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Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis presents resolutions to the Senate to affirm that the Federal government cannot only prohibit slavery in the territories, but must actually protect slaveholders there.
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The Democratic Party holds its convention in Charleston, SC.
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Former members of the American and Whig parties meet in Baltimore, MD, to form the Constitutional Union party.
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The Republican convention in Chicago nominates Abraham Lincoln as its presidential candidate on the third ballot.
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The Democrat convention in Baltimore, MD, nominates Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois as its presidential candidate
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Abraham Lincoln defeated Hamlin in the 1860 election to become the sixteenth president of the United States. This meant that the south no longer had any political power.
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President James Buchanan, meets with his cabinet to prepare for the annual State of the Union address to Congress.
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Pres. Buchanan delivers his State of the Union message to Congress that has convened on the previous day.
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South Carolina becomes the first of many state to secede from the Union. Without any political power there was no chance for slavery to stay in the Union.
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Pres. Buchanan replies to the South Carolina commisioners saying he cannot and will not withdraw the Federal troops from Charleston.
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Mississippi becomes the second state to secede from the Union.
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Florida is the third state to secede from the Union. Florida's secession happened a day after Mississippi's.
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Alabama becomes the fourth state to secede from the union and becomes the third state to do it in consecutive days.
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Jefferson Davis becomes the first and only president of the Confederate States of America.
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Abraham Lincoln was officially sworn into office on this day.
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Confederates take their first attack towards Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor.
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Fort Sumter is unable to hold off the confederate attack and they are forced to surrender the day after the first shots were fired.
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President Lincoln orders reinforcements after the incident at Charleston Harbor.
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Confederate legislature agrees to move the capital to Richmond, Virginia.
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Virginia finally agrees to secession after popular vote.
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Ulysses S. Grant captures Fort Henry in Tennessee.
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Ten days after the Fort Henry was captured, Grant obtains Fort Donelson and earns the nickname "Unconditional Surrender".
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Abraham Lincoln's eleven year old son dies from fever. Polluted drinking water may have been the cause.
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The Confederates suprised Grant's unsuspecting troop at Shiloh and many union soldiers died from gunfire.
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Seventeen Union ships under the command of Flag Officer David Farragut move up the Mississippi River and take New Orleans.
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General Robert E. Lee assumes command, replacing the wounded Johnston.
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75,000 Federals under General John Pope are defeated by 55,000 Confederates under General Stonewall Jackson and General James Longstreet at the second battle of Bull Run in northern Virginia.
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The bloodiest day in United States military history as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Armies are stopped at Antietam in Maryland by McClellan and numerically superior Union forces. By nightfall 26,000 men are dead, wounded, or missing.
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Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation freeing slaves issued by President Lincoln.
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Army of the Potomac under General Burnside suffers a costly defeat at Fredericksburg in Virginia with a loss of 12,653 men after 14 frontal assaults.
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The Emancipation Proclamation was issued out on this date, immediately freeing 50,000. This proclamation did not outlaw slavery, or help slaves become equal.
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The United States Congress enacts a draft, affecting male citizens aged twenty to forty-five, but also exempts those who pay $300 or provide a substitute.
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The Union Army under General Hooker is decisively defeated by Lee's much smaller forces at the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia as a result of Lee's brilliant and daring tactics.
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After suffering wounds at Chancellorsville, Stonewall Jackson passes away.
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The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, in a very bloody three-day battle.
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Vicksburg, the last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River, surrenders to General Grant and the Army of the West after a six week siege. With the Union now in control of the Mississippi, the Confederacy is effectively split in two.
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Anti-draft riots in New York City include arson and the murder of blacks by poor immigrant whites. At least 120 persons, including children, are killed and $2 million in damage caused, until Union soldiers returning from Gettysburg restore order.
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The president meets with abolitionist Frederick Douglass who pushes for full equality for Union 'Negro troops.'
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The president appoints General Grant to command all operations in the western theater.
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President Lincoln delivers a two minute Gettysburg Address at a ceremony dedicating the Battlefield as a National Cemetery.
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President Lincoln appoints General Grant to command all of the armies of the United States.
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John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head while watching the play "Our American Cousin".
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A costly mistake by Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes during an offensive against fortified Rebels at Cold Harbor in Virginia.
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Union forces miss an opportunity to capture Petersburg and cut off the Confederate rail lines. As a result, a nine month siege of Petersburg begins with Grant's forces surrounding Lee.
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At Atlanta, Sherman's forces battle the Rebels now under the command of General John B. Hood, who replaced Johnston.
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Democrats nominate George B. McClellan for president to run against Republican incumbent Abraham Lincoln.
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Atlanta is captured by Sherman's Army.
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Abraham Lincoln is re-elected president, defeating Democrat George B. McClellan. Lincoln carries all but three states with 55 percent of the popular vote and 212 of 233 electoral votes.
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After destroying Atlanta's warehouses and railroad facilities, Sherman, with 62,000 men begins a March to the Sea.
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Hood's Rebel Army of 23,000 is crushed at Nashville by 55,000 Federals.
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Sherman reaches Savannah in Georgia leaving behind a 300 mile long path of destruction 60 miles wide all the way from Atlanta.
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The U.S. Congress approves the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, to abolish slavery. The amendment is then submitted to the states for ratification.
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Inauguration ceremonies for President Lincoln in Washington.
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Grant's forces begin a general advance and break through Lee's lines at Petersburg. Confederate General Ambrose P. Hill is killed
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President Lincoln tours Richmond.
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Robert E. Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox.
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President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865. His murderer was the famous actor John Wilkes Booth, who shot him (April 14th) in the back of the head at Ford's Theater.
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Confederate General Joseph E. Johnston surrenders to Sherman near Durham in North Carolina.
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Shortly after John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln, he was caught hiding and was shot and killed by Thomas Corbett.
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Abraham Lincoln is laid to rest in Oak Ridge Cemetery, outside Springfield, Illinois.
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The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, passed by Congress on January 31, 1865, is finally ratified. Slavery is abolished.
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New Freedman's Bureau bill passed by Congress.
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Texas repeals the actions of the Secessionist Convention.
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President Johnson vetos the Civil Rights Act of 1866 on the grounds that it was unconstitutional.
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Congress overrides President Andrew Johnson's veto of the Civil Rights Act.
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Thirty-ninth Congress approves the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.
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Congress creates the rank of Admiral. David Farragut is appointed to that rank.
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The U. S. Secret Service begins an investigation into the Ku Klux Klan.
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President Andrew Johnson formally declares that the war is over.
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A proclaimation of peace with Texas is issued by United States President Andrew Johnson.
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On the 6th anniversary of secession, South Carolina rejects the 14th Amendment.
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Blacks in Washington D. C. gain the right to vote in a bill passed over President Andrew Johnson's veto.
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Nebraska becomes a state.
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Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act, denying the right of the President to remove officials who had been appointed with the consent of Congress.
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Alexandria, Virginia rejects thousand of votes cast by Negroes, who were granted universal suffrage under the Reconstruction Act.
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Congress passes the 2nd Reconstruction Act over Andrew Johnson's veto.
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Senate ratifies treaty purchasing Alaska.
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House Select Committee on Reconstruction is appointed.
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President Andrew Johnson demands the resignation of Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War.
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Ulysses S. Grant becomes ad interim Secretary of War.
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Russia turns over Alaska to the United States.
