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Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions Written
http://www.isil.org/resources/usdocs/va-ky-resolutions.htmlThese resolutions were secretly written by James Maddison and Thomas Jefferson. They wrote these resolutions regarding the rights of the states to declare any acts of Congress unconstitutional. In the Kentucky resolutions, it was argued that each individual state has the right to declare any Congress act unconstitutional and void it. The Virginia resolutions say that the states have the right to prevent harm from any unconstitutional acts. -
Hartford Convention Meets During War of 1812
http://civilwar.bluegrass.net/secessioncrisis/hartfordconvention.htmlThe Hartford Convention was a convention that met during the War of 1812. The purpose of this convention was for the states to meet to discuss their rights. Many people did not like the war that was occuring at the time so they held the Hartford Convention. At this convention they created some ammendments to the Constitution that would change how President Madison ruled at the time. By the time these ammendments got to Washington however, the war had already ended. -
Missouri Compromise
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Missouri.html
The Missouri Compromise was the law that was passed that made Missouri a slave state. It became the only slave state in the Louisiana Territory. The Missouri Compromise made Maine a non-slave state and it no longer belonged to Massachusetts.This compromise created a balance of votes between slave and non-slave states in the senate. -
Tariff of Abominations Passed
http://wiki.mises.org/wiki/Tariff_of_1828The Tariff of Abominations (or Tariff of 1828) was passed by the United States Congress in 1828. This tariff was for the purpose of protecting taxes and raising the cost of imported goods. Unlike many of the previous tariffs, this one had an extremley high tax rate of almost 50 percent of imported goods. This improved some of the industries in the north but it was not good for the south. This is why the southerners gave it the nickname "Tariff of Abominations". -
South Carolina tries to nullify
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/ordnull.aspDuring the Presidency of Andrew Jackson, South Carolina attempted to nullify the Tariff of Abominations. South Carolina was particularly affected by the Tariff and decided that they were not going to implement the laws in the state and instead they declared the law unconstitutional and tried to get the federal government to void it. This was considered a crisis. -
Abolition of Slavery Act
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Lslavery33.htm
The abolition of slavery act was an act passed in the United Kingdom during 1833. This got rid of slavery throughout all of Britain. Although this act was intended for all slaves, it had the most affect on all slaves that were below the age of six. This also had a compensation law that allowed the slaveholder so be repayed for the loss of their slaves or their "property". -
Texas Declares Independence from Mexico
http://www.tshaonline.org/day-by-day/30565
After the Texas war for Indpendence in 1835, the people of Texas wanted independence from Mexico. This drove them to create a document, much like the Declaration of Independence that would declare Texas's independence from Mexico. 54 delegates met from each settlement in Texas and they gathered to approve the new constitution. -
James Polk Elected
http://ncpedia.org/biography/polk-james
James Polk was the 11th president of the United States. He was elected as president in 1844 in a surprising victory over Henry Clay. Polk was known for his success with foreign countries and was a good president leading up to the civil war. He also led America in the Mexican-American War which ended up in a victory and gave America most of the south west.To this day he remains a great president. -
Mexican War
http://dig.lib.niu.edu/mexicanwar/overview.htmlThis war was a war between the Mexicans and Americans. It started over the annexing of Texas because Mexico considered Texas their own territory. During this war, as the Mexicans and Americans battled, we gained land including that of New Mexico. The war was led by James Polk. Although new land was good, it caused probelms between the north and the south about slave land. -
Wilmot Proviso
http://www.ushistory.org/us/30a.asp
A legislation introduced by David Wilmot that said that slavery will not occur in any of the land that was gained during the Mexican American War. Wilmot wanted a place where white men would not have to compete with slave labor. This Proviso however, was regected by the government because it could not get enough votes in the senate. This disappointed the northerners who thought that it was unfair. -
California Enters the Union
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=23856
During 1848, the Mexicans and Americans signed a treaty that ended the war between the two. In this treaty, the United States was given California. While searching California, a lot of gold was found. Many people moved to California so there was a need for government there. This allowed California to be admitted into the union as a free, non-slave state in 1850. -
Fugitive Slave Law Enacted
http://www.nationalcenter.org/FugitiveSlaveAct.html
The Fugitive Slave law, was a law passed by Congress in 1850. This law stated that if any federal marshall did not arrest a runaway slave they could be fined. Also, anyone suspected of being a slave could be arrested without warrant, anyone harboring a slave could be imprisoned and anybody capturing a runaway slave will be given a reward. -
Publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin"
