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The Confederates State are Formed
Seven seceding states form the Confederate States of America. Those states include South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi,Florida, Georgia, Lousiana, and Texas. For more joined them later however with their inevitable withdrawal form the Union caught the attention of countries all over the world such as Poland, Italy, and Germany, -
Period: to
Civil War and Reconstruction
Pre Civil War, Civil War, Post Civil War, and the Reconstruction Era. Timeline by Nanaama Sarfo. -
The Morrill Tariff Act
During the chaos of southern states withdrawal from the Union the Morrill Tariff Act got passed. The Morrill Act was signed by President James Buchanan. This act was named after Representative Justin Morrill of Vermont and it raised to protect and encourage industry and high wages of industrial workers. The act’s passage was possible because many low-tariff Southerners had left Congress. -
Confederate Government
The Confederate government is formed. They elected Jefferson Davis a man virtually the complete opposite of Lincoln in both how he handles the public and his character to be their president. -
Lincoln Becomes President
Lincoln officially takes office on March 4, 1861 becoming the president of the Union. With his inauguration the South becomes even more resolved in their decision to secede. -
The Shot Heard Around the North and South
Fort Sumter, the only remaining Northern fort to be within the boundries of the South, is fired upon. Though president Lincoln wanted to handle the problem of the South's secessation with care and thought he had no other choice then to declare war on the South. The South determined to prove themselves to the Union and the world resolved that firing at Fort Sumter was the way to do that. -
Bye Bye States
After the secessation of the first seven southern states, from the month April through June of 1861, Four Upper South states seceded from the Union as well. Those states were Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virgina. They joined Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and South Carolina to further make up the Confederate States. They believed that they're way of life, one largely based on slavery, was to be ruined by President Lincoln. -
Writ of Habeas Corpus no more
In time of war Abraham Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, which is a legal action that requires any person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court. John Merryman, a legislator from Maryland, got arrested for attempting to disenable Union troops from moving from Baltimore to Washington. His attorney wanted to seek writ of habeas corpus so that the federal court could examine his charges however President Lincoln suspended the right of writ of habeas corpus. -
The First Battle of Bull Run
The First Battle of Bull run was fought in Prince William County near Manassas and is known as the first major battle of the American Civil War. The battle went back and forth between the North and South but General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson’s men held their line for the South. The North fell into a hectic retreat; though the South was disorganized they still won nonetheless. The North now understood the necessity of planning for a war. -
The Trent Affair
From November to December of 1861 the Trent Affair took place. The crisis occurred when the captain of the USS San Jacinto ordered for two Confederate soldiers to be arrested who were sailing on a British mail ship, the Trent. They were on their way to seek support from Britain. Britain was outraged and claimed that the Union Navy violated the international law to not seizure a neutral ship. Long later, the Union released the two soldiers. -
The South's Conscription
Beginning in early 1862 the Confederacy began to undergo conscription, the act of forcing citizens to enlist in the army, this is also known as drafting. Many Southerners were against it and if one was rich enough they could pay another being to serve in the army for them. Often people would run away so they wouldn’t have to face conscription. These soldier from the South became known as John Rebs. -
The Gatling Gun is Invented
The Gatling Gun was invented by Richard Gatling in 1862. It consisted of 6 barrels that at any time could point and shoot the weapon instead of a soldier manually shooting the gun the Gatling gun did the work. -
Grant takes Fort Henry and Fort Donelson
Early in 1862 President Lincoln was having terrible luck finding a general to get his goals accomplished. His answer was finally found in General Ulysses S. Grant. General Grant was a smart man that knew how to strategize to capture forts. Fort Henry and Fort Donelson was two of his first successes in Tennessee. He managed to capture these two forts and further become and acclaimed general. -
