The Road to the Civil War

Missouri Compromise

Mar 3, 1820

Missouri Compromise
This was a compromise to make Maine a free state, and have Missouri be a slave state, to keep the number of slave and free states equal.

54-40 of Fight

Jan 1, 1844

54-40 or Fight
a slogan popular in 1846, esp. among Democrats, who asserted U.S. ownership of the entire Oregon country, including the part that Great Britain claimed between 49° and 54° 40 lines.

Wilmot Provisio

Aug 8, 1846

Wilmot Provisio
This was designed to ban slavery within land gained as a result of the Mexican War. It was introduced on August 8, 1846 by Democrat David Wilmot of Pennsylvania as part of a bill to appropriate a $2 million treaty with the Mexicans.

Treaty of Guadlape-Hidago

Feb 2, 1848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidago
On this day, U.S. and Mexian officials met in Mexico city.
This agreement brought an end to the Spanish-American War. The U.S. addded the territorities of present-day California, Nevada, Utah, most of New Mexico and Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming to our map.

Republican Party Fouded

Mar 20, 1854

Republican Party
Founded by anti-slavery activists in 1854, this is now a major policitcal party, favoring conservatism.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Mar 31, 1854

Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this novel as a protest against the Compromise of 1850, giving more information on slavery to Nothern states.

Kansas Nebraska Act

May 30, 1854

Kansas- Nebraska Act of 1854
This act decided whether Kansas and Nebraska should be slave or free states, and nullified the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Gadsden Purchase

Jun 8, 1854

Gadsden PurchaseThe Gadsden Purchase, or Treaty, was an agreement between the United States and Mexico, finalized in 1854, in which the United States agreed to pay Mexico $10 million for a 29,670 square mile portion of Mexico that later became part of Arizona and New Mexico.

Brooks- Sumner Incident

May 19, 1856

<a href='' >Source: Notes 9-26-12</a>
On this day, Brooks attacked Sumner with his cane, while in a session with Congress. Sumner (Senator)- North (Anti-slavery) Brooks (HoR)- South. Brooks was a relative of the man that Sumner insulted. The HoR kicked Brooks out, and Brooks was elected. There were more canes sent to Brooks in an effort for him to continue his.. beatings.

Harper's Ferry Raid

Oct 16, 1859

Harper's Ferry
On this day, he U.S. military arsenal at Harpers Ferry was the target of an assault by an armed band of abolitionists led by John Brown. John Brown and his militia were opposed to slavery. This raid was the first step in an elaborate attempt to establish a stronghold of slaves in the mountains of Virginia and Maryland.

Election of 1860

Nov 6, 1860

<a href='' >Source: Notes 9-26-12</a>This election was famous for "Ripping the nation apart." There were four candidates, Stephen Douglas supported popular soverignity. John Breckinridge supported expansion of slavery into territories. Abraham Lincoln wanted to allow slavery to remain where it exists; no new expansion.John Bell stood for the Constitution, Union, and enforcement of laws.

Firing on Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

Fort SumterAs Lincoln planned to resupply the fort, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard bombarded Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. After a 34-hour exchange of artillery fire, Anderson and 86 soldiers surrendered the fort on April 13. The fort was under confederate control for four years.

First Battle of Bull Run

Jul 21, 1861

The First Battle of Bull Run
This battle was the first major battle of the Civil War. The battle began when approximately 35,000 Union troops marched from the federal capital in Washington, D.C. to strike a Confederate force of 20,000 along a small river known as Bull Run. This granted the Confederates a victory and an upper hand in the Civil War.

Monitor Vs. Merrimack

Mar 8, 1862

Battle of Hampton Roads
This day marked the first battle between two ironclad warships. This was a conferate effort to break the Union blockades of Southern ports, including Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia.

Battle of Antietam

Sep 17, 1862

The Battle of AntietamEarly in the morning of this day, Confederate and Union troops clashed near Maryland's Antietam Creek in the bloodiest one-day battle in American history.This marked Confederate General Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the Northern states.

Battle of Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

The Battle of GettysburgOn this day, the largest ever military conflict in North American history began. Union and Confederate forces collide at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The epic battle lasted three days and resulted in a retreat to Virginia by Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Sherman's March

Nov 15, 1864

Sherman's March
From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led around 60,000 soldiers on a 285-mile march from Atlanta to Savannah, Georgia. The purpose of this “March to the Sea” was to frighten Georgia’s civilian population into abandoning the Confederate cause.

Appomattox Court House

Jul 1, 1865

Appomattox Court House
On this day, Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered his approximately 28,000 troops to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. This marked the end of the Civil War, with The Union as the winner. There would no longer be slavery in North America.