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Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act stated that slaves that became free by traveling to free states were required to be captured and returned back to their owners. This act also forced the federal government to aid and be responsible for finding, returning, and convicting escaped slaves. The Fugitive Slave Act was one of the pivotal moments leading up to the Civil War, as it placed further tensions between the North and South. -
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The book was heavily anti-slavery, and talked about the blatant horrors of slavery. This book helped strengthen Northern abolitionism and destroyed any sympathy the British had for the South. Uncle Tom’s Cabin was one of the most influential American novels ever, and contributed greatly to the Northern side of the Civil War. -
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter, which was under bombardment from Confederate forces, was given no relief. The citizens of the fort were under attack, with their exits and supplies cut off. Maj. Robert Anderson, the person in charge of Sumter, decided to surrender to better the soldiers and families who were trapped. But, as the Union was leaving, having surrendered the Fort, the Confederates did a 100-gun salute, during which a gun misfired, killing a Union soldier. This act then started the Civil War. -
First Battle of Bull Run
Near Manassas Junction, Virginia, the Union and Confederate armies met. The battle began when a Union army of 35,000 came from D.C. to charge a Confederate army along Bull Run River. The Confederates were forced to defend themselves, but managed to rally together and pierce the Union’s right flank, scrambling them apart and forcing them to retreat back to D.C. This victory for the Confederacy surprised many from the North and convinced them that the war was not going to be easily won. -
Battle of the Ironclads
The U.S.S. Monitor, a metal plated, turreted ironclad went up against the C.S.S. Virginia, a captured Union ship turned ironclad, near Hampton Roads, Virginia. The ships fought for 4 hours but to no avail, their cannonballs did not work against each other's iron armor. The ships fell back, only to receive unfortunate ends. The C.S.S. Virginia was scuttled by the Confederacy when the Union invaded the place it was staying at, and the U.S.S. Monitor sank. The two ships thus began a new Naval era. -
Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh was a fight that ended in 23,800 deaths, an incalculable loss. It was when Confederate Gen. Johnston landed a sneak attack to Maj. Gen. Grant on Pittsburg Landing. The South managed to defeat Grant, but their general, Johnston, died during the attack, leaving Gen. Beauregard in charge. Grant grouped with Maj. Gen. Buell, and the next day, their remaining troops attacked, ending in a Union win. This win ended hopes of the South stopping the North's charge into Mississippi. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
Near the old Bull Run battlefield, the armies of Maj. Gen. Pope and Maj. Gen. Jackson's met. Pope believed that he had Jackson trapped, and attacked him near a railroad. The attack was countered with losses on both sides. Pope attacked again the next day, oblivious that Gen. Longstreet was now there. When the Union army charged, they were pelted by artillery, and destroyed by a counterattack from Longstreet. The Union was defeated. This win inspired Lee to invade the North for the first time. -
Antietam
The troops of Maj. Gen. McClellan, and Gen. Lee’s met near Antietam Creek. The Union managed to pierce Lee's force with charges, but all were messy, providing no advantage for any side. Finally, the third and final charge, led by Maj. Gen. Burnside’s army, and aided by Gen. Hill, won the fight for the North. The Antietam battle was considered one of the worst battles in American history. The victory of the battle, led to Lincoln issuing the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. -
Fredericksburg
Maj. Gen. Ambrose, went to Richmond, hoping to cross the Rappahannock River before Gen. Lee could block him. But, Ambrose could not cross, due to the bridges he needed being late. When the bridges came Lee was in Fredericksburg. Ambrose was barely able to cross, due to being fired on by Lee. The next day, the Union charged Lee’s army, but stopped due to their losses. Any assault they dealt was countered, forcing their retreat. Lee's win caused unrest up North, and made the South confident. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln, spurred by the victory at Antietam, issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January. The Emancipation Proclamation ordered that all slaves in the rebellious (Confederate) states as free people, and that black men could be accepted into the army and navy. While this was a game changing proclamation, it was still limited as it still allowed slavery in Union border states and Confederate states under Northern Control. -