Naval Battle of the Merrimack (the Virginia) and the Monitor
This Naval Battle of the ships was fought because the South defied the North’s blockade though Britain obeyed it. The Merrimack was the South’s only legitimate threat to the blockade. Therefore a battle aroused with the South’s Merrimack vs. the North’s Monitor naval ships. The South’s ship was heavily armored with iron thus was greatly protected from cannon fire vs. the ironclad of the North’s. The two ships battled in Chesapeake Bay and the Merrimack was chased away. -
Naval Battle of the Merrimack (the Virginia) and the Monitor Ends
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McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign
On c. March to c. July of 1862 General George McClellan was a 34 year old master organizer and planner during this Peninsula Campaign. He was in charge of getting the US Army ready for the Civil War and its battles. Though he was a master planner and organizer his weakness was that he thought he was never prepared enough hence he was always preparing never fighting. Lincoln finally ordered McClellan to fight he was to capture Richmond, VA the capital of the Confederate. He was almost captured. -
The Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh was another one of the many battles fought in the Civil War. This battle was fought in Tennessee between the North and South. The North being led by General Ulysses S. Grant and the South being led by Gen Albert Sydney Johnston. The South had the upper hand on the first day battle but the North bounced back and defeated them on the second day of battle ultimately winning the Battle of Shiloh. -
The Homestead Act
More about the Homestead Act
The Homestead Act of 1862 was signed by President Lincoln and it gave land to numerous applicants. This Act gave land to any individual who had taken up arms against the US government including slaves and women, older than 21 or was head of the family could claim a federal land grant. -
Seven Days’ Battle
The Seven Days’ Battle was the counter attacked performed by Confederate General Robert E. Lee as a result of the Union’s attempt to capture Richmond, Virginia. As a result of the Seven Days’ Battle casualties for both sides rose in the ten thousands and McClellan was demoted while General Lee was praised. The Union then changed their strategy to 1. Put a naval blockade on the South 2. Free the slaves. Divide the South along the Mississippi River 4. Divide and crush the South by marching through -
The Telegraph is Invented
Inventions during the Civil War
c. June 1862
Samuel Morse invents the Telegraph in 1862. The Telegraph deciphers hidden messages. -
Seven Days’ Battle Ends
The Seven Days' Battle ends -
The Alabama Raids Northern Shipping
The Alabama was a Britain built, Confederate supporting pirate vessel/raid ship. It escaped during the summer of 1862 to the Portuguese Azores and there it took weapons and the crews from two Britain ships that followed it. It then went on to raid Northern shipping. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run was initiated by General Lee because he wanted to lure the Border States to the South ; draw the war out Virginia during the harvest season, a victory on Northern soil would boost the morale and hurt Northern morale; stir up foreign/British support for the South. -
Second Battle of Bull Run Ends
Second Battle of Bull Run of Bull Run ends. -
Battle of Antietam Creek
The Battle of Antietam was significant because unlike other battles this one was actually thought out, strategized, and planned. Prior to the start of the battle General Lee’s battle plans were discovered by the McClellan. As a result the South lost the Battle of Antietam Creek in Sharpsburg, MD. If the South had won this battle they may have won the whole war. -
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
After the Battle of Antietam Creek Lincoln received a much awaited victory and a platform to announce the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation to free the slaves of the rebelling states. -
The Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. So many soldiers died that there was not enough places to bury them so they were buried where they lay. The battle took place in Fredericksburg, VA. The Confederates was defeated when the Union troops swarmed up a hill held by the Confederates, they succeeded and won. -
The Battle of Fredericksburg ends
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Final Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in the rebelling states, the Confederate states. The Emancipation Proclamation did not free all the slaves. To keep the public satisfied President Lincoln stated the war was not fought for freedom of the slaves and the Emancipation Proclamation was not freeing all slaves just merely freeing the slaves in rebelling states. -
