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Lincoln Wins 1st Term
Lincoln is elected running against a split democratic party. He beat Breckenridge, Bell, and Douglas to become the first Republican president. -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina was the first to secede and was followed quickly by others. William Gist, the states governor, planned to secede if Lincoln was elected. -
Confederate Constitution Signed
The Confederacy signed their constitution a week after Lincoln became president. At the time only seven states had seceded but nine joined the Confederacy. -
First Battle of Fort Sumter
The Confederate Army bombarded Anderson's small union army in Charleston, South Carolina. -
Lincoln Requests Army from Congress
Three days after the attack on Fort Sumter Lincoln made a proclamation to the state militias to put down the rebellion. He also asked congress to gather to discuss a draft. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The first land battle of the war, the rebels began on the defensive but eventually broke the lines. Beauregard and Shenandoah's Confederate armies attacked McDowell's Union army. -
Battles of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry
Grant captured fort Henry and then attacked Commander Floyd eventually winning Fort Donelson as well. -
Battle of the Moniter and the Marrimack
Buchanan leading a few Confederate ships battled the Union's Monitor. Neither side prevailed but naval warfare became much pore prevalent after this point. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederate leader Johnston lead a surprise attack on Grant leading to 13,000 Union deaths and 10,000 Confederate. -
Capture of New Orleans
A major turning point in the war in which Union forces were unopposed while capturing New Orleans. -
The Seven Days
Lee, a Confederate general, drove Union forces away from the Confederate capital Richmond. -
Battle of Antietam
A battle between Lee and McClellan which was the first to take place inside Union territory. The battle stops Lee's invasion and he retreats. -
Fredricksberg
General Burnside suffers large Union defeat resulting in 13,000 casualties. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln states that in all rebellious states slavery is illegal and if the North wins, slavery will be illegal. The war is now directly over slavery. -
First Draft in American History
Congress passes Civil War Conscription Act which was the first draft in American History. -
Chancellorsville
Lee defeats the Union army led by Hooker, suffering 13,000 casualties to the Union's 17,000 -
Battle of Gettysburg
General Meade defeats Lee's army in the deepest battle into the Union's territory and is the final turning point of the war. -
Vicksburg
Grant takes Vicksburg after a long siege. The Union now controls the Mississippi river cutting the Confederacy in half. -
Abraham Lincoln Wins Reelection
Lincoln defeats the ex general McClellan by a large margin and is reelected. -
Lee Surrenders to Grant
Lee surrenders to Grant after retreating for days ending the civil war.
