U.S. HISTORY

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions

Nov 16, 1798

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were political statements drafted in 1798. The resolutions stated that the Alien and Sedition acts were wrong and unjust.

Hartford Convention meets during War of 1812

Dec 15, 1814

The Hartford Convention was a convention in 1814 where New England was unhappy with the way the America was being run. New England was so unhappy that secession from the United States was discussed.

Missouri Compromise

Nov 17, 1818

The Missouri Compromise was a plan that regulated slavery in the western parts of the United States. It prohibited slavery north of a relatively small area of South in the West.

Tariff of Abominations passed

May 19, 1828

The Triff of Abominations, also known as the Tariff of 1828, was a triff that helped protect industry in the North. It negatively affected the South though, hence the nickname of Tariff of Abominations.

Abolition of Slavery Act

Aug 28, 1833

The Slavery Abolition Act was a the abolishing of slavery in the United Kingdom. This helped spread the abolishment of slavery and abolishionist ideals around the world.

Texas declares independence from Mexico

Mar 2, 1836

Texas declared its independence from Mexico. This resulted in the Texas Revolution, or the Texas War of Independence.

Battle of Chancellorsville

Apr 30, 1836

The Battle of Chancellorsville was fought in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. The Union was defeated, resulting in the Confederacy gaining control of the land.

James Polk elected

Mar 4, 1845

James Polk was elected as the 11th president of the United States. He helped the north and the south as equal as he could during his one term as president.

Mexican War

May 11, 1846

The Mexican war was the war between America and MExico over the land that makes up present day Western America. The United States won the waar, gaining the land the wanted to orginally buy from Mexico.

Wilmot Proviso

Aug 8, 1846

The Wilmot Proviso was a collection of ideas created by David Wilmot. The main focus of the Proviso was to outlaw slavery in the territory won from the Mexican War.

California enters the Union

Sep 9, 1850

California entered the Union as a free state. This meant there was an unequal balance between the north and south (abolition and slave) states.

Fugitve Slaw Law enacted

Sep 18, 1850

The Fugitive Slave Law was a law passed that forbade anyone from aisisting escaped slaves. It also forced people to hunt down runaway slaves and bring them back to their masters. This was widely unpopular in the North.

Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin

Mar 20, 1852

Uncle Tom's cabin was a story about slavery written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. The book helped draw a line between abolitionists and slaveholders, spliting the country in half.

Kansas-Nebraska Act passed

Jan 4, 1854

The Kansas-Nebraska Act set the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, declaring them as states. The act also allowed the states to rule through Popular Soveriegnty.

Formation of Republican Party

Mar 20, 1854

The formation of the Republican party was created to combat the Kanas-Nebraska Act. They wanted to fight the act, as it could possibly allow slavery in both states, which the party did not want.

"Border Ruffians" attack Lawrence

May 21, 1856

The "Boreder Ruffians" were pro-slavery white men who attacked any free colored men or aboltionists they saw. The laid siege to Lawrence, Kansas, in May of 1856.

Charles Sumner attacked

May 22, 1856

Charles Sumner was a Massachussetts senator and leader of the Radical Republicans. He was assaulted by Preston Brooks, a southern congressman.

Pottawatomie Creek

May 24, 1856

The Pottawatomie Creek was the sight of the killing of five settlers by John Brown and his band of abolistionists. It is also reffered to the Pottawatomie Massacre.

Dred Scott Decision announced

Mar 6, 1857

The Dred Scott dispute was between Dred Scott and his master over his freedom, since he lived in a free state at one point. It was ruled he was not to be freed.

Lecompton Constitution passed. [REJECTED]

Aug 2, 1858

The Lecompton Constitution was a Constitution proposed for Kansas. It made Kansas a slave state and made Lecompton the capital. It was rejected.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Aug 21, 1858

The Lincoln- Douglas debates were seven separate debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. They were trying to take control of the Illinois legislature.

Raid at Harper's Ferry

Oct 16, 1859

The Raid at Harper's Ferry was an attack on the Armory of Harpers Ferry by John Brown and his abolistionists. They wanted to gather arms for an armed slave revolt. Brown lost and was executed.

Formation of Constitutional Union Party

May 9, 1860

The Constitutional Union party was the combination of the Whig party and Know-Nothing party. The parties main purpose was to keep the Untied States unified under the Constitution.

