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Republican Party is formed
On this date in Ripon, Wisconsin, the Republican Party was officially created. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act passed
This act repealed the Missouri Compromise and created two new territories, which allowed popular sovereignty. -
South Carolina votes to secede from the United States
After Lincoln was elected president, South Carolina was the first state that voted to secede from the US, in fear of losing slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln elected president
On this date, Abe Lincoln was elected as the 16th US president. -
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Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter
The Confederates tried to catch the Union off guard by attacking Fort Sumter. The US Army scrambled and struggled to fight back, so they surrendered. This overall started the American Civil War. -
Lincoln suspends habeas corpus
Lincoln suspended the habeas corpus to give the military the power to stop rebellions, which allowed them to arrest rebels. -
First Battle of Bull Run is fought
This was the first major battle of the civil war. It was fought in Virginia and the Confederates won the battle. -
Jefferson Davis elected president of the Confederacy
Davis was elected as the first and only president of the Confederacy in 1861. The presidency lasted until 1864. -
The Merrimack and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast
The battle known as the first duel with ironclad warships, which led to a new era in Naval warships and battles. -
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Battle of Shiloh
An early battle fought in a theatre in Tennessee that started because of a Confederate surprise attack on the Union. -
Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
On this date, Lee was officially named the commander in a battle to defend Richmond (the city) from the Union. -
Battle of Antiedam
Between the Union and Confederates, this battle is said to be one of the deadliest ever. Almost 15,000 people died. Some consider the result of the battle as a "stalemate" but the Union claims that they won. -
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Battle of Fredericksburg
This was an early battle of the civil war, and is described as "one of the greatest confederate victories," led by Robert E. Lee. -
Emancipation Proclamation is announced
As year 3 of the Civil War came around, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The Proclamation allowed states that were against slavery to release their slaves. -
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Battle of Chancellorsville
This battle was a huge victory for the Confederates. It was also the battle that Stonewall was wounded in. -
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Battle of Gettysburg
A battle in Gettysburg, PA between the Union and Confederacy. It was described as the "turning point" of the war when Robert E. Lee's plan (to immediately end the war) had failed. -
Confederates surrender at Vicksburg
After not being able to handle the attacks from the Union, and were forced to surrender. -
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New York City draft riots
New Yorkers raged over the federal draft war during the civil war, and had 5 days of some of the bloodiest riots in US history. -
Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address
After ceremonies dedicated to the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln delivered a speech (now known as the Gettysburg Address) about freedom and human equality. -
Atlanta is captured
William T. Sherman led to Union in the Battle of Atlanta to win, as well as capture Atlanta. -
Abraham Lincoln defeats George McClellan to win re-election
Lincoln defeated George McCellan to win his second term as president. Lincoln had 55% of the popular vote and won the election by a large margin of 212-21 in the electoral college. -
Sherman begins his March to the Sea
General Sherman begins his journey, moving across Georgia by torching Industrial Atlanta and cutting off his supply lines. -
Congress passes the 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment is passed, abolishing slavery from the US, except for punishment for a crime. -
Freedmen’s Bureau is created
On this date, congress passed an act that would provide necessary resources for the "Relief of Freedmen and Refugees," such as food and clothing. -
Lincoln gives his second inaugural address
Lincoln woes about the war and how it had negatively affected the country. He talked about wanting to move on and recover from it. -
Richmond falls to the Union Army
Richmond, VA loses to the Union, leading to the near end of the Confederacy. -
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Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy
For only 8 days, Richmond had been declared the capital of the Confederacy as Jefferson Davis and his government traveled through Danville, as Richmond had fallen to the Federal Army. -
Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox
On this date, Lee surrenders his 28k troops to Ulysses S. Grant, which overall ended the civil war. -
The Assassination of President Lincoln
At Ford's Theatre on this date, John Wilkes Booth (an American actor) shot the president in the back of the head, later leading to Lincoln passing away. -
John Wilkes Booth is killed
Booth was caught hiding in a farmer's barn by soldiers. He refused to come out, even when the barn was on fire. Eventually, the soldiers were able to shoot Booth, who died from the wound of it.