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Abraham Lincoln elected president
“Honest” Abe Lincoln becomes the first ever Republican to be elected president. He defeated Democrat John Breckinridge, Constitutional Union Candidate John Bell, and Illinois Senator Stephan Douglas (AbrahamLincolnElectedPresident). -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina was the first State to separate from the Union. The State had threatened to secede before this, but they did not until 1860. With the growing threat of slavery being abolished, the state decided to split, and many other states followed, creating the Confederation (SouthCarolinaSecession). -
The Confederation is Formed
The Confederacy was formed on Feb 8, 1861, by seven slaves states: South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. The Confederacy let 11 southern states be under their own rule and not the federal Union of the United States (ConfederationFormed). -
The Civil War Begins
Many Historians Believe the Civil War began when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter. In The matter of 34 hours, the Union soldiers there surrendered, sparking the start of the war (CivilWarBegins). -
First Battle of Bull Run
The two sides fought near Manassas Junction, VA. This was the first battle of the Civil War. The Confederates ended up winning the battle. Irvin McDowell and Stonewall Jackson were the generals in this battle (FirstBattleOfBullRun). -
Battle of Monitor vs. Merrimack (Battle of Hampton Roads)
This naval battle was the first battle with ironclad ships. The Confederate ship The CSS Virginia (formerly known as the USS Merrimack) battled the USS Monitor. The Virginia attacked the trade blockade of Union ships, destroying two. The next day they returned, to find the Monitor in it’s path. The Monitor fended the Virginia off, and neither side won the battle (MonitorVsMerrimac). -
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh started at dusk on April 6th, and lasted until late April 7th. The Union won by flanking and counterattacking the Confederates. This was an important victory for the Union, because they destroyed the Rebels blockade in Mississippi. This battle had lots of casualties. The commanding generals were Ulysses S. Grant and Albert Sidney Johnson (ShilohBattleFactsAndSummary). -
Second Battle of Bull Run
This was the second battle that took place in Manassas. It was also a clever and cunning victory for the Confederates. With 9,000 casualties, the rebels were outnumbered by an army twice their size. George McClellan’s army was coming to join the fight, so they attacked the smaller army before he could arrive. The commanding generals in this battle were Robert E. Lee. And John Pope (TheSecondBattleofBullRun). -
Battle of Antietam
This was the bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War. The Union fended off the Confederates in their attempt to invade Maryland. The two generals in the battle were Robert E. Lee and George McClellan (AntietamBattleFacts). -
The Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln put the proclamation into place January 1st, 1863. At this time America was entering it’s third year of the Civil War, and Lincoln knew that he had to do something to help abolish slavery. The proclamation said that any people held as slaves within slave holding states must be freed. However, the proclamation only was put into action in the southern states, because of the war. Northern states were allowed to keep their slaves until the war was over (Lincolns). -
The Siege of Vicksburg
A Siege on the Confederacy that lasted 47 days began May 18, Led by famed Union general Ulysses Grant, ended up with the Union controlling all of the Mississippi River. This was when the war started to wind down, and the Union took control (Vicksburg). -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg lasted 3 days, and its the most famous battle of the Civil War. General Lee’s forces advanced, driving back the Union. The next day, Lee attacks again, to find that the Union has made a blockade of soldiers that was immovable. After a few military mistakes by Lee, the Union led by George Meade won the battle (Gettysburg). -
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The Reconstruction of the South
This was a period of time after the Civil War where the south could not rely on slaves anymore. There were new laws against racial discrimination, there were tax funded schools, and railroads that dominated the time period (TimePeriodOfSouthernReconstruction). -
Lincoln Re-Elected
With overwhelming support from the North, Lincoln is Re-Elected to a second term in the White House. People hope that he can end the Confederacy, and the North and South can be one again (LincolnReelected). -
General Lee surrenders
When General Lee surrendered to the Union, it marked a fatal blow to the Confederacy. Lee’s Northern Virginia Army made up almost all of the Rebel army. This was the symbolic end to the Civil War (OnThisDayInHistory,LeeSurrenders). -
Lincoln is Assassinated
At a show, Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth, an actor and public Confederate supporter. He killed Lincoln after a failed kidnapping attempt. He shot the president with a .44 caliber Derringer pistol (LincolnAssasination).