-
Declaration of Independence
-
3/5 Compromise
Slaves were counted as 3/5 a person to increase the number of representatives in Congress (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Eli Whitney Cotton Gin
Because of the invention of the Cotton Gin more slaves are needed, because the South can produce more cotton thanks to this gin (Ward, Burns & Burns, 1994).
* No exact date is known! -
Slave trade Abolished in Great Britain
-
Missouri Compromise
Slavery would be banned north of latitude 36’30 (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
The Liberator
William Lloyd Garrison started to publish his newspaper "The Liberator" from 1831-1865. He never had a lot of readers, but he was definitely heard (Ward, Burns & Burns, 1994). -
Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) marked the first U.S. armed conflict chiefly fought on foreign soil. It pitted a politically divided and militarily unprepared Mexico against the expansionist-minded administration of U.S. President James K. Polk, who believed the United States had a “manifest destiny” to spread across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. After the war the US gained a lot of new land. The slavery question was back on the agenda again! (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
1850 Compromise
This compromise stated that the states could decide for themselves whether they wanted to allow slavery on the basis of referendum (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Acts were a pair of federal laws that allowed for the capture and return of runaway slaves within the territory of the United States (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas is added to the South, Nebraska is added to the North. These states can decide for themselves whether they want to allow slavery or not. The differences between pro-slavery southerners and abolitionists eventually lead to Bleeding Kansas (Ward, Burns & Burns, 1994). -
Dret Scott decision
"The United States Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, declared that all blacks -- slaves as well as free -- were not and could never become citizens of the United States. The court also declared the 1820 Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, thus permiting slavery in all of the country's territories" (PBS, 1857). -
Secession of South Carolina
South Carolina was the first Southern state to secede from the Union. Other states would soon follow. -
Jefferson Davis becomes president of the Confederacy
He was the first president of the Confederacy and he didn't really want to. -
Lincoln becomes president
-
The First Battle of Fort Sumter
"When Fort Sumter was resupplied on April 12th, Confederate troops began attacking it from the mainland. The bombardment lasted for 34 hours straight, until the Union soldiers surrendered. Suprisingly, no soldiers on either side were killed by enemy fire. After this Confederate attack, the Civil War began and would become the bloodiest conflict in American History" (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
Period: to
Civil War events
-
First Battle of Bull Run
Union troops came together in Washington D.C.Their goal was to capture the Confederate capitol of Richmond, Virginia. However, the Confederate troops were waiting for Union forces at Bull Run. The first large battle of the war started. The Union suffered nearly 3,000 casualties. The Confederate forces defeated the Union in the end.This is also the battle that earned "stonewall" Jackson his name (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Libby prison
Prison for Union officers
2-3 deaths a day> 6300 people died (Sally Ribnick, 2015).
(No exact date known, only year matters) -
Battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee
Both of these battles happened in the same month 10 miles apart from eachother. The Confederate’s Fort Henry fell on Feb 5th, General Ulysses S. his troops and 7 gunboats from the Union began attacking the fort. The Confederate troops evacuated Fort Henry and moved to Fort Donelson 10 miles away and Grant’s troops followed them. The Union could now head south through Tennessee. This was the Union's first victory (Wikipedia, 2015). -
Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack
This was one of the most important naval battles during the Civil War, mostly because of the new kinds of warships used. It was fought near Hampton Roads, Virginia. The Monitor and Merrimac were the first iron clad warships. This meant that instead of just being made of wood, like all the ships before them, they had hard iron on the outside making them stronger. Both ships survived the battle. It wasn't clear which side won (Ducksters, 2015). -
Battle of Shiloh
First major battle in the Western theatre. Johnston attacks the Union forces. They are completely surprised. The Confederates drive the Union soldiers back to the Tennessee river, threatening to destroy it. Union line holds at a critical point> the Hornets’ nest! They need to hold this position, and they do. Johnson gets killed, Beauregard takes over. The Union eventually wins. It demonstrated that Grant was willing to pay any prize to win the war (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Battle and Capture of New Orleans
The Capture of New Orleans by Union forces was a major turning point in the war. New Orleans was the Confederacy’s largest city it was located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, a trading location with a powerful and economical port (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Homestead act
On this day in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signs the Homestead Act, which opens government-owned land to small family farmers (“homesteaders”). The act gave “any person” who was the head of a family 160 acres to try his hand at farming for five years. The individual had to be at least 21 years old and was required to build a house on the property (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
Battle of seven days
Battle of the Seven Days (VA) June 25-July 1862
To drive Union Troops away from Richmond
General McClellan (Army of the Potomac) vs Gen R.E Lee (Army of Northern Va). Coonfederate victory (Sally Ribnick, 2015). -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the first battle of the war to take place on Northern soil. It was the the bloodiest day in the American Civil War, with a total of over 23,000 casualties including more than 4,800 killed. There was no clear winner. (In fact, more Americans were killed on this day than on any other day in American military history) (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation is issued
Lincoln actually issued the Emancipation Proclamation twice.
He issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in 1862. It stipulated that if the Southern states did not cease their rebellion by January 1st, 1863, then Proclamation would go into effect. When the Confederacy did not yield, Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation. The first time it was issued after the battle of Antietam. Lincoln needed a victory, before issueing the proclamation (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg stands as one of the greatest Confederate victories. Led by General Robert E. Lee, the Army of Northern Virginia routed the Union forces led Maj Gen. Ambrose Burnside. Burnside ordered one futile frontal attack after another against the entrenched Confederate forces on the high ground of Marye’s Heights, generating astounding Union casualties that eventually reached twice that of Confederate casualties (HistoryNet, 2015). -
Emancipation Proclamation
The Emancipation Proclamation was an order given on January by Abraham Lincoln to free the slaves. This proclamation changed the purpose of the war. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Union army is defeated (Hooker) by the Confederates (Lee) (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Vicksburg
In May and June of 1863, Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant’s armies converged on Vicksburg, investing the city and entrapping a Confederate army under Lt. Gen. John Pemberton. On July 4, Vicksburg surrendered after prolonged siege operations. This was the culmination of one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war. With the loss of Pemberton’s army and this vital stronghold on the Mississippi, the Confederacy was effectively split in half (Guisepi, 2002). -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg took place in and near the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is known as the bloodiest battle of the war. It was also one of the most important battles of the Civil War for the North. It battle was a major turning point in the war. At the end of three days the Union had lost a lot of soldiers, it was a victory for the Union (Guisepi, 2002). -
Draft riots NY
Over a hundred people died in New York draft riots of July 1863! The Draft gave richt people the change to find loopholes, and to become rich because of the war. Also, especially Irish felt that they were fighting for blacks and they saw them as a threat. They would 'steal' white men's jobs. Opponents of the draft started to destroy shops, which owners employed blacks (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Battle of Chickamauga
Tactical Confederate victory, fail to pursue
Costliest battle in western theater
Turns into battle of Chattanooga, in November : resounding victory for the North under Grant
Confederates pushed back to Georgia paving way for Shermans famous ‘march to the sea’ across Georgia
in following year (Sally Ribnick, 2015). -
Battle of Rappahannock
Union cavalry under Alfred Pleasonton, sent to discover what Lee was up to, surprised Jeb Stuart and his Confederate raiders at Brandy Station on the Rappahannock. 21 thousand men clashed along the river. It was the biggest cavalry engagement in Am. history. It was a standoff, but now the Union now knew the Confederates were on the move. Hooker wanted to attack Richmond now that Lee was moving north (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994; Guisepi, 2002). -
Gettysburg Adress
President Abraham Lincoln was invited to deliver remarks, which later became known as the Gettysburg Address, at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War. Though he was not the featured orator that day, Lincoln’s 273-word address would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
Battles for Chattanooga
From November 23 to November 25, 1863, during the American Civil War, Union forces routed Confederate troops in Tennessee at the battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge, known collectively as the Battles for Chattanooga. The victories forced the Confederates back into Georgia, ending the siege of the vital railroad junction of Chattanooga, and paving the way for Union General William Tecumseh Sherman’s Atlanta campaign and march to Savannah, Georgia (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
