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Harper's Ferry
John Brown and his followers killed 5 slavery supporters and then seized an armory in order to incite slave rebellion. It didn't work, and ultimately ended in Brown's death. The North viewed him as a martyr while the South viewed him as a villain -
Lincoln's First Election
Abraham Lincoln is elected as the 16th president. Before his inauguration, several states secede due to Lincoln's anti-slavery ideologies. The south thought that he would radicalize the Union. -
South Secedes
South Carolina secedes first, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Eventually, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee join the Confederacy. -
Writ of Habeas Corpus suspended
John Merryman is arrested for trying to stop union troops from moving from Baltimore to Washington DC. He was arrested and Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, claiming that it was the only way the South could be beat. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The first ground battle of the war ended in a Union loss, showed how both sides needed improved military, and that the war wouldn't be won as easily as the North thought -
First Confiscation Act
Any slaves used by their masters to benefit the war would be freed, and any Confederate supplies that could be used for the war could be seized by federal troops. -
Trent Affair
Charles Wilkes captured to Confederate envoys on a British vessel, the Trent. Britain claimed that this violated their neutrality, which led to diplomatic conflict between the North and Britain. -
Confederate States Established
The seceded states form their own government to prevent the "radicalized" union from taking their slaves. Jefferson Davis is elected as the Confederate president. -
Shiloh
The second large battle of the war. The North won, but both sides suffered heavy loses, which decreased both of the armies' morale. -
Capture of New Orleans
By taking New Orleans, the North took part of the Mississippi and the South's largest banking center, which dealt a huge blow to the South. -
Homestead Acts
This act encouraged settlers to move westward, providing each person with 160 acres of public land. In exchange, the settlers paid a filing fee and received ownership of the land after 5 years of residency. -
2nd Confiscation Acts
Enforced in Union occupied areas of the South, it declared that all slaves would be freed. This served as a precursor to the Emancipation Proclamation -
First Income Tax
The gov't levied the first income tax, which led to an increase of rates on all goods. This served to finance the war -
Antietam
This was the bloodiest single day battle in American history. It took place in Maryland, and allowed Lincoln to make the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Monitor vs. Merrimac
The first naval battle between the ironclad ships of the revolution. The North built the Monitor to counter the South's Merrimac. The Merrimac was defeated near Hampton Roads, Virginia -
The Emancipation Proclamation
After Antietam, Lincoln declared that all slaves in the Confederacy were freed. He did this to threaten Southern economy and to hurt Confederate morale. -
National Draft Law
This was the first nation wide draft in the North. It was also the first to be officially passed by Congress, and it occurred almost a year after the Southern draft law -
Vicksburg
The siege of Vicksburg ultimately gave the Union another part of the Mississippi. The following victory at Gettysburg served as a key point in the war and boosted Union morale. -
Capture of Atlanta
The North captured Atlanta, and most of the city was burned to the ground. This marked the beginning of Sherman's March to the sea. -
Lincoln's Re-election
Lincoln's policies were hugely favored, which solidified the idea that there would be no negotiated peace between the North and South, and that if the Union won, slavery would be abolished. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman marched his troops from Atlanta to Savannah. His troops used the scorched earth method, which crippled southern morale. Eventually, Sherman's troops just destroyed everything in their path. -
Capture of Richmond
Ulysses S Grant captures Richmond Virginia, proving the South's increasing weakness. Soldiers and politicians fled beforehand, leading to rioting and general chaos. -
Surrender at Appomattox
Beset on all sides by Union forces, General Lee met with General Grant to surrender his forces. This marked the end of the war. -
Lincoln's Assassination
Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth, a Southern sympathizer, at Ford's Theater in DC. Many southerners saw Lincoln as the direct cause of the war, and thus held great animosity towards him. -
13th Amendment
This amendment officially abolished slavery in the US.