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Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was proposed by David Wilmot, a democratic representative from Pennsylvania. This document suggested that slavery should be banned in all new territory gained in Mexico. The bill does not pass, however the suggestion of it leads to growing tensions between the southern and northern states. -
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was proposed as a temporary solution to slavery as the United States expanded west towards the Pacific. The compromise was split up into 5 parts: California would be admitted as a free state, New Mexico and Utah could make their own decision, no sale of slaves in Washington D.C., Texas gives up claim to New Mexico territory, and the fugitive slave act was put into place, requiring citizens to apprehend runaway slaves. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act and Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854, allowing people in the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide for themselves whether they wanted to be admitted as a free slave or a slave state. This act led to the event that became known as bleeding Kansas, many minor, but significant battles between proslavery and antislavery groups. The battles between the groups spanned about 5 years, between 1854 and 1859. -
Dred Scott vs. Sandford
The Dred Scott Case happened in 1857, where a slave named Dred Scott sued his owner. The U.S. Supreme Court came to the decision that slaves were private property, and that property cannot sue. -
Harpers Ferry Raid
John Brown raided Harpers Ferry, a small armory in present day West Virginia, with the hopes of starting a slave revolt, and end the institution of slavery. However, the raid failed. Brown was perceived as a hero in the north, and a terrorist in the South. Even today, his actions are considered controversial among many. -
Election of 1860
During the election of 1860, republican representative, Abraham Lincoln, beat democratic representative, Stephen Douglas, without earning a single vote from the south. After Lincoln was elected, this led to South Carolina leaving the Union, determined to preserve slavery in their state. -
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Civil War
The entire civil war lasted from 1861 to 1865, a total of 4 years of fighting. -
Battle of Antietam
The battle of Antietam took place in Antietam, Maryland and was the first battle to be fought in the north. Generals Robert E. Lee and George McClellan faced each other, and in the end, the Union won, forcing Lee to retreat back to Virginia. On both sides, there were a total of 22,000 causalities. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Soon after the victory at Antietam, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all slaves in all parts of the current United States. While it did not free a single slave after it was issued (because it was enforced in the south), it was a major turning point in the war; the north proved that they were serious. -
The Battle at Chancellorsville
The battle of Chancellorsville was fought in the wilderness of Virginia. This battle resulted in a confederate victory, and was considered to be Robert E. Lee's greatest victory. Hooker was forced to retreat back to the north. Despite the outcome of this battle, one important man died, Lee's right hand man, Thomas "Stonewell" Jackson. -
The Freedmen's Bureau
The Freedmen's Bureau was an act passed by Congress two months before Lee's surrender. The bureau was created to educated and employ the 4,000,000 freed slaves after the civil war. At its high point, it had 900 agents; but, despite the good intentions it had, it was very expensive to maintain, and did not last more than a year. -
End of the War and Lee's Surrender
In Northern Virginia, Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House. Lee surrendering effectively ended the war, and granted the Union a victory. Lee only had to terms for surrender: one, that his men would be allowed to keep their pistols, and two, that they would be able to keep their horses and return to their homes. -
Lincoln's Death
After a long and hard war, president Abraham Lincoln went to relax and watch a play with his wife. John Wilkes Booth shot and killed Lincoln at Ford's Theater in Washington D.C. He fled to a barn, but was later caught by the military. -
Impeachment of Andrew Johnson
After Lincoln's assassination, Andrew Johnson took over his position as president. At the time, Congress was run by the radical republicans. Johnson did not get along with the republicans, and vetoed a total of 29 bills, 15 of which were overridden by Congress. Johnson was eventually impeached after he removed Edwin M. Stanton, which was a violation of the Tenure of Office Act. -
The 14th Amendment
When the 14th Amendment was passed, it granted citizenship to all people born inside of the U.S. It also stated that states are not able to limit the privileges granted by citizenship, and that no person was denied basic rights without due process of law. -
President Ulysses S. Grant
After Johnson's impeachment, Ulysses S. Grant became the 18th president of the U.S. Grant was a general during the civil war, and had no former background in politics. During Grant's presidency, he kept a tight grip on racist organizations that arose after the end of the war, and their activity was kept low. Grant also passed the 15th Amendment, which gave former slaves the right to vote. -
The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment - passed in 1869, but ratified in 1870 - granted former slaves the right to vote. It stated that no state has the right to deny the right to vote "on the account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." -
President Rutherford B. Hayes
After Grant's presidency, Hayes took over as the 19th president of the United States. However, for Hayes to become president, the northern states agreed to take out all of the military troops out of the south, thus ending the period of reconstruction. After the removal of the military troops, racism became more prominent, and organizations like the Ku Klux Klan became more rampant in the southern states.