Submarines are Invented
c. Feb 1863
The underground ships could withstand heavy pressures of the ocean and sabotage enemies indiscreetly. -
Union Enacts Conscription
Almost two years after the South enacted conscription the North then took up conscription, the force enlistment of citizens to become soldiers in times of war. Just like the South if one was rich then they could hire another individual to fight in the war for them. The North was also prone to desertion; enlisting in the army and then ditching soon after the war the record cases of desertions were found to be 200,000. -
New York City Draft Riots
c. March 5, 1863
Soon after conscription in the North was passed people physically showed their dislike and hatred of conscription and being forced to enlist in the army. On March 4, 1863 a riot broke involving the “underprivileged” and anti-black Irish Americans. They yelled “Down with Lincoln” and “Down with the Draft.” This went on for days. Many lives were lost and blacks were lynched. Ironically the Irish along with the Germans were draft abusers. They would enlist to profit the $1000 and r -
Napoleon III installs Archduke Maximilian as emperor of Mexico
c. April 1863 to c. April 1864
As the US raged on in their Civil War, France took advantage of America’s internal dilemma. He dispatched troops to Mexico City and following that he made Austrian Archduke Maximilian as the emperor of Mexico. This was a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Napoleon was hoping that the Union would lose the Civil War, become too weak to enforce the Monroe Doctrine. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
The six day battle of Chancellorsville was fought in Chancellorsville, VA. After the Battle Fredericksburg General Lee was replaced by General Joseph Hooker was then placed in charged but he too was defeated by the North in this battle. -
Battle of Chancellorsville ends
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The Battle of Gettysburg
Determined to prove himself after a dramatic lose at Fredericksburg, General Lee invaded the North at Gettysburg, PA. General George Meade was placed in charge of the Northern Army. The Battle of Gettysburg lasted three days which the South won the first two days by pushing the North out of town and into the hills. However the North won the third day and the overall battle. The third day was highlighted by Pickett’s Charge, an infantry assault ordered by General Lee against General Meade’s Union -
The Battle of Gettysburg ends
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Fall of Vicksburg
Vickburg, MS was where General Grant received his big break and redemption. He circled around the city, took the capitol Jackson, and then seized Vicksburg. The fall of Vicksburg came the day after the Battle of Gettysburg and pointed toward a Northern win. It was also certain that Southern hopes for foreign intervention were gone, no country would help the losing side in a war. This day was significant because the Union defeated the South in another battle back to back. -
Lincoln Announces “10 Percent” Reconstruction Plan
The ten percent plan stated that a state could be reintegrated into the Union when 10% of the vote count from that state had taken an oath of allegiance to the US and pledge to obey by the emancipation. Many Southerners were opposed to this therefore Lincoln’s ten percent plan was not successful. -
Grant’s Wilderness Campaign
Grants Wilderness Campaign included the battles of Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg. These battles were known for being very bloody. They earned nicknames like the “Bloody Angle” and “Hell’s Half Acre.” These battles were all won by the Union. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
The Battle of Cold Harbor is known as one of the bloodiest and deadliest battles in the Civil War. Here, soldiers pinned their names and addresses onto their backs for they knew that death was awaiting them and wanted their love ones to identify them. During this battle 7,000 soldiers died in minutes. This was a victory for the North and it was also the last battle in General Grant’s Wilderness Campaign. -
Grant’s Wilderness Campaign Ends
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Battle of Cold Harbor Ends
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Alabama sunk by Union warship
After causing much havoc for almost a year the British built warship was defeated by a Union warship. This was yet another loss for the South. -
Lincoln Vetoes Wade-Davis Bill
c. July 4, 1864
This bill was proposed by a radical Republicans Benjamin Wade and Henry Winter Davis. It called for 50% of voters to take the allegiance oath. The Wade-Davis Bill also safeguards to protect freed slaves. President Lincoln believed that it would be too difficult to repair the Union’s relationship with the South if he signed the bill. -
