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Manifest Destiny
Americans began to settle westward, as they saw it as their destiny to do so. This was, in the end, was the very setup for the war to come. -
California Gold Rush
An estimated number of 300,000 prospectors rush to California in hopes to find riches when James W. Marshall discovered gold in Coloma. -
Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act is passed, allowing for stricter punishments for those harboring escaped slaves. -
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is elected as president, much to the dismay of the south. Now the north held power of both congress and the presidency. -
South Carolina Secession
South Carolina is the first state to withdraw from the Union -
Confederate States
The Confederate States of America is founded as an independent republic, declaring themselves separate from the Union -
Battle of Bull Run
The first battle of the Civil War. -
Battle of Shiloh
Confederate soldiers launch a surprise attack on the North. -
Battle of Antietam
Robert E. Lee decides to invade the Union. Considered the bloodiest day of American history. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing all slaves in the rebelling states -
Vicksburg
The last major confederate base on the Mississippi river is put under siege. -
Draft
The first draft in American history is issued. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The most brutal, awful battle of the Civil War. -
Sherman's March
William Tecumseh Sherman burns farms, railroads, warehouses, and factories to make a point about how awful war can be. -
Freedman's Bureau
The Freedman's Bureau is established, feeding and clothing war refugees and helping former slaves find work. -
13th Amendment
Bans slavery forever in the United States. -
Ford's Theater
Abraham Lincoln is assassinated at a theater. -
Military Reconstruction Act
The Military Reconstruction Act divided the Confederacy into 5 districts and required strict requirements to join the Union -
Johnson Impeached
President Andrew Johnson is impeached for treason, but gets off free by one vote. -
Panic of 1873
Banks go bankrupt during the reconstruction of the Civil War, leading to a depression.