Bloodiest year
Start of the bloodiest year of the Civil War -
Andersonville Prison
Capacity of 10000, but they had 30000/45000 prisoners
Southern prison
Boredom was the main cause of death (Sally Ribnick, 2015). -
Cold Harbor
Seven thousand Union soldiers were killed, mostly in the first five minutes. This was a huge mistake (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Petersburg
Beginning after the unsuccessful attack of the city of Petersburg by Ulysses S. Grant, Grant then construction trenches around the eastern portion of Richmond to the outskirts of Petersburg. The city was a major supply hub to the confederate army led by Robert E. Lee, who finally abandoned the city in 1865 and retreated, which led afterward to his ultimate surrender at Appomattox Court House. The Siege of Petersburg continues to be known as an early example of trench warfare (HistoryNet, 2015). -
Elmira Prison
Stated in New York for Confederate soldiers
Capacity was 5000 people, but there were more than 12000
2900 people died in this prison (Sally Ribnick, 2015). -
Battle of Atlanta
• Goal : cut off railway lines
• Union : Sherman ; Confederates : Hood
• Union officer : McPherson killed, Sherman : ‘McPherson and revenge, boys’
• Sherman seals off city’ s supplies
• Siege lasts a month Sept 1, 1864 : Sherman’s troops enter Atlanta.
• The burning of Atlanta (40% city destroyed)
• US Grant orders 100 gun salute fired into Petersburg (Sally Ribnick 2015). -
Shenandoah
Phil Sheridan gains control of Shenandoah : breadbasket of Confederacy
• Cavalry battle
• Grant orders another 100 gun salute into Petersburg (Sally Ribnick, 2015).
* only month and year matter, no exact date known -
Reelection Lincoln
Lincoln is reelected as president of the United States! His opponent was McClellan (Deomocrat). -
March to the sea
From November 15 until December 21, 1864, Union General William T. Sherman led some 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. Sherman’s soldiers did not destroy any of the towns in their path, but they stole food and livestock and burned the houses and barns of people who tried to fight back (A&E Television Networks, 2015). -
13th amendment is approved
Slavery is abolished -
Black soldiers join the Confederate army
In March 1865 the Confederate congress in Richmond votes
to let Blacks fight on the side of the Confederacy. The Black
soldiers are to fight in fully integrated units
The War for the South becomes a war of independence
The Union had already allowed blacks in in their army by 1862. (Sally Ribnick, 2015).
*only month and year matter, no exact date known -
Richmond falls
Richmond was the capital of the Confederacy. -
Letter Grant to Lee
Grant wrote Lee a letter, asking him to surrender. There was no point in resistance any more (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Surrender Appomattox Courthouse
After evacuating Richmond, General Lee’s troops were soon surrounded, and on April 7, Grant called Lee to surrender. On April 9, the two commanders met at Appomattox Courthouse, and agreed on the terms of surrender (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Lincoln is shot
By John Wilkes Booth in Ford theatre (Ward, Burns, & Burns, 1994). -
Surrender in Western Theatre
April 17th Johnston meets Sherman at Durham, North Carolina
Sherman shares news of Lincoln’s assasination.
Terms of surrender very generous
Congress in North and Jefferon Davis repudiate terms
Davis orders Johnston back into the fields; Johnston refuses (Sally Ribnick, 2015). -
Remaining Confederates surrender
Somewhere in May, not exactly the 7th -
13th Amendment is signed
Slavery is now really abolished -
Results of the Civil War
KKK- Nathan Bedford Forrest 1865
Reconstruction Amendments 13th freedom, 14th citizinship, 15th right to vote (black men)
Reconstruction 1865-1877
"It mad us an is" Shelby Foote (Sally Ribnick, 2015)
(Date mentioned above not relevant)
