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The Confederate States of America is Formed
South Carolina was the first state to break away from the United States. To follow South Carolina was Mississippi, Flordia, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Together they formed the Confederate States of America. Without the Confederacy, the Civil war wouldn't have occured. -
Abraham Lincoln Elected President (First term)
Abraham Lincoln took office on March 4th 1861. He said in his inaugural address that U.S. citizens have the right to change their government, but he believed that slavery was wrong. He believed that the southeren states didn't have the right to leave the country. Also, he had no intentions of ending slavery. His intentions were different than his actions in the end, though. -
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The Civil War
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Attack on Fort Sumter
The Confederate troops attacked South Carolina with out warning. The battle of Fort sumter was the mark of the begginning of the Civil war. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War. The Confederates took the victory for this battle and shattered the Norths thoughts of winning this war quickly. -
First (Union) Conscription Act
This act was the first war draft that the U.S. had to put into action. This draft called all men ages 20 to 45. It also called aleins if they were able to become a citizen by Apirl 1st. Now the Union would have an army. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Union, led by Ulysses S. Grant, victored over the confederacy, led by A.S. Johnston at the Battle of Shiloh in Tenessee. The Union gained greater control of the Mississippi River Valley. -
The Battle of Seven Pines
This battle went through June 1, 1862. The Union was under Major General George McClellan and the Confederacy was under Joseph E. Johnston. As both sides continually added more and more troops into action, the Federal position finally became stabalized. On June 1, the Confederates renewed their assaults against the Federals. Both sides claimed victory, so the result was inconclusive. Johnston, of the Confederates, was wounded and replaced by Robert E. Lee, who newly led the Confederate army. -
The Seven Days Battles
The Seven days battle was another victory for the Confederates. This battle gave the South a lot of hope for the war. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest single day battle of the Civil War. The Union won and Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclomation as a result of the Battle. -
Emancipation Proclamation
This was issued on September 22, 1862. However it didn't go into effect until January 1, 1863. It was a military order written by Abraham Lincoln. It freed the slaves only in areas controlled by the Confederacy. However, it was impossible for the federal government to enforce it in the places it was applied: the states in rebellion that weren't under federal control. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
At the Battle of Chancellorsiville the Confederates took the victory.This was the second bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Jackson (of the Confederacy) was serverly injured. -
Siege of Vicksburg
This siege lasted until July 4, 1863. It was the first major military action of the Vicksburg campaign. The Confederates, under John C. Pemberton, surrendered. It took place in Warren County, Mississippi and the Union, under Ulysses S. Grantt, won. -
West Virginia becomes a State
West Virginia became a state June 20, 1863. It was a major border state in the begining of the war but eventullly became a part of the Union. -
Battle of Gettysburg
This battle was a major turning point in the Civil War. This was a huge victory for the Union and a great loss for the Confederate army. It was the farthest north that the Confederate troops invaded throughout the Civil War. The Confederates suffered a loss of their vital stronghold on the Mississippi River and as a result, the Confederacy was split in half. The Union won and Ulysses S. GRant's success led him to General in Chief of Union armies. -
Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln gave this speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He mentioned that, "the world will little note... what we say here." However, some now say the speech was more important than the battle itself. It was a short speech, only 10 sentences. He basically summed up the consequences of the Civil War and stressed that the people who died in Gettysburg at the battle must be remembered. -
Battle of Chattanooga
Tthe Battle of Chattanooga ended in a Union Victory. It contained three battles, the First Battle of Chattanooga, the Second Battle of Chattanooga, and the Chattanooga Campaign. The battles took place in or near Chattanooga, Tenessee. In the final battle, Union Major General Ulysses S. Grant defeated Confederate General Braxton Bragg. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
This was the final battle won by Confederate General Robert E. Lee. It destroyed morale of Union troops (under Major General Ulysses S. Grant) and ended in a Confederate Victory. -
The Siege of Petersburg
The Confederates won this Siege of Petersburg. Lee was deperate and needed supplies and food for his troops and finally yieled to the Union. However, the Confederates ended up winning, at a high cost though. The Confederates had lost a vital piece of the Weldon Railroad and from this point on they were able to transport supplies by railroad only as far north as Stony Creek Depot, 16 miles south of Petersburg -
Lincoln is Re-Elected President (Second Term)
On November 8, President Abraham Lincoln (National Union Party) won the presidential election for the second time. He had 212 electoral votes, and won the popular vote with 2,218,388, while his opposition, George McClellan, of the democratic party, had only 1,812,807 votes. -
Assassination of President Lincoln
John Wilkes Booth, a famous actor, who was also a Confederate supporter, shot Abraham Lincoln in Ford Theater in Washington, D.C. The fatal attack occured just five days after Robert E. Lee surrendered, ending the Civil War.