Democrats split in 1860

Jun 18, 1860

The Democratic Part split up after the Democratic convention in Baltimore. They split into th Northern Democrats and the Southern Democrats.

South Carolina tries to nullify

Jul 14, 1860

South Carolina tried to seceed from the Union because of the Tariff of Abominations. They instead adopted the "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union".

Election of 1860

Nov 6, 1860

The Election of 1860 was between Abraham Lincoln, John C Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen A Douglas over the presidency of the United States. Abraham Lincoln, the candidate for the Republican party, won the elcetion.

South Carolina Secedes

Dec 20, 1860

South Carolina left the Union. This meant they were no longer part of the United States.

Abraham Lincoln inaugurated

Mar 4, 1861

Lincoln was inagurated after winning the presidental election of 1860. He was the first Republican President.

Attack on Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

The Confederate Army attacked Fort Sumter. The Union surrendered and the confederates won.

Virgina Secedes

Apr 17, 1861

Virginia seceded from the Union. They joined the Confederacy and declared Richmond as the capital of the CSA.

Robert E. Lee Surrenders Commission

Apr 23, 1861

Robet E. Lee left the U.S. Army after his home state left the Unino. He left as he did not want to fight the insurrection in his state.

1st Battle of Bull Run

Jul 21, 1861

The first Battle of Bull Run run took place in Fairfax, Virginia. The Confederates won this battle.

Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimac

Mar 8, 1862

The Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimac, also known as the Battle of the Ironclads, was the battle between the iron war ships Monitor and Merrimac. The Confederate wanted to break the Union's blockade through this battle. It ended in a draw.

Battle of Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862

The Battle of Shiloh took place in Hardin County, Tennessee. The Union won the battle.

2nd Battle of Bull Run

Aug 28, 1862

The second battle of Bull Run was fought in the same area as the first battle, yet with larger numbers. The Confedeartes won the battle.

McClellan Returns to Washington after Peninsula Campaign

Sep 2, 1862

George B. McClellan returned to Washington after the Peninsula campaign failed. He was then assigned to defending Maryland.

Battle of Antietam

Sep 17, 1862

The Battle of Antietam took place near Sharpsburg, Maryland. The batttle ended in a draw, with the Confederates taking a heavier loss than the Union.

Battle of Fredericksburg

Dec 11, 1862

The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Confederates won the battle, defeating the Union.

Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect

Jan 1, 1863

The Emancipation Proclamation was the order to set most of the slaves in America free. This changed the goal of the Union's fight.

Battle of Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

The Battle of Gettysburg took place in Adams County, Pennsylvania. The Union won the battle, which is considered the turning point in the war.

Battle at Fort Wagner

Jul 18, 1863

The battle at Fort Wagner took place at Morris Island, Souuth Carolina. The Confederates won the battle.

Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address

Nov 19, 1863

Lincoln made his famous speech, the Gettysburg Address, after the Battle of Gettysburg. This speech helped rally troops for the Union cause.

Surrender of Vicksburg

Dec 4, 1863

The Battle of Vicksburg took place at Warren County, Mississippi. The Union won by besieging the Confederates.

Grant Displays Fighting Style at Cold Harbor

May 31, 1864

General Grant of the Union displayed his battle of Cold Harbor. He lost the battle to the Confederates.

Atlanta Burns to the Ground

Nov 11, 1864

General Sherman ordered the city of Atlanta to be burned to the ground as his troops passed through it to the Atlantic ocean. This was prevenet the Confederates from using Atlanta as a stronghold.

Sherman Set out for the Sea

Nov 15, 1864

Union General Sherman set out from Georgia to the port of Savannah. This destroyed much of the South's ability to wage war, as the places he marched through were economic strongholds.

Sherman reaches Savannah

Dec 10, 1864

General Sherman reached Savannah at the end of his March to the Sea. He gave the city to Lincoln as a Christmas gift.

Lincoln Delivers 2nd Inaugural Address

Mar 4, 1865

Abraham Lincoln made his second inaugural address on March 4th, 1865. His speach was somber and defended his actions against the South.

Richmond, the Confederate capital, Falls

Apr 2, 1865

General Grant and the Union Army captured Richmond, the Capital of the Confederacy. A quarter of the city was burned down when the Union arrived.

Surrender at Appomattox

Apr 9, 1865

The Surrender at Appomattox took place after Lee lost the battle of Appomattox. This essentially ended the Civil War in Virginia and the rest of the United States.