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Abraham Lincoln is elected president
It was Lincoln that was very influential in the Union's victory and their success in the Civil War. Along with helping the Union, he was also a large supporter of freeing slaves. Lincoln was the one who created the Emancipation Proclamation which helped the north become involved with the south's slave trade. -
South Carolina seceedes
After South Carolina seceeded from the Union, six other southeren states did as well. The rest followed in January of the next year and basically created the Confederacy. -
Jefferson Davis is elected president of the Confederacy
Jefferson Davis was the president of the Confederacy during the entirety of the Civil War and was very influential of the outcome. It was he who rallied the Confederate states to begin. Without his strong leadership, it is likely that they would've lost before they did. He was officially inaugerated on February 22, 1862. -
Fort Sumter
Forst Sumter is important due to the fact that it marked the beginning of the Civil War whenever the Confederacy fired on Fort Sumter, North Carolina. This was also the first battle of the Civil War. -
The Battles of Bull Run (Battles on Manassas)
There were two battles that occurred at where the Battle of Manassas was fought, each about a year apart. Stonewall Jackson was remembered for his courage that he showed in the first one and served for the Confederacy. In both battles, it was the Union who retreated. -
Monitor vs. Merrimack
This was the first major naval battle as well as the first battle between two iron clad ships, the Monitor being the Union ship and the Merrimack being the Confederate ship. It was part of the process that made the US one of the most powerful naval forces in the world. -
Battle of Antietam
This battle had the most bodies on the battlefield out of all of the battles. While it was very bloody, it wasn't the deadliest, and there were many casualties that came after the battle do to infections and injuries. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was created by President Abramam Lincoln and freed all of the slaves in the south ONLY. He believed that the border states would join the Confederacy if he freed the slaves there as well, giving them more manpower. This was a very influential part of the freeing of slaves in the US. -
Battle of Gettysburg
This battle occurred at the same time as the Battle of Vicksburg and was a major turning point for the Union regarding their victory. After Vicksburg, Grant started pushing the confederacy southeast and Sherman took the troops from the west to the south. The South could no longer make offensive moves, so they retreated from the Union and into the trap that Grant and the union had set up. -
Battle of Vicksburg
It was this battle that the Union took over the Mississippi river, and it occurred at the same time as the Battle of Gettysburg. The Union securing the river meant that the south wasn't able to ship things down it, hurting their success. -
Sherman Defeats Confederates
This boosted Northern moral and secured Lincoln’s reelection but ruined the South’s hope of ever having a victory. Sherman started his march to the sea, but was told to get back to border states as soon as possible. As they did that, they burned everything they passed because they didn't want the Confederacy to retreat into the deep south and regroup. However, when the south was reaccepted into the Union, their economy was ruined and it took half a century to get them back on their feet. -
Lincoln is Re-Elected
Lincoln's reelection proved the Union's loyalty. The election was not a big ordeal because there weren't any large opponents to him. After his reelection, he was soon assasinated after the end of the Civil war in 1865. -
The 13th Amendment is Ratified
The 13th amendment brought an end to slavery. It was a major step for the United Steps regarding having equality and was also a major part of the Radical Republican Reconstruction Plan. -
Appamottox Courthouse
Lee surrendered, technically at the farmhouse next door because courthouse closed since due to the fact that it was a Sunday. This marked the official end of the Civil War. -
Assasination of President Abraham Lincoln
John Wilkes Booth killed Lincoln at the Ford theater. Afther this, Andrew Johnson became president. With Johnson as president, things changed drastically. Johnson was a democrat whereas LIncoln had been republican and his views varied vastly from Lincoln's. -
The Beginning of Reconstruction
Lincoln, Johnson, and the Radical Republicans all had a plan for the reconstruction of the US. Lincoln began his plan when the war was still going on becuase he believed that they were going to win. After he died, Johnson proposed his plan but it was overcome by the Radical Republican Plan. -
Johnson is Impeached
Andrew Johnson was the first and one of two presidents to be impeached. This meant that his views were so widely distrusted and disliked that the rest of the legislature and the population decided that he was not to be trusted of given power any more. -
The 14th Amendment is Ratified
The 14th amendment stated that everyone had the same rights as citizens, including previous slaves. They were now considered citizens of the United States and gained the same rights as any other person, regardless of their race. -
The 15th Amendment is Ratified
The 15th amendment stated that all men could vote, no matter their race. However, it did not include women, who weren't included until the 19th amendment. However, it was still a very large step in the right direction for the country as a whole. -
The End of Reconstruction
This is important because this is when the north took the military watch that they had placed in the south. This proved that the country was being successful once again.