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States Begin Seceding from the Union
When Abraham Lincoln was elected as president, southern states began seceding. South Carolina was the first to disolve their bond with the Union. -
The Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major Battle of the Civil War and the Confederates walked away as the victors. -
The Battle of Shiloh
This battle on Tennessee soil emerged with the Uinion victorious. -
Draft Laws
The Confederacy passed a draft law, which meant all white men ages 17 to 50 would have to fight for the Confederates. Later, the Union passed a similar law which covered men between the ages of 20 and 45. -
The Battle of Antietam
This deadly battle had no clear victor, but when the Confederacy retreated, the Union claimed the victory. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln's document stated that as of January 1, 1863, slavery would be illegal. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
This three-day battle left both sides in devastation. The Confederacy and the Union suffered from more than 28,000 casualties and 23,000 casualties respectively. -
The Fall of Vicksburg
After their devastating losses at Gettysburg, the Union began a siege of Vicksburg, a city filled with Confederate troops. After six weeks of this military capture, the Confederates surrendered Vicksburg to the Union. -
The Gettysburg Address
People of the Union gathered on the battlefield months after Gettysburg to remeber the soldiers lost there. Lincoln gave a speech that predicted a great Union victory. -
The Surrender at Appomattox
After Union soldiers broke through their opponent's front lines, the Confederacy surrendered to the Union, ending the Civil War.