http://specialcollections.vassar.edu/exhibits/stowe/essay2.html"Uncle Tom's Cabin" otherwise known as "Life Among the Lowly" was published in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This novel consisted of an anti-slavery theme. It is about a slave that has suffered a tough life of slavery. It really depicts the hardships of slavery during that period of time. Many people were excited about this book and over 300,000 copies were sold the first year. -
Formation of Republican Party
http://www.ushistory.org/gop/origins.htmThe Republican Party emerged in 1854 after the repeal of the Missouri acts and the implementation of the Kansas-Nebraska act. The republican party had a goal of countering the Kansas-Nebraska acts. This meant that the people of the north were almost completley republican while there was almost no trace of republicans in the south. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Passed
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=28
The Kansas-Nebraska Act, is an act that repealled the Missouri Acts that said slavery could not expand above the borderline of Missouri. It also seperated the territory of Missouri into two states, Kansas and Nebraska. Many new settlers now rushed into Kansas to try and turn it to be a slave or non-slave state. This caused many problems for the states. -
"Border Ruffians" Attack Lawrence
http://www.ushistory.org/us/31c.asp
The city of Lawrence was the center of the anti-slavery movement in Kansas during 1856. The government was going to force the people of Lawrence to move and they were going to comply. This was not enough for some who despised the anti-slave group. They took 800 soldiers and stormed Lawrence and destroyed the town including two newspaper buildings. -
Charles Sumner Attacked
http://www.ushistory.org/us/31e.asp
Charles Sumner was a senator of Massachusetts during the attack on Lawrence. He was a strict republican and anti-slave activist so he had some heated words to say about the attack of Lawrence. Unfortunatley, a representative Preston Brooks took offence to what Sumner said and decided to teach him a lesson. Brooks went to Sumner and beat him over the head with a cane multiple times. -
Pottawatomie Creek
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/hns/kansas/jbrown.html
On the evening of May 24, 1856, a man named John Brown and a group of men who were free state men, or anti-slave activists, murdered 5 men along Pottawatomie Creek. These men that were murdered were supportive of slavery. These killings caused the people of Kansas to go crazy and the civil war was soon to begin. -
Dred Scott Decision Announced
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=334
Dred Scott was an African American slave who sued his owner for his and his wifes freedom. His claim was that he was always a slave but he had been living in a state where slavery was illegal. Scott was outvoted 7 to 2 and lost the case, but it will forever be known as the "Dred Scott Decision". -
Lecompton Constitution
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/207409The Lecompton Constitution was the second constitution that was created in an attempt to control Kansas. This constitution was written by activists that supported slavery. It said that slavery would be allowed in Kansas. No free black people were allowed to live in Kansas, and only men would be elligable to vote. This constitution was boycotted by the people of Kansas that opposed slavery. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/debates.html
These debates were between Abraham Lincoln (before he was president) and Stephen Douglas. These debates consisted about mostly slavery. Both men had numerous debates at different times and places. These debates became very popular because people were so contreversal on slavery. After these debates there was intense newspaper coverage so that everyone could know the result of the debate -
Raid at Harpers Ferry
http://www.wvculture.org/history/jnobrown.html
The raid at Harpters Ferry was led by anti-slave activist John Brown. He led a group of followers to the United States Arsenal and Armory in Virginia. His goal was to capture the weapons and lead a slave revolt. This revolt failed however, because the slaves did not follow like John Brown anticipated. Brown was caught and sentenced to death after the raid. -
Democrats Split in 1860
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2136In 1860, at the time of the election for new president, the democratic party was divided on who to support. The issue that divided them was slavery. This created the Northern Democratic party, who opposed slavery, and Southern Democrats, who supported slavery. In the election, Stephen Douglass represented the northern democrats and John Breckinridge represented the south -
Formation of Constitutional Union Party
http://www.course-notes.org/parties/Constitutional_Union_PartyThe Constitutional Union party was a convention held in Baltimore on May 9, 1860. This party was created over the upcoming election for president in 1860. This party consisted of people who wanted to find a resoultion to the debate on slavery. John Bell was nominated president and Edward Everett was nominated vice president. -
Election of 1860
http://www.wvculture.org/history/statehood/statehood02.html
After the raid at Harpers Ferry, America was in chaos and there was a need for a great leader. The election of 1860 would decide who would become the next president. This election was crucial for America prior to the Civil War. The election was split between democrats and republicans. Abraham Lincoln, a repbulican, won the election. -
South Carolina Secedes
http://www.tulane.edu/~sumter/Dilemmas/DDec20.html
After Abraham Lincoln was elected as president of the United States, many of the lower south states were worried about their slaves. They did not want Lincoln to take away any their slaves and make them free. They figured this would be his first act. This led many of the lower south states to leave the country. South Carolina was first to decide to leave. Many left after. -
