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Presidential Elecxtion of 1860
This is the election that Republican Lincoln wins. This causes South Carolina to physically secede from America and by his inauguration in Marc h, six others have followed in suit. Therefore, this election created the Southern states to finally take action and split from the country. This hieghtens tensions as it is obvious that war is inevitable. -
The Confederacy is created
At this point the states that have seceded, create their own country independent of the North. With Jefferson Davis, this new country created a physical rift between the North and South. A seperate country was not acceptable by the North and thus the only solution was war as they realized no amount of coaxing would not bring back the unity the country once had before. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
THe cannon that the Carolinians shot at the fort had a monumental affect as it started a battle that essentially kickstarted the Civil War. This hit the North hard as they took measures to maintain the South. Lincoln order Southern ports to be blaockaded, something that ruined the South' trade. IN return, the South too started making preparations to fight hard. -
Proclamation of Blackade
Lincoln issues a blaockade on all Southern ports. Since trading is a major part of their ecoonomy, this act shattered them financially. It therefore limited their funds and supplies for war. Foreign countries were also less willinging to back them up. -
Battle of Bull Run
The North considered this battle to be the first and last significant battle that would end the war between themselves and the South. When they poorly lost, it was a big hit for them. It was then that they realized that the Civil War would be longer and harder than they realized. Instead, it boosted the Confederate army's morale. -
Battle of Sharpsburg
Lincoln called victroy for the Union in this battle. This raised the morale for the Union and this burst of energy and glory was all Lincoln needed to push his Emancipation Proclamation, The Proclamation only added stress to the fragile situation betweeen the ooposing sides. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
This battle was another defeat for the Union. They had hoped to atttack and capture Richmond, Virginia in the hopes that it would end the war as it was the capital. This war ended that campaign. The Confederacy on the other hand were very gleeful about the win. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Although Lincoln wrote this with a view of abolishing slavery, he did it in the south; an area he cannot control. Nevertheless, it was then very obvious the the North was fighting to get rid of slaves, not to unify the nation. This kept aways foreign aid to the south as no country wanted to help slavery grow. -
Battle of Vicksburg
The most significant part of this battle was the fact that the Union gained the Mississippi River from the South. This river was a mjor transporter of goods and helped the South facilitate trade. Without it, they were severely handicapped and doomed by the Union. -
Battle of Gettysburg
This battle was one of the bloodiest and most significant, and the Union was the vicotrious side. This boosted the morale for the North. Apart form that, Lincoln also redefined the purpose of the war, which he believed to be to honor the deaths and to restroy glory and unity in the country. -
Freedmen's Bureau
This was aided by Lincoln in the hopes of Reonstruction. This Bureau was to aid the blacks in the South as well as poor whites. It gave legal, medical, and other help to the people who had been shattered by the war in the South. Unfortunately it was shut down in 1872. -
Assasination of Abraham Lincoln
As Abraham Lincoln sat back to enjoy a theater show, John Wilkes Booth came and assasinated him. Boothes favored the Confederacy and was angry at Lincoln for basically destroying them. Lincoln died before he could put his ten percent plan into action. Vice President Andrew Johnson takes over. -
Black Codes
Under President Johnson's lax reconstruction policies, the South was able to get the blacks back in their labor force with the black codes. They were very restrictive and leaned towards the conditions blacks faced as slaves. This angered the Republicans as they decided to take the Reconstruction into their own hands. -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
Inthis battle, General Lee was severely losing. In order to save his men, Lee surreneder to General Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse. This battle was finally ended the war. -
The Thirteenth Ammendment
The Thirteenth Ammendment is finally ratified. This ammendment prohibits slavery and any types of involuntary work. It was written in order to end slavery everywhere was used to reconstruct America. It is the first of the Reconstruction Ammendments. -
Civil Rights Act
In order to get rid of the Black Condes, the Congress came up with this act as part of thier Reconstruction plan. It granted rights to the blacks and prohibited their rights to be taken away. It served to create equalit in the people of the country. -
The Ku Klux Klan
This organization was created in Tennessee. They had the Congressional Reconstruction plan as it was trying to help the blacks. For these people, their sole goal was to restore the white empire and get rid of all the blacks. -
President Johnson's Impeachment Trial
The Republicans become angry at President Johnson's Reconstruction Plan as it helped the South instead of punishing it. Therefore, they tried to impeach him by calling him guilty. Unfortunetly they could not remove him out of office due to one vote. But, Johnson did not run for reelection. -
The Fourteenth Ammendment
This ammendment is written to protect the Civil Rights Act as it also guaranteed equal protection for the Blacks. This act was part of the Congressional Reconstruction Plan. The Congress made it so that states wanted to join the Union had to accept this so that Blacks would be protected even with the Southern delegates in Conrgress. -
The Fifteenth Ammendment
This is the final of the Reconstruction Ammendments. This one specifically protects the right to vote. The catch is that while iit gives this right toall men whether black or white, it does give the women anything. Nevertheless it is a big stepping stone in the south as well as voting is not dependent on the amount of land one holds.