Sherman’s March Through Georgia
General Sherman hated all things Southern and during his march through Georgia he made sure he left the South in shambles. General Sherman claimed total war against the South. He aimed to “shermanize” the South by totally obliterating it and that’s just was he did in Georgia. He pushed down from Chattanooga, TN and captured Atlanta, which he burnt to the ground. He destroyed everything from Atlanta to Savannah; farms, houses, railroads, warehouses, fields, and crops. -
Lincoln defeats McClellan for Presidency
c. November 24, 1864
During the election of 1864 the Republicans joined the War Democrats to form the Union party, this was devised by President Lincoln. President Lincoln then chose Andrew Johnson as his vice president because he was a loyal War Democrat and attracted voters in the border states. The Democrats chose McClellan who had a copperhead platform, a copperhead was the name given to those Northern Democrats who were willing to settle for a negotiated peace with the Confederate they also -
Sherman’s March Through Georgia Ends
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The Hampton Roads Conference
The Hampton Roads Conference was an attempt to end the Civil War which proved unsuccessful. This conference took place near Fort Monroe at Hampton, VA on the ship River Queen. Among the attendees was President Lincoln along with Secretary of State William H. Seward, Vice President Alexander H. Stephens representing the Union, and Senator Robert Hunter and Assistant Secretary of War John Campbell representing the Confederacy. -
Johnson Issues Reconstruction Proclamation
c. Feb1865
President Johnson Reconstruction plan called for special state conventions, which were required to repeal the ordinances of secession, repudiate all confederate debts, and ratify the slave-freeing thirteenth amendment. States that complied with these demands and conditions could be readmitted into the Union. -
Congress Refuses to Seat Southern Democrats
c. Feb 1865
Upon the Southern states being readmitted into the Union that meant that Southern Democrats too needed to be part of Congress. However a large majority of Congress was now made up of Northerners and they refused to accept Southerners back into Congress. They were also rebelling against President Johnson’s Reconstruction plan. They wanted South to be punished for seceding not readmitted without serious punishment. -
Freedmen’s Bureau is Established
The Freedmen’s Bureau was established to train the newly free slaves from the South. Many of whom were untrained, unskilled, and uneducated. The bureau became known as an early form of welfare. It provided food, clothing, health care, and education. General Howard (founder of Howard University in Washington D. C.) was the bureau’s head. The Freedmen’s Bureau was disliked by President Johnson who tried to destroy it. -
Lee Surrenders to Grant at Appomattox
At Appomattox Courthouse, VA General Lee surrendered to General Grant and the Richmond, VA the capital of the South fell and was destroyed. This signified the end of the war and final victory for the North. -
Lincoln's Assassination
On April 14, 1865 John Wilkes Booth assassinated the Great Emancipator, Lincoln, at a theatre. The South viewed the assassination with glee. They cheered and hoorayed at the death of Lincoln but they eventually saw Lincoln’s death as a tragedy. Following his death Vice President Andrew Johnson became his successor. -
Southern States Pass Black Codes
c. April 1865
Southern whites couldn’t stand the fact that their precious slaves were now free therefore to keep them in the South and to force the slaves to continue working for them they passed the Black Codes. The Black Codes were rules designed to tie the freed blacks to their white employers. The goal of the Black Codes was to bond the slaves to their deceiving masters. The codes were contracts that said the blacks were bound to work for a certain time period. “Jumping” the contract (leavin -
Thirteenth Amendment is Ratified
Months after Lincoln’s death the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified and put into effect. This amendment outlawed slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. -
Congress Passes Civil Rights Bill Over Johnson’s Veto
The Civil Rights Bill was Johnson’s most famous veto like previous President Andrew Jackson, President Andrew Johnson was not afraid to use his vetoing powers, which he used frequently. The bill would grant citizenship to blacks and undercut the Black Codes. Regardless of President Johnson veto of the bill, Congress went against his wishes and passed the bill anyway. -
Congress passes Fourteenth Amendment
Soon after Congress passed the Civil Rights Bill they then passed the Fourteenth Amendment which gave civil rights and citizenship for freed blacks, but not the right to vote. -
Ex parte Milligan Case