Abraham Lincoln Innagurated
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/education/inaugural1.htmOn this day in 1861 Abraham Lincoln was sworn into office as president. This day was significant to many of the other states in the union and it led to the succession of many of them in the lower south. On this day Abraham Lincoln made a famous speech about his future presidency. Lincoln won the election in the electoral college. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fort-sumter.htmlThis attack was a bombing of Fort Sumter near Charleston South Carolina. After the lower south states seceded the nation, they demanded that the U.S army left the facilites at Charleston Harbor. Abraham Lincoln did not want to and commanded the govenor of South Carolina to abandon Charleston Harbor because he was bringing in ships. When they would not leave the Confederates bombed the harbor. This was the first act of the Civil War. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders Commission
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/LettersWinfiedScott.htmShortly after the battle of Fort Sumter, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders his commission as General of the U.S army. Lee was offered position as the commanding general of the Union army but he declined. Instead he resigned and returned to his home state of Virginia. Although Virginia had seceded and Lee was opposed to succession he still returned to Virginia where he was offered commander of the military and naval forces. -
Virginia Secedes
http://www.vahistorical.org/sva2003/confederates.htmAfter the sucession of many states, the state of Virginia was unsure of whether or not to join the seceding lower south states, or stay with the nation. Virginia was unsure so they held a special seccession convention to decide what they would do. This convention began in February of 1861. By the end of the convention they had decided to secede the nation. -
1st Battle of Bull Run
http://library.thinkquest.org/3055/netscape/battles/bullrun.htmlThis battle was fought in Prince William County Virginia. It started when Union troops advanced across Bull Run towards Confederate troops. At first the Confederates were at a disadvantage because they had been planning to attack the Union, but soon reinforcements arrived. Soon the Confederates sent strong attacks on the Union troops and drove them back to Washington D.C. This battle was a draw, but it showed how long the Civil War could possibly last. -
Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimac
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/monitor-merrimac.htm
A naval battle of the Civil war in which two ships called the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia confronted eachother for the first time. Both of these ships were armored ships also known as ironclad ships. This battle took place at Hampton Roads in Virginia and only lasted two days. -
Battle of Shiloh
http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/tn003.htmA major battle of the American Civil War that took place on the western front. Union general U.S Grant had taken the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee. There he was attacked by Confederate forces. On the first day the Confederates were successful, but they were not as successful on the second day. By the end of the battle, the Union army had driven the Confederate army back. -
McClellan Returns to Washington after the Peninsula Campaign
http://www.ronie-mooney-encs.us/civil_war/McClellan's_Retreat.html
Union General McClellan had taken his army on what is known as the Peninsula Campaign, where he led his army around the Virginia Peninsula and won a battle at Yorktown. Confederate general Robert E Lee knew that McClellan wanted to protect his men and if his army was outnumbered he would retreat. He tricked McClellan into retreating. -
2nd Battle of Bull Run
http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va026.htm
A victory for the Confederates during the Civil War. General John Pope launched a series of attacks on the army of General Stonewall Jackson. These attacks led to heavy casualties on both sides. Soon reieforcements came for General Jackson but Pope continued his attacks. He was quickly counterattacked and driven back to Bull Run and forced to retreat. -
Battle of Antietam
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/antietam.html
This battle was between Robert E. Lee's and George B. McClellan's armies. They fought in Sharpsburg Maryland. The Union side had an advantage in numbers but the Confederacy still fought well. It was technically a draw but the Union claimed to have the victory. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/fredericksburg.html
This battle lasted from December 11th to the 15th. It was the first major river crossing battle in the Civil War. This battle started when national troops started to make bridges across the Rappahannock river. They were quickly attacked and under fire which sparked the battle. By the end, the Confederates occupied Fredericksburg. -
Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/emancipate.htmThe Emancipation Proclamation was what ended slavery in the rebelling states. This document freed all of the slaves that were still under slavery as of January 1st 1863. This, in reality, freed no slaves because the states that were rebelling considered themselves out of the union. This document actually meant that slavery would end when those areas were recaptured and were part of the union again. This document was also a tactic by Abe Lincoln to make foreign aid impossible for the Confederates -
Battle of Chancellorsville
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/chancellorsville.html
