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Lincoln Elected President
Abraham Lincoln being elected as President sparked the chain of events that led to the Civil War. First Republican to win the presidency. Lincoln's election in 1860 marked the end of slaveholder control of the federal government. The 1860 election revealed how divided the country had become. -
Crittenden Compromise
Kentucky Senator John J. Crittenden introduced his Crittenden Compromise in Congress. The compromise would have protected slavery in the South through a series of constitutional amendments. But the proposal was considered unsuccessful and narrowly defeated in the Senate. -
South Carolina’s Secession
South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union. They wanted to have state's right instead of being controlled so they become the first state to rebel against the government. It caused concerns in the government because South Carolina was gaining power over them. -
Confederate States of America Formed
The states of the lower South established a new government and drafted a constitution in Montgomery, Alabama. Although modeled on the US Constitution, the Confederate document specifically referred to slavery, state sovereignty, and God. It explicitly guaranteed slavery in the states and territories but prohibited the international slave trade. It was an attempt by the southern states to form their own country. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina. This officially signaled the beginning the American Civil War. It finalized that South Carolina was part of the Confederacy. Other states such as Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas joined the Confederacy because of this battle. -
First Battle of Bull Run
This was the first major battle of the Civil War. It shatted the Union's hope of winning. It was also the battle that made the war become real to many because it was a wake up call for the North. It showed that the armies needed better training and leaders in order to succeed. Thomas J. Jackson earned the name “Stonewall.” -
First Confiscation Act
Congress took a big step toward legitimizing this concept by passing a confiscation act that authorized the seizure of all property, including slaves, that had been used in aid of rebellion. Known as "the doctrine of the whole free people of the North." It was considered the first legislative step down the long road to emancipation of all slaves. -
Fremont’s Proclamation
Major General John Charles Fremont issued an unauthorized order for the confiscation and emancipation of slaves; Lincoln later reversed it for fear of alienating “Southern Union friends.” -
Battle of Antietam/Sharpsburg
Was the first battle of the American Civil War to be fought on northern soil. It remains the bloodiest single day in American history. The Battle of Antietam forced the Confederate Army to retreat back across the Potomac River. President Lincoln saw the significance of this and issued the famous Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862 -
Battle of Fredericksburg
It ended the campaign against the Confederate Capitol of Richmond. It was a turning point for Genral Lee and his army. Army of Potomac needed a new leader since Ambrose Burnside's attempts at winning failed more than once. Remembered as one of the most one-sided battles of the American Civil War. -
Lincoln Re-elected
Abraham Lincoln was elected to a second term as president and this presidential election was one of the most critical in American history. At stake was whether the war would end in unconditional surrender or a negotiated settlement. Deeply anxious about the election’s outcome, Republicans and pro-war Democrats formed the National Union Party, which re-nominated Lincoln and selected Andrew Johnson for vice president. A platform was run that condemned Lincoln for “four years of failure." -
Freedmen’s Bureau Established
Congress established the Freedmen’s Bureau to assist newly freed slaves in transitioning to their new status. Provided aid former slaves in getting educated, learning how to vote, get jobs, etc. It had very limited success, since even a lot of Northerners were biased, and Southerners did their worst to obstruct it. But it did get some former slaves educated and help to get homes and jobs. -
Lincoln Assassinated
President Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford’s Theatre in Washingon, DC, during a performance of Our American Cousin. It was the first assassination of a US President. Lincoln's assassination was his reward for successfully concluding the War Between the States. But his assassination did caused bitterness between the North and the South. -
Amnesty Proclamation
President Andrew Johnson issued a proclamation granting amnesty and pardon to all persons who participated in “the existing rebellion,” with a few exceptions. It was an outline for union. Everyone had to follow the new laws which angered people and the rebellion got worse. -
Ku Klux Klan
It was an evil group of people who where racist. It became a vehicle for white southern resistance to the Republican Party's Reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for blacks. Their goal was to not only frighten the black but also the white community, Roman Catholics, gay people, Jews, or anybody considered to be an outsider so they can have an impact on their political decisions and votes. -
Congressional Control Over Reconstruction
Appalled by mass killing of ex-slaves and adoption of restrictive black codes, Congressional Republicans seized control of Reconstruction from President Johnson. President Johnson refused to take any action in order to successfully improve the problem. Many Republicans regarded the President's action as weak, worthless, and not smart. To prevent the president from obstructing its reconstruction program, Congress passed several laws restricting presidential powers. -
Civil Rights Act of 1866
The Civil Rights Act of 1866 was passed over President Johnson’s veto. The act defined all persons born in the United States as citizens. This act was created in order to stop Black Codes in the South. It also gave the government the right to intervene in state affairs in order to protect them. -
Reconstruction Acts of 1867
Congress wanted the South under military rule pending their adoption of constitutions guaranteeing civil liberties to former slaves. Congress also passed an act giving African American men in the South the right to vote. Later was formed into the 15th Amendment. Finally, it passed the Tenure of Office Act, which barred the president from removing officeholders without Senate approval . In August 1867, Johnson tested the Tenure of Office Act by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, which pro -
President Impeached
President Andrew Johnson was the first President to be impeached because he had vetoed over twenty Reconstruction bills and urged southern legislatures to reject the Fourteenth Amendment. The House of Representatives were angry so they put him in trail but was found not guilty because they didn't have a good enough reason to impeach him. Johnson was not removed from office but stepped down after his term. -
Fifteenth Amendment
Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment to provide the “right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” The provision was intended to buttress the 14th Amendment, which guaranteed equal protection under the law and due process of law to all citizens. Though ultimately a favor to African American men, the amendments were a bitter blow to women’s rights advocates.
