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Period: to
Civil War
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Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis comes out in favor of secession for the first time. -
Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln speaks at the Cooper Institute in New York City. -
New President
Abraham Lincoln is elected the 16th President of the United States defeating Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge and John Bell. -
South Carolina
South Carolina calls for a convention on December 17 to decide if the state should secede from the Union. -
Independent Nation
Georgia calls for a convention of Southern states to form an independent nation. -
South Carolina Succeeds
South Carolina's convention officially approves the Ordinance of Secession. -
Francis Pickens
Governor Francis W. Pickens takes office -
Take Control
Governor Francis Pickens of South Carolina demands President Buchanan to take control of Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie -
Leaving the House
South Carolina's representatives withdraw from the U. S. House. -
Troops are Coming
Charleston is notified by telegraph that a man of war with troops is coming to him. -
Confederate States of America
The Convention of Seceded States adopts a provisional constitution forming the Confederate States of America. -
President of Confederate States of America
Jefferson Davis is elected the provisional president of the Confederate States of America. -
Vice President
The convention selects Alexander Stephens, as vice-president. -
Fort Sumter
The Civil War began with shots fired on the fort and Fort Sumter eventually was surrendered to South Carolina -
Habeas Corpus Suspended
Lincoln suspends Habeas Corpus. Now, people could be imprisoned without being seen by a judge. -
Stonewall Jackson
Robert E. Lee orders Stonewall Jackson to remove the weapons and equipment from the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. -
BullRun
First Battle of Bull Run takes place. -
McClellan is Appointed
Lincoln appoints George B. McClellan as commander of the Union Army. -
Secretary of War
Jefferson Davis appoints Judah Benjmamin as his Secretary of War. This basically puts him in charge of the Confederate Army. -
Kentucky
Kentucky becomes the 13th Confederate state, making the Confederacy more powerful. -
Donelson
The Battle of Ft. Donelson takes place. -
Battle @ Shiloh
Confederate forces attacked Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant at Shiloh, Tennessee. -
New Orleans
Officer David Farragut led an assault up the Mississippi River. He was now in command of New Orleans. -
Union Army Chief
Major-General Henry Halleck was named general-in-chief of the Union army. -
African Americans
The Union Army is now allowed to hire African Americans. They are now allowed to fight in the war for their own freedom. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam takes place, known as the 'bloodiest single day' battle in American History. -
Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in states. -
Emancipation Proclamation is Published
Lincoln's plan for Emancipation is published in the Union newspapers showing freedom to the slaves. -
McClellan is Replaced
On November 7, Lincoln replaced McClellan with Major-General Ambrose E. Burnside because Lincoln was very impatient with McClellan not getting the job done. -
Burnside is Replaced
General Ambrose E. Burnside was defeated in a series of attacks against Confederate forces at Fredericksburg, Virginia so Burnside was replaced with General Joseph Hooker. -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect from this point on. -
National Bank Act
Lincoln signs the National Banking Act, leading to the creation of all banks. -
Conscription Act
The National Conscription Act is signed forcing able bodied males aged 18-35 into joining the Union Army. -
Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia. -
Letter of Resignation
After the defeat at Gettysburg, General Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. -
Battle of Kansas
This was a battle that took place in Lawrence, Kansas, this was caused because of the issue of slavery. -
Battle of Chickamauga
Union and Confederate forces met on the Tennessee-Georgia border, near Chickamauga Creek. -
At Chattanooga
General Braxton Bragg tries to split General William Rosecran's forces as they try to return to the safety of Chattanooga. -
Thanksgiving
Lincoln declares Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated the last Thursday in November. -
Lincoln's Speech
At the dedication of the National Cemetery in Gettysburg, President Lincoln delivers a two-minute speech known as the Gettysburg Address. -
Camp at Andersonville
The first 500 prisoners of war arrive at the Confederate prison camp, Andersonville. This was the harshest prison camp of the Civil War. -
Coinage Act
Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864. This act states the the inscription "In God we Trust". -
Battles
In an inconclusive battle, General Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee battle for days southwest of Fredericksburg. -
Battle
The Battle of Picketts Mill took place. -
Defeated
Robert E. Lee defeats General Ulysses S. Grant and General George Meade. -
Cemetary
The Arlington National Cemetary is established by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton about 200 acres land from Robert E Lee's house. -
Conscription
Lincoln signs away the fee that someone could pay to avoid being drafted into the Union Army. -
Lincoln's Re-elected
The Republican party re elected President Abraham Lincoln as its presidential candidate, and Andrew Johnson for vice-president. -
New York on Fire
A group of Confederate operatives that call themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan set fires in more then 20 places in New York. -
Nashville
The Battle of Nashville took place. -
Captured
The Confederate forces capture Fort Stedman from the Union forces. -
Lee Leaves
On April 2, Lee evacuated Richmond, the Confederate capital, and headed west to join with other forces. -
Surrender
Two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender. Lee's men were sent home on parole, soldiers with their horses, and officers with their side arms. All other equipment was surrendered. -
Lee Surrenders
After attempting to break-out of the Union envelopment, Robert E. Lee surrenders the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysess S. Grant. -
Lincoln is Shot
John Wilkes Booth shoots President Lincoln at Fords Theater during a performance of My American Cousin. -
Booth is Captured
John Wilkes Booth is captured in a barn in Virginia at the Garret's farm and is shot and killed by Boston Corbett. -
Davis Captured
Confederate troops were defeated between the end of April and the end of May. Jefferson Davis was captured in Georgia on May 10. -
Juneteenth
General Granger arrives in Texas and tells them about the Emancipation Proclamation. Now this day is called Juneteenth. -
Wallace is Hanged
General Lew Wallace was hanged in the yard of the Old Capitol Prison. -
Leader is Hanged
Major Henry Wirz is hanged. He was the leader of the atrocious war camp of Andersonville. -
Texas
Texas repeals the actions of the Secessionist Convention. -
Civil Rights Act
President Johnson vetos the Civil Rights Act of 1866 on the grounds that it was unconstitutional. -
Nickel
Congress approves the five cent piece, known as the nickel. -
Admiral
Congress creates the rank of Admiral. David Farragut is appointed to that rank. -
Tennessee
Following the Civil War, Tennessee becomes the first state readmitted to the Union. -
Telegraph
The Atlantic Cable is established allowing transatlantic telegraph communication. -
Train Robbery
The first train robbery takes place. -
Robbing a Bank
Jesse James and his gang robs a bank in Lexington, Missouri and leave with 2000$ -
Phili
A fire in the Philadelphia ship-yard accidently destroys a number of ships used during the Civil War. -
South Carolina
On the 6th anniversary of secession, South Carolina rejects the 14th Amendment. -
Veto
Blacks in Washington D. C. gain the right to vote in a bill passed over President Andrew Johnson's veto. -
Kentucky
Kentucky rejects the 14th Amendment. -
Reconstruction
The first reconstruction act sets up five military districts in the South, each under the control of a military commander. -
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ratifies the 14th Amendment. -
Passed Bill
Congress passes a bill admitting Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina into the Union. -
Johnson
Johnson suspends Stanton as Secretary of War after the two clash over reconstruction plans. -
Secretary of War
Ulysses S. Grant becomes Secretary of War. -
U.S takes Possession
The United States officially takes possesion of Alaska from Russia. -
Impeachment
Congress looks into impeaching Johnson for his lack of effectiveness and unwillingness to follow through with reconstruction. -
Farmers
Former Minnesota farmer Oliver Hudson Kelley founds the Order of the Patrons of Husbandry. This order is known as the farmers organization Grange.
