.
  • Battle of Fredericksburg

    Battle of Fredericksburg

    This battle was a big Confederate victory. The Union Army lost 12,500 troops and the Confederates lost only 6,000 troops. One major reason the Union lost the battle was because of their poor generals.
  • Emancipation Proclamation is announced

    Emancipation Proclamation is announced

    The Proclamation was announced to let people know that this was now a war for the freedom of slaves. The proclamation only applied to states who succeeded from the U.S.
  • Battle of Chancellorsville

    Battle of Chancellorsville

    The battle of Chancellorsville was a Confederate victory but was a big turning point for the Union because they were able to take down general Thomas J. Jackson. The Confederates were able to stop the Union movement. This battle is considered to be Lee´s most tactical successful victory because he split his army into two and was able to take down the Union's troops which were twice the size of his.
  • Battle of Gettysburg

    Battle of Gettysburg

    The battle of Gettysburg lasted for three days and the Union ended up victorious. It is known as the turning point of the civil war. The Confederates lost around 25,000 troops and the Union army lost around 23,000. After this war, Robert E Lee started to realize that his plan to invade the North would end. This also gave the Union a gigantic morale boost.
  • Confederates surrender at Vicksburg

    Confederates surrender at Vicksburg

    Union forces surrounded Vicksburg with 70,000 troops surrounding 29,000 and then the Confederacy surrendered. This gave the Union control of the Mississippi River.
  • New York City Draft Riots

    New York City Draft Riots

    The New York Draft Riots were caused by racial competition and mostly Irish and German immigrants lead these riots because their jobs were being taken by African Americans. It is known as one of the most bloody riots in U.S. history. It was a racist backlash against Lincolns uniting Emancipation Proclamation.
  • Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address

    Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address

    Lincoln gave this speech to declare a national military cemetery for the soldiers who fought for the Union. The speech was given 4 and a half months after the Union defeated the Confederacy.
  • Atlanta is captured

    Atlanta is captured

    This was a very big success for the Union because Atlanta was the industrial center of the South. General Sherman even went to the extent to burn down thousands of building in the city and setting Atlanta on fire so he could cut off the Confederate's vital supplies.
  • Abraham Lincoln defeats George McClellan to win re-election

    Abraham Lincoln defeats George McClellan to win re-election

    Lincoln one this election with hardly any contest. Lincoln got 212 electoral votes and his opponent George McClellan got 21electoral votes. In this election, none of the states loyal to the Confederacy participated in the election.
  • Sherman begins his March to the Sea

    Sherman begins his March to the Sea

    General William T. Sherman led 60,000 troops from Atlanta to Savannah after capturing Atlanta. The route was about a 285-mile march. During the march, a lot of destruction was done and the march was about 60 miles wide.
  • Congress passes the 13th Amendment

    Congress passes the 13th Amendment

    The 13th amendment officially abolished slavery in the United States. This enforced and cleared up the emancipation proclamation given by Lincoln in 1863. The 13th amendment banned slavery in future territories and all states including border states making slavery and involuntary servitude illegal.
  • Freedmen's Bureau is created

    Freedmen's Bureau is created

    Freedman's Bureau was established in order to provide food, shelter, and clothing to recently freed African Americans and refugees. There were twelve hospitals and eighty doctors to treat four million people.
  • Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

    Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

    One of the main purposes of Lincoln's second address was to try and bring the nation back together as a whole. Lincoln also mentioned that the North and South were both to blame for the sin of slavery and commoned used the term ¨we¨ in an attempt to show the unity between the North and South.
  • Richmond falls to the Union Army

    Richmond falls to the Union Army

    The confederates could not keep the Union out of Richmond after a 9-month siege and ended up retreating 25 miles north where they had no protection. The Union captured and attacked Petersburg which was only 25 miles away from the capital which caused the Confederates to retreat.
  • Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox

    Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox

    One reason for Robert E Lee to surrender was to prevent further unnecessary destruction in the south. Lee met with Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Court House. The loss of Lee and the North Virginia Army was fatal for the Confederacy.
  • President Lincoln assassinated

    President Lincoln assassinated

    Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at the Peterson House in Washington D.C. watching a play called Our American Cousin. While watching the play a man named John Wilks Booth.
  • John Wilkes Booth is killed

    John Wilkes Booth is killed

    John Wilkes Booth was shot by Sergeant Boston Corbett. John was paralyzed by the shot and died a couple of hours later. Booth was buried in Green Mount Cemetary in Baltimore.