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The Liberator Goes Into Print
This newspaper was started by a white abolitionist named William Lloyd Garrison. He objected a slow-pace end to slavery. He wanted it to end immediately. His newspaper was heard, and he attracted enough people to start an Anti-slavery Society in New England. By 1832, Garrisons groups had branched to over 1,000 local branches. -
Compromise of 1850 Passed
This plan was proposed by Henry Clay. It said California would be a free state, and any new territories would have no limits on slavery. Also, the slave trade would be illegal in Washington D.C. but slavery itself would remain legal. Senator Stephan A. Douglas helped pass the plan by dividing it into parts. The Fugitive Slave Act was also passed.This said that anyone helping a slave escape can be fined or imprisoned. Congress had a heated debate, and the plan was passed January 29, 1850. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin Published
This book was wrote by Harriet Beecher Stowe. She wrote it to show the horrible things that happen in slavery. This book was very popular, and many people agreed with it. Over 300,000 copies were sold in it's first year of being public. The South thought otherwise, and the book was banned in the South. -
Kansas Nebraska Act Passed
This Act passed citizens to use "Popular Sovereignty" to decide wether slavery would be allowed within the states boarders. The problem was that it overturned the Missouri act by betraying the latitude between free and slave territory. Many issues arose between pro-slavey and anti-slavery, leading to a time of violence known as Bleeding Kansas. -
James Buchanan Sworn Into Office
Buchanan tried to remain peace between pro-slavery, and anti-slavery. He tried to end the problems inKansas by urging it to apply as a slave state. The North and South Democratic party split, each nominating their candidate for the next presidential election. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was born a slave in Virginia around 1800. He was brought into free territory- Wisconsin and Illinois- by his master. After many years, he went to court arguing he was free. This made it all the way up the supreme court. The final ruling was that he was colored and therefor could not bring forth a case. He was also considered property. After the case a family friend bought him and his family to freedom. The north was outraged, while the south was satisfied. -
John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry
John Brown supported arming enslaved people with weapons. John lead a group of people to a raid. This happened at Harpers Ferry. He targeted a federal arsenal, and abolitionists paid for the raid. Local citizens and federal troops defeated his raid. Some people apposed his violence, while some saw him as a martyr. -
Lincoln Elected sixteenth President
Lincoln only received forty percent of the popular vote, but beat three other candidates. When Lincoln had taken office, seven states had already seceded. The very first day Lincoln took office he got a letter saying Fort Sumter was running low on supplies, and the Confederates demanded they surrounded. Only one month after his presidency, the civil war started. -
South Carolina Secedes From the Union
South Carolina was the first of eleven states to secede. The state argued that since they had voluntarily joined the union, they could chose leave it also. Soon by February 1861, seven states had seceded. They chose Jefferson Davin as their president, and called themselves the Confederate States of America. -
Battle at Fort Sumter
Six days after President Abe Lincoln took office, the Battle of Fort Sumter took place. Lincoln had received a letter saying the fort was low on supplies and the Confederates demand they surrender. Lincoln decided to send a group of soldiers without ammunition to the fort with supplies. The Confederates decided to attack before the supplies got to the fort. After two days, the Confederates won. Despite all the violence, no one was killed. -
Battle of Bull Run
30,000 Union troops were lead by General Irvin McDowell on an attack on a small confederate force. The battle took place in northern Virginia, next to a small river called Bull Run. Spectators from Washington D.C. came to watch from only a few miles away. Neither side had very much battle experience. In the beginning, the union was pushing back the confederates, but then the confederates unleashed a counterattack. This battle was a confederate victory. -
Battle of Shiloh
Around 40,000 troops lead by General Grant camped at Pittsburg Landing, and additional Union troops joined from Nashville. The Confederacy decided to attack before more troops got to Pittsburg. The Confederates lead a surprise attack on the union early on the morning of April 6th. This battle lasted for two days, and the Union barely won. Combined, the two armies suffered over 23,000 hurt, killed, wounded, or missing soldiers. -
Battle of Antietam
In Maryland, Lee had a plan to separate his army into four parts. His plan never got to see the light of day when, a Confederate officer lost his copy. Two Union soldiers found it and turned it into McClellan. McClellan chose to not attack right away, and Lee had time to gather his groups. The two armies met Antietam, Maryland. This battle was the deadliest day of fighting in the battle, with 6,000 soldiers dead and 17,000 injured. This battle was a Union victory. -
Battle at Fredricksburg
This battle was a big victory for the Confederacy. The Union had 120,000 soldiers fighting against 80,000 Confederates. This battle involved the most combats in any of the battles of the civil war. Nearly 13,000 soldiers were now casualties. After the North retreated, the South gained more confidence and fighting spirit. -
Emancipation Proclamation Goes into Effect
Lincoln did not have the power to end slavery under the constitution, but he was allowed to take property from the enemy in the war. Under the law, slaves were considered property, and could be set free if the North won. On September 22, 1862, president Lincoln announced he would issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This would set all slaves free if the Union won. With the Emancipation Proclamation, the government decided slavery was wrong. -
Battle at Chancellorsville
This long battle lasted from April 30th, to May 6th. The North had nearly double the amount of soldiers, and yet the south pulled out a victory. Lee split his troops in half, and attacked the Union. The North was forced to retreat. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson was injured during this battle from his own side. -
Battle of Gettysburg
This two day battle was a big victory for the Union. The confederacy had won a big battle over the Union at Chancellor, and General Lee had marched his troops to Gettysburg, Virginia. Here is where they clashed with the Union. There was very heavy fighting, but Lee had less than 15,000 soldiers to attack on Unions center. Thousands of Confederacy soldiers got injured or killed. This caused Lee to retreat. -
Vicksburg Surrenders
General Grant for the Union failed to capture Vicksburg the winter of 1862-63, but this time he gained a huge victory. After Grant defeated a confederate force, he went back to Vicksburg. In just three weeks, Grant's troops marched 180 miles, won five battles, and took hold of 6,000 prisoners. The Union, with 70,000 soldiers, defeated the Rebels, with 29,000 soldiers. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
General William T. Sherman marched 60,000 soldiers 285 miles from Atlanta to Savanna, Georgia. This was to scare Georgia's people and get them to abandon the Confederate cause.They did not destroy the towns they marched through, but they did steal food and animals. They also burned the houses of people who tried to fight back. Sherman said,he wanted to make everyone feel the hardship of war. This march lasted from November 15, to December 21. -
South Surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse
Confederate General Robert E. Lee had to surrender his 28,000 troops to the Union. They surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia. Lee had no choice, his troops were completely surrounded. For a few weeks the Confederacy had a little resistance, but eventually accepted that they were now part of the U.S.A. again.