c. August 1866
The Ex parte Milligan case ruled that the federal government could not establish military courts to try civilians. Lambdin P. Milligan was arrested for aiding the Confederacy in an attempt to free Confederate prisoners. He was arrested in Indiana, tried, proven guilty, and sentenced to hanging. His attorney wanted to seek writ of habeas corpus but President Lincoln suspended it. This case reached the Supreme Court in which they declared that the President had no power to suspendit -
Ku Klux Klan is Founded
c. December 24, 1866
The Ku Klux Klan were made up of the Invisible Empire of the South, who were upset whites in the south after the freeing of slaves. They formed the KKK in Tennessee. Their goals were complete obliteration, destruction, and surrender of any group of people whom they did not like. They were anti-black, anti-Catholic, anti-Irish, and overall pro-white nativist and were most active in the South. Their tactics included burning crosses, threatened blacks . -
Tenure of Office Act
Congress passed the Tenure Office Act which said that the president needed the Senate’s approval to fire anyone who had been previously appointed by him and approved by the Senate. The argument was that the Senate approved appointees into office, thus the Senate must approve them out. Congress’ ulterior motive was to protect Edwin M. Stanton’s job. He was a Radical Republican spy in hot water with President Johnson. -
Unites States Purchases Alaska From Russia
Russia feared that if they went to war with Britain then that would allow them to seize Alaska. Desperate to avoid that Russia sold Alaska to the US for 7.2 million dollars. The Alaska Purchase had mixed reviews but eventually Americans came to view the purchase to be good for the US. -
Johnson Impeached and Acquitted
President Johnson fired Edwin M. Stanton and the Senate came after him. Among the reason for his impeachment were his constant vetoing of bills, his firing of Senator Edwin M. Stanton, and overall public and the Senate dislike of President Johnson. He was eventually acquitted of impeachment after the Supreme Court reviewed the impeachment decision. -
Johnson Pardons Confederate Leaders
When many of the Southern States returned to the Union and when their leaders passed the Black Codes, basically taking away freedom from the freed slaves, President Johnson pardoned them. Congress retaliated by not giving the Southerners their seats in Congress and then Johnson retaliated by vetoing a number of Congress’ bills. -
Fifteenth Amendment Ratified
The Fifteenth Amendment gave voting rights to former slaves. This angered the South and to defy the Fifteenth Amendment they set up literacy test which former slaves had to pass in order to vote. -
The Force Acts
c. June 1870 through 1871
The Force Acts of 1870 and 1871 were passed by Congress due to their outrage of the KKK. Federal troops were able to stamp out much of the “lash law” but the KKK had already caused much damage. The Force Acts were an attempt to stop the KKK and their deadly tactics. -
Freedmen’s Bureau Ends
c. May 1972
The Freedman’s Bureau success was minimal. It did however successfully educate some 200,000 blacks to literacy. The failures included the promised forty acres of land to former slaves never made it to the hands of those slaves. Most of the times the whites would collaborate with planters to expel blacks from their towns, the reason why blacks never received their land. Also the whites would force the former slaves to sign labor contracts. -
Work Cited
Atkins, William Arthur. "Abolition of Slavery: United States." St. James Encyclopedia of Labor History Worldwide. Ed. Neil Schlager. Vol. 1. Detroit: St. James Press, 2004. 9-16. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 May 2013. -
Work Cited
Carson, Sharon. "Reconstruction." American History Through Literature 1870-1920. Ed. Tom Quirk and Gary Scharnhorst. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006. 953-958. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 May 2013. -
Work Cited
Kennedy, David M., Cohen, Lizabeth, Bailey, Thomas A. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic . Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003. 896. Print. -
Reconstruction Ends
The Reconstruction era come to an end. Reconstruction only gained little benefits for blacks and it virtually extinguished the Republican Party for the next 100 years. The Republicans wanted to both protect the freed slaves and to promote the fortunes of the Republican Party. However in the end their plans backfired. -
Work Cited
"Reconstruction." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Shirelle Phelps and Jeffrey Lehman. 2nd ed. Vol. 8. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 253-255. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 May 2013. -
Work Cited
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