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The Compromise of 1850
This compromise allowed California to be admitted into the Union as a free state while slavery would be open in new territories. -
Fugitive Slave Act
This act was strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 by enforcing harsh penalties on slaves who ran away. People who also aided and harbored slaves faced harsh penalties. -
"The Meaning of Fourth of July for the Negro"
Fredrick Douglass delivered this speech, and it was about why blacks should celebrate Fourth of July when they did not gain from it. -
1854 Ostend Manifesto
Plantation owners attempted to acquire Cuba from Spain by force or seizure. -
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
This act allowed for the territory to be split into Kansas and Nebraska and repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1850, which banned slavery north of Missouri. This act allowed the people of these territories to vote on whether or not they wanted slavery. -
Bleeding Kansas
Pro-slavery supporters began raided the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Kansas and burned down buildings and robbed shops. John Brown led 4 of his sons to a pro-slavery village and brutally murdered 5 men. -
The Republican Party
Whigs, free soilers, former democrats, and Know-Nothings formed this new party that was against slavery. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
A slave named Dred Scott sued for his freedom because his master brought him to the free state of Illinois which prohibited slavery. The court disagreed with him, and stated that black people had no rights. -
The Election of 1860
Democrats could not decide on who they wanted to run for president, so the party split into two. This caused the Republican nominee, Abraham Lincoln, to win the election of 1860. -
South Carolina and other states secede
After the nomination of Lincoln, South Carolina was the first state to secede on Dec 12, 1860, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and eventually the rest of the southern states. -
The Crittenden Plan
John J. Crittenden created this plan to help states stop seceding. This plan stated that the government had no right to abolish slavery in states and The Missouri Compromise line would be extended to the Pacific. -
Women in the Civil War
Women played an important part in the Civil War. Most of them were nurses which helped treat injured or sick soldiers. Dorothea Dix and Clara Barton marched in Washington to demand the Union to let them help fight in the war. -
The Anaconda Plan
This plan was created by Winfield Scott, and he thought that if he blocked all confederate ports with his ships, then the south's economy would crumble and they would surrender. He thought this would help end the war. -
Lincoln Becomes President
On March 4, 1861, Lincoln became the first republican nominee to become President. He was the 16th president and wanted to reunite the nation. -
The Attack at Fort Sumter
After South Carolina seceded, the union still controlled Fort Sumter, and the Confederate government wanted control. After 2 days of fighting, the union finally surrendered on April 14, 1861. -
The Battle of Bull Run
This was the first real battle between the Union and Confederate forces. The Union attacked the Confederates by a small creek called Bull Run. The Confederates were victorious but both sides had heavy amounts of casualties. -
The Civil War was a New Kind of War
Since technology made significant advancements, this caused the Civil war to be much deadlier than any other war. New rifles caused many more casualties than the regular musket. -
The Differences between the North and the South
Both the Union and the Confederacy had different geographic advantages. The Union had a greater population and more factories, while the Confederacy fought the war on their land and could pay their expenses with their profits from cotton. -
Legal Tender Act
Congress passed this bill in 1862, and it replaced bank currencies with one national currency that could be used anywhere in the north. -
The Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh was an important battle over control of Corinth railroads. The Union won the battle but lost 13,000 men compared to 10,000 men lost by the Confederacy. -
The Homestead Act
This bill was signed into law in 1862 and it gave public land grants to small farmers. -
The Seven Days' Battle
General Robert E. Lee brought his army to Richmond to protect the Capital. Lee forced the Union to retreat and he was successful in protecting the capital. -
The Battle of Antietam
The Second Battle at Bull Run took place during the Civil War, which was the bloodiest battle ever in American history at the time. More than 23,000 soldiers were killed in this battle. -
The Battle of Fredricksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg occurred in December of 1862. The confederacy won this battle. -
Emancipation Proclomation
Abraham Lincoln issued this document on January 1, 1863 that stated that all slaves were freed in confederate states. This document also allowed blacks to fight in the Union army. -
African Americans join the fight
The 54th Massachusetts regiment was the first african american regiment to fight in the Civil War. The Massachusetts governor called on black men to join the war so over 1,000 men joined. -
The Conscription Act
Men in the north between ages 20-45 were drafted into the war, but they could pay 300 dollars to exempt themselves from military service. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
The Battles of Gettysburg was a major battle fought between the Union and the Confederacy. Over 51,000 died and it resulted in a Union victory. -
The Battle of Vicksburg
The Battle of Vicksburg resulted in a union win and was a momentum boost for the union. This battle split the Confederacy in half. -
The Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivered a speech at the Battle of Gettysburg to create a memorial for all the soldiers who lost their lives there. -
The Heart of the South Falls
General William T. Sherman captured Atlanta in September of 1864. This was important victory for the union because it stopped rail service throughout the south. -
Camp Elmira
Camp Elmira first opened its doors on July 6, 1864 in New York. Camp Elmira held almost 2x its regular capacity. -
13th Amendment
This amendment ended and prohibited slavery in all U.S. states. -
The effect of the Civil War`
Both sides struggled financially and physically. In the south, the economy was destroyed and in the north, many people died. -
Special Field Order No. 15
General William T. Sherman issued this and it gave African Americans over 400,000 acres in the Sea Islands. Andrew Johnson would later overturn this order and prohibit settlement in this land. -
Presidential Reconstruction
President Andrew Johnson created this plan and it forced Confederate states to ratify 13th Amendment. -
The End of the Civil War
Robert E. Lee met Ulysses Grant in the Appomattox Court House. Robert E. lee then surrendered and agreed to Grants terms. -
Lincoln Assassinated
While watching a play in the Ford Theater, John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the head and would die the next morning. -
The Start of the Ku Klux Klan
Nathan Bedford Forrest was the leader of this group, and it was intended to be a social club. After blacks gained the rights to vote, their main message was to harm African Americans. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
This bill was created by republicans and it gave blacks full equality and citizenship. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
This bill limited the acts that Andrew Johnson could do against Reconstruction. -
President Ulysses S. Grant
General Grant was the nomination for the republican party and was victorious in the 1868 election due to African American help. -
The 15th Amendment
Republicans passed this bill after the Election of 1868. This bill stated that your race, color of poll taxes could not restrict you from voting. -
Panic of 1873
An economic failure occurred in 1873 due to bank and railroad failures, and many lost their jobs for 6 years, putting the country into a small depression. -
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 was a major deal between republicans and democrats. This deal stated that if democrats recognized that Rutherford B. Hayes won the Election of 1876, then federal troops would leave the south immediately and reconstruction would end.