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April 12, 1861
The Confederate Army fires on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, marking the beginning of the Civil War. -
April 15, 1861
President Abraham Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers to serve in the Union Army. -
July 21, 1861
The First Battle of Bull Run (or First Manassas) takes place in Virginia, resulting in a Confederate victory. -
September 17, 1862
The Battle of Antietam (or Sharpsburg) takes place in Maryland, resulting in the bloodiest single day in American military history with over 22,000 casualties. -
January 1, 1863
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be free. -
July 1-3, 1863
The Battle of Gettysburg takes place in Pennsylvania, resulting in a Union victory and a turning point in the war. -
April 14, 1865
President Lincoln is assassinated by John Wilkes Booth while attending a play at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. -
December 6, 1865
The Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, is ratified.