Chancellorsville
Maj. Gen. Hooker sent a movement to pry Lee’s army out of Fredericksburg. Hooker’s army stayed on Lee’s tail all the way to Chancellorsville. Hooker outnumbered Lee two to one, but Lee drove Hooker back using an army he left at Fredericksburg to attack Hooker from the West. While Hooker retreated to Chancellorsville, Lee divided his army three times during the battle to attack the flanks. In the attacks, Lt. Gen. Jackson died, but the South won, making Lee want to invade the North again. -
Vicksburg
The siege of Vicksburg was a bloody battle that left losses on both Union and Confederate sides. It was where Maj. Gen. Grant and other high ranking officers, attacked the pinned army under the guide of Lt. Gen. Pemberton, at Vicksburg. Fight after fight launched between these two sides, and countless pieces of artillery was launched, creating crater after crater. Finally, after 2 months of fighting, on Independence Day, the South surrendered. This battle gave Grant his stellar reputation. -
Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg turned the war around for the Union. Gen. Lee, overconfident from his past victories, marched into Pennsylvania into Gettysburg and met Union forces. In that battle, Gen. Lee tried many tactics but could not conquer the Union troops, and suffered many losses in his army. He then was forced to retreat, having lost the battle. This battle managed to prevent the invasion of the North, and was so great, it inspired one of Lincoln’s greatest speeches: Gettysburg Address. -
New York City Draft Riots
The NYC Draft Riots were caused by a law, which made most males sign up for the military. The only way out of the law was to pay a large sum, making it impossible for most workers. A day after the first draft lottery, mobs of workers attacked buildings and people. Blacks were also targeted, most heavily assaulted. The riots only stopped after Gettysburg troops ended it. There was a reported 120 dead. The riots caused great property damage and made many blacks homeless. -
Gettysburg Address
On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln at the National Cemetery of Gettysburg, gave a short and inspiring speech about human equality, the sacrifices made in the Civil War, and the desire of freedom for all. The site of the speech, Gettysburg, was chosen for being one of the bloodiest battles of the war, and the cemetery, because it held the bodies of the people that fought in the Civil War. The speech helped build North morale due to it's awe-inspiring message. -
Capture of Atlanta
Gen. Sherman of the Union, headed south on a campaign to capture Atlanta. Gen. Johnston attempted to stop Sherman many times on the trip, but failed, then being replaced by Lt. Gen. Hood, who fought Sherman’s army on several battles. Hood tried many tactics, yet most went wrong, unable to defeat Sherman. After 4 battles between Sherman and Hoods’ armies, Hood retreated, allowing Sherman to take Atlanta; This greatly damaged the South's resources, as Atlanta was a main supply route of the South. -
Lincoln Re-election
President Abraham Lincoln won the election overwhelmingly, his election erasing any chance of negotiations with the Confederacy. Lincoln's re-election was unexpected, due to his loss of popularity during the earlier stages of the war. But, thanks to many consecutive victories in battle of the North, Lincoln’s popularity was boosted, which led to him being re-elected as president. -
Fort Fisher
Fort Fisher was the last coastal fort of the South, and was not yet captured. An attempt to capture Fort Fisher, led by Maj. Gen. Butler failed, requiring Maj. Gen. Terry to take over. Terry’s plan to take over the fort involved many troops and Marines to attack the defenses of the fort. Maj. Gen. Hoke, who was in charge of the infantry line of Fort Fisher, gave little defense, resulting in the Union takeover of the South's last coastal fort; the South then had a great disadvantage when in sea. -
Appomattox
Gen. Lee finally surrendered to Maj. Gen. Grant when he was surrounded and separated, his hopes of winning the war, gone. Through a series of letters exchanged between them, they agreed to meet in the town of Appomattox. Grant decided on a series of rules to the surrender, yet also making sure to not humiliate the Confederates, allowing them to keep their sidearms and mounts. Lee then surrendered, marking the inevitable end for the Confederacy and the Union win of the Civil War. -
Lincoln Assassination
In Ford’s Theatre, Washington D.C., President Abraham Lincoln was watching a play, when famous actor and Confederate supporter John Wilkes Booth intruded into the President’s booth and assassinated him. The assassination was done a mere 6 days after General E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House. This impacted the Reconstruction Era, as Lincoln's new policies hadn't been passed yet when he died, and when Andrew Johnson took over, his new laws oppressed the recently freed blacks.
