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Description of Time Period of Civil War
A civil war fought from 1861 to 1865 between the United States (the "Union" or the "North") and several Southern slave states that had declared their secession and formed the Confederate States of America. The war was started over the issue of slavery and, after four years of bloody combat (mostly in the South), the Confederacy was defeated, slavery was abolished, and the difficult Reconstruction process of restoring unity and guaranteeing rights to the freed slaves began -
Abraham Lincoln is elected president.
Lincoln received 40% of the popular vote and won 59% of the Electoral votes. He was not even on the ballot in the deep south. -
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Civil War
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South Carolina secedes from the Union
Followed within two months by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. -
Fort Sumter Attacked
At 4:30 a.m. Confederates under Gen. Pierre Beauregard open fire with 50 cannons upon Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War begins. -
Virginia secedes from the Union
Followed within five weeks by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, thus forming an eleven state Confederacy with a population of 9 million, including nearly 4 million slaves -
First Battle of Bull Run
The Union Army under Gen. Irvin McDowell suffers a defeat at Bull Run 25 miles southwest of Washington. Confederate Gen. Thomas J. Jackson earns the nickname "Stonewall," as his brigade resists Union attacks. -
Confederate Army Calls for Men
All men between the ages of 18 and 35 must serve in the army. -
Seven Days Battle begins
The Seven Days Battles as Lee attacks McClellan near Richmond, resulting in very heavy losses for both armies. McClellan then begins a withdrawal back toward Washington. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Union led by General John Pope was defeated at Bull Run Creek while trying to reach Richmond. The Union army retreat to Washington. -
Lincoln issues Emancipation Proclamation
President issued a proclamation freeing all the slaves in the South. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
May 1-4, 1863 - The Union Army under Gen. 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. Confederate Gen. Stonewall Jackson is killed by his own soldiers. -
Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-3, 1863 - The tide of war turns against the South as the Confederates are defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania -
Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers a two minute Gettysburg Address at a ceremony dedicating the Battlefield as a National Cemetery. -
Cold Harbor
A costly mistake by Grant results in 7,000 Union casualties in twenty minutes at Cold Harbor in Virginia. -
Lincoln Reelected
Lincoln was reelected President for a second term. -
13th Amendement
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. -
Peace Conference
A peace conference occurs as President Lincoln meets with Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens at Hampton Roads in Virginia, but the meeting ends in failure - the war will continue. -
General Lee
Lee became general in chief of the South -
Lincoln Assassinated
On Good Firday, April 14 Lincoln was assassinated. He was attending a performance at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D. C. The assisin was and actor named John Wilkes Booth. After twelve days of running Booth was fatally shot. -
Andrew Johnson becomes president
President Abraham Lincoln dies at 7:22 in the morning. Vice President Andrew Johnson assumes the presidency -
War Ends
Remaining Confederate forces surrender. The Nation is reunited as the Civil War ends. Over 620,000 Americans died in the war, with disease killing twice as many as those lost in battle. 50,000 survivors return home as amputees. -
WV Next Generation Standards
SS.5.H.CL1.3 summarize key battles, strategies & turning points of Civil War
