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South Carolina secedes
South Carolina seceded from the Union. Followed within two months by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. This was significant becase it carved a pathway for the rest of the Southern states to follow. -
Formation of the Confederate States of America
Davis was named president of the Confederate States of America on February 18, 1861. The Confederate States of America, frequently known as the Confederacy, consisted of Southern states that seceded from the United States. This is significant because it legitimized the Southern states into their own formal government, separating themselves form the United States. Without the Confederacy there would not have been a Civil War. -
Lincoln becomes president
Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th President of the United States of America. -
Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter is significant because it was the opening engagement of the Civil War. Robert Anderson concentrated his units at Fort Sumter. When Lincoln took office, Sumter was 1 of 2 forts in the South still under Union Control. Knowing Lincoln planned to send supplies to reinforce the fort Confederate Beauregard demanded Anderson’s surrender, which was refused. April 12th 1861, Confederate Army began bombarding the fort, which surrendered April 14th. Congress declared war on Confederacy on 15th. -
Battle of Bull Run
Battle at Bull Run, a creek in Northern Virginia, Confederate soldiers charged Union men who were in route to besiege Richmond. Union troops fled back to Washington. Confederates didnt realize their victoy in timeto follow up on it. This battle was significant because it was the first major battle of the Civil War and both sides were ill-prepared. -
Monitor and the Merrimac
Monitor-Union/Merrimac-Confederacy, this is significant becasue it is the first engagement ever between two iorn-clad naval vessels. The two ships battled in a portion of the Chesapeake Bay known as Hamption Roads. Historians use the name of the origional ship Merrimac on whose hull the Southern ironclad was constucted, even though the offical name was CSS Virginia. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederate surprise attack on Gen. Ulysses S. Grant's unprepared troops at Shiloh on the Tennessee River results in a bitter struggle with 13,000 Union killed and wounded and 10,000 Confederates, more men than in all previous American wars combined. The president is then pressured to relieve Grant but dosent give in. This battle was significant because................................................................................................................................................. -
Battle of Antietam
McClellan forces lee back out of Maryland South gives up offensive attack due to lack of resources and man power-last attempt for confederate army to make an offensive move in the war. Antietam was a draw militarily, but was significant due to the fact this battle served as the needed emancipation springboard. The Union lost 2,100 soldiers while the Confederacy lost 1,550. This battle was significant because it led Lincoln to pass the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This was significant becasue the Proclamation issued by Lincoln freed all slaves int e States that has seceded(not border states), after the Northern victory at the Battle of Antietam. Lincoln had no power o enforce the law becase the South had created their own nation with their own government. The Emacipation Proclamation was not enacted until January 1st, 1863. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
General A. E. Burnside, now in charge of the Army of Potomac, ordered his troops to cross the Rappahannock River, where they made a frontal attack on Lee's strong position at Fredericksburg, Virginia. This Confederate win resulted in the loss of 42,00 Confederate soldiers, and about 12650 killed and wounded for the Union. The significance of this battle was that Burnside became in in charge of the Army of Potomac.
