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Civil War Timespan
This timespan plans to cover the Civil War and the events that occurred before and after. -
Republican Party Chooses Presidential Nominee
Abraham Lincoln is chosen as the presidential nominee for the Republican Party. -
President Lincoln's Election
Lincoln is officially elected as the 16th President of the United States, and the first Republican in the position to oppose the spread of slavery. -
First Secession Convention Meeting
The First Secession Convention Meeting is held by South Carolina in Columbia. -
Crittenden Compromise is Denied
John J. Crittenden of Kentucky's proposal to add slavery into the U.S. Constitution, as well as make it unconstitutional to dismantle slavery, is denied. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
In 1860, the southern state of South Carolina officially seceded from the United States -
Charleston Arsenal is Seized
South Carolinian militia take the Charleston Arsenal by force, making it one of the first federal properties taken by the Confederacy. -
Six More States Secede (Jan 9 - 26)
Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Louisiana, and Kansas secede from the Union -
First (and last) Confederate President
Jefferson Davis of Alabama becomes the first president of the Confederate States of America. -
Fort Sumter / Opening Conflict of the War
Following the Confederacy being rejected ownership of this fort by the Union, a two-day conflict would begin without deaths on either side. This fight would be won by the Confederacy. -
Lincoln's Declaration for Union Soldiers
75,000 troops are mobilized by President Lincoln as more states begin to leave the Union. -
North Carolina Secedes from the Union
North Carolina is the final state to leave the Union and join the Confederacy, making the ratio 20/11. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The first full-fledged battle of the Civil War resulted in upwards of 4,800 casualties on both sides. This event would teach the Union that the war wouldn't end as swiftly as they initially thought. -
Fort Hatteras is Captured
North Carolina's Fort Hatteras is captured by the Union in an attempt to start their naval blockade along the South. -
The Battle of Mill Springs
This Kentucky battle would see the Union break the Confederate defense in southern Kentucky, opening more offensive options. -
Surrendering of Fort Henry
As a result of the Confederacy surrendering Fort Henry to the Union, the Tennessee River was now owned by the North. -
General Ulysses "Unconditional Surrender" Grant
The fall of Fort Donelson allowed the Union access to the Cumberland Waterway, as well as gave General Grant his nickname. -
Battle of Shiloh
On April 6-7th, the Union would fight and win a battle that would grant them access to Mississippi. At the cost of just over 13,000 men, General Grant had procured the Mississippi River. -
Capture of New Orleans
An unexpected attack on New Orleans through the Gulf of Mexico allowed the Union to finally take the city after five days. -
Battle of Seven Pines
In this Virginia battle, General Johnston is injured and replaced by Robert E. Lee. This battle would see neither side achieve victory. -
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Seven Days Battle
Over a seven-day period, General Lee and General McClellan clash in front of Richmond, VA. This battle would be won by the Confederacy. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Confederate army managed a victory under command of General Lee. It would ultimately be remembered for the dent it left in Union morale. -
The Battle of Antietam
The deadliest single-day battle of the war -
Battle of Fredericksburg
Union General Ambrose Burnside suffers defeat at the hands of Lee's army after sacking the city of Fredricksburg. -
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The Battle of Stones River
This Tennessee battle was fought between Confederate General Braxton Bragg and Union General William Rosecrans lasting three days. At the cost of nearly 23,000 total casualties, the Union officially liberated central Tennessee from the Confederacy. -
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln officially declares that all slaves in the south be freed. This declaration would move the Union closer to weakening the Confederacy. -
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Siege of Vicksburg
Under command of General Grant, the Union Army would spend May 18-July 4 attempting to capture the town of Vicksburg, Mississippi. -
Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3)
Generals Lee and Grant engage in a 3-day battle near the town of Gettysburg, PA that would ultimately change the war in the Union's favor. -
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Rioting in New York
The Civil War's drafting system begins to rile up everyday members of the working class, resulting in a 3-day period of rioting. -
Lincoln Delivers the Gettysburg Address
President Abraham Lincoln delivers a legendary 2-minute speech where Gettysburg was fought. In it, he emphasizes how important it is for those living to carry out what the dead started. The Civil War was no longer a conflict exclusively about 'us vs. them' or even morality, but instead a call to live for those who are no longer. -
The Battle of Chattanooga
Chattanooga, Tennessee would be the grounds of this two-day battle that would ultimately see the Union break past Confederate defenses. -
*Lieutenant* General Grant
Following the Battle of Chattanooga, President Lincoln wishes for Ulysses S. Grant to be promoted to lieutenant general, giving him command of all Union armies. -
Battle of the Wilderness
In a battle that yielded nearly 30,000 casualties and no victors, the Union would begin to become offensive and target Richmond, VA. -
The Battle of Wilmington
The Union Army procures Wilmington, North Carolina. This removed the South's most important naval port. -
General Lee Surrenders at Appomattox Court House
General Robert E. Lee finally surrenders his army after realizing nothing could be done for the Confederacy in its current state. -
President Lincoln is Assassinated
At Washington D.C.'s Ford's Theater, John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head and jump from the balcony to escape. -
John Wilkes Booth is Found
Twelve days after Lincoln's assassination, Wilkes Booth is found by Union Soldiers and is killed at the age of 26. -
Jefferson Davis is Captured
Jefferson Davis, former Confederate president, and his wife are captured near Irwinville, Georgia by Union soldiers. -
The Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteenth Amendment, passed by the Senate, outlaws the ownership of slaves in any United States territory. -
The Civil RIghts Act of 1866
This act states that all U.S. citizens are equally protected by federal law, mainly African-Americans. -
The Fourteenth Amendment
States that all those born and/or naturalized in the United States are recognized as citizens by federal law. -
African-American Voting Rights
African-American men are given the right to vote in all U.S. elections. -
The 1867 Reconstruction Act
This law laid the groundwork for Southern readmission into the Union following the Civil War.