After crossing the Rappahannock the confederate army commanded by Gen. Hooker set up their base near Chancellorsville. Fighting soon broke out between Hooker's army and the army of Robert E. Lee. Lee managed to drive Hooker back across the Rappahannock. This battle is considered his greatest victory. -
Battle of Gettysburg
http://library.thinkquest.org/3055/graphics/experience/battles/gettysburg.htmlThis battle was fought in the town of Gettysburg Pennsylvania. It had the largest amount of casualties in the Civil War and can be considered a turning point in the war. This is because Union General George Gordon Meades defeated Confederate General Robert E. Lee's army and halted his invasion of the north. -
Surrender of Vicksburg
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_vicksburg.htmlThe Mississippi River was one of the most important in the United States. Vicksburg was a town that was located along the Mississippi and it was controlled by the Confederate army so that no Union ships could pass through. U.S Grant, a Union General, marched on Vicksburg and attacked. The confederates were weak in their fighting and needed reinforcements that did not come. The Union forces were too strong for the Confederates and they were forced to surrender the city. -
Battle at Fort Wagner
http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_fort_wagner.htmlThis battle took place on Morris Island at Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. It occured when the Confederates attacked the Union army at Charleston Harbor. In the battle only 12 Confederates were lost while 339 Union lives were lost. This led to a second attack on July 18th which was even more significant. -
Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address
http://myloc.gov/exhibitions/gettysburgaddress/Pages/default.aspxOn this day at a dedication of a military cemetary in Gettysburg Pennsylvania, Abraham Lincoln delivered one of the most famous speeches in history. The Battle of Gettysburg had already been fought a few months earlier and it was one of the bloodiest battles of the civil war. It was also a significant defeat for Robert E. Lee and his army. Lincoln made a touching speech about this battle which also had to do with the Civil War being a struggle for freedom and equality for all. -
Grant displays fighting style at Cold Harbor
http://www.nps.gov/hps/abpp/battles/va062.htmThe battle at Cold Harbor was fought between Union General U.S Grant and Confederate General Robert E Lee at Cold Harbor in Virginia. It is remembered as one of Americas most bloody, yet lopsided battles in history. The battle lasted from May 31st to June 12 when Grant and his army advanced to the James River. Him and his army crossed the river. -
Atlanta Burns to the Ground
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-generals/sherman/memoirs/general-sherman-burning-atlanta.htmAtlanta was an important city during the Civil War. Although it was relativly small in population, it still was an important rail and commercial center for the country. It was also the target of the Atlanta Campaign by the Union army. In September of 1864 Atlanta was the center of many battles. On September 7th of 1864, the population was ordered to evacuate the city and Atlanta was destroyed. This victory of Atlanta gave the Union a confidence boost and it led to the re-election of Abe Lincoln. -
Sherman Reaches Savannah
http://www.sonofthesouth.net/union-generals/sherman/memoirs/general-sherman-savannah-pocotaligo.htmUnion General William Sherman and his army had marched fourty miles through South Carolina and had finally reached Savannah, Georgia. During his march he tried to start a campaign against Confederate resources. He got permission from General Grant and so him and 62,000 men marched to Savannah destroying everything that had to do with Confederate military in their path. When he reached Savannah he enocuntered an army of 10,000 men but his soon conquered it. -
Sherman Sets Out for the Sea
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/marshall/country/country-VII-90.htmlAfter the fall of Atlanta in 1864, General Sherman moved his army towards the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout this march Sherman dedicated his time to chasing down Confederate troops. Along the way he was joined by runaway slaves that had nowhere to go. He marched his army through the month of December and on December 22 he reached Savannah where he stayed until the end of January. -
Lincoln Delivers 2nd Inaugural Address
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/inaug2.htm
After completing a term of four years as president, Abraham Lincoln was re-elected to serve another four years. Although he would be assassinated before he got the chance to do this, he still made his second inaugural addresst to the nation. In his address, Lincoln spoke about the war and the necessity of it.He does not go into much detail. -
Richmond, the Confederate Capital Falls
http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/warfare-and-logistics/warfare/richmond.htmlUnion General U.S Grant had been unsuccessfully trying to capture Richmond the capital of the Confederates. He saw his opening to attack when Confederate General Robert E. Lee made an attack on Fort Stedman. At this time Grant conducted a major offensive attack against Richmond. This attack started on April 1st and by April 3rd the union army had entered and taken over Richmond. -
Surrender at Appomattox
http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/appomattox-courthouse.htmlBy the end of the war, General Robert E. Lee's army was worn out and surrounded by General Grant's army. He realized that he had no other choice but to surrender. On April 9th 1865, Lee and Grant met in the Appomattox Courthouse for two and a half hours. This meeting was the meeting that ended the civil war, one of the bloodiest wars in the United States history.
