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Civil war
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South Carolina secedes
South Carolina secedes from the Union, after Lincoln is elected president. They feared a Lincoln win so much, that during the election, they stopped the popular vote, and threw all their votes to the pro slavery candidate Breckinridge. While Lincoln promised to keep slavery, southerners saw the election of a Republican, as a symptom of national disrespect for their politics, and by extension, their way of life. In April of the next year, fort Sumter is occupied, starting the war. -
Shots fired at fort Sumter
On December 26, 1860, or just six days following South Carolina’s secession, Major Robert Anderson and some of his men occupied the fort. When they refused to surrender the fort to the newly formed Confederacy, a lengthy standoff occurred. On April 12, 1861 after refusing Anderson’s terms of surrender, Confederate troops opened fire on the fort, signaling the start of the civil war. The fort was captured on April 13, of 1861. -
Confederacy formed
On February 4, 1861, representatives from the states of Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, and george, gathered in Montgomery Alabama to form a new nation, the Confederate States of America. After South Carolina formerly Seceded, other states followed suit. Within six weeks, six states in all had seceded, and elected Jefferson Davis as president of the new nation. This new nation was a threat to the power and unity of the US, therefore war was inevitable. -
Lincoln's Innaguration
On march 4, 1861, president Lincoln was sworn in as President of the US. This is very controversial, because, due to the number of candidates, the majority of people in the US did not vote for Lincoln. Because they fear Lincoln will disband slavery, souuth Carolina secedes from the Union on November 9th of same year. Other states will follow, starting the civil war. -
Blockade of CSA ports
On April 19 1861, Lincoln issued a blockade against confederate ports. Because the Union had few ships suitable for blockade, a naval buildup commenced, which would eventually cement the US as a superpower. For the rest of the war, the confederacy was at an economic disadvantage, because they could not sell cotton, or import supplies. -
Bull run
Yielding to popular pressure, General Irvin McDowell ordered his inexperienced army to attack the CSA army at Manassas Junction. Both sides assumed it would be an easy win. However, McDowell’s tactics of an ambush on the CSA’s flank failed. In addition, CSA reinforcements quickly arrived, the CSA counterattacked, and routed the Union army. While an easy victory was asumed at the onset, this battle opened people's eyes to the fact that this would not be aneasy war. -
Maverick Vs Moniter
On March 6, 1862, two iron ships engaged each other in the chesapeake bay. The Merrimack tried to break the North’s naval blockade of the south, by sinking several Union warships. The Monitor was deployed in response, and the two ships fought a battle, where cannon fire was simply bounced off the ship's armor. Since neither ship could sink the other, the battle was a tie. However, this was the start of a new age of naval war, where wooden ships would be replaced by those of iron. -
Shiloh
On April 6, 1882, Confederate troops led by General Albert Sidney Johnston attacked Union troops holding territory near Pittsburg Landing. The Union was driven back, but Held the line at a sunken road called Hornet’s nest. The Union was reinforced, and was ultimately victorious. This battle had the highest total casualty rate of any American battle thus far, and among the Casualties was the Confederate General Johnston. -
Antietam
On September 16, of 1862, George McClellan attacked the army of Robert E. Lee in the vicinity of Sharpsburg, Maryland. The Confederate army was on the verge of defeat, until reinforcements arrived, and pushed the Union army back. This was the bloodiest day in the war, but ended in a tie. However, it was enough of a victory for Lincoln to feel comfortable issuing the emancipation proclamation. -
Emancipation proclimation
President Lincoln signed this executive order, freeing slaves in most of the south. While it was impossible to enforce in Confederate territory, slaves in Union occupied areas, and those who had escaped to the north, would now be recognized as free. Prior to this, Lincoln warned the south that if they continued the rebellion, he would free the slaves. When the south did not comply, Lincoln made good on his promise. -
Battle of Vicksburg
Union troops, led by Grant, besieged a confederate army in the town of Vicksburg, after a failed attempt to take the town swiftly. Union forces cleverly dug tunnels to get closer the the Confederates, and detonated bombs in tunnels they had dug under their defensive positions, but were fought off by confederates. On July 3, the Confederates surrendered, and the Union took the town. This victory also divided the Confederacy by capturing the Mississippi river, giving the union an advantage. -
Battle of Gettysburg
On July 1, 1863, Confederate troops, led by Robert E Lee, attempting to penetrate deep into the North, engaged Union troops, led by George E Meade. The Union army was routed on the first day of battle, but held the lines on the second day. On the third day, after a disastrous infantry charge, the Confederate army was repelled, and retreated. This battle is widely considered the turning point of the war, where the Union gained an advantage. -
Gettysburg adress
Four and a half months after the battle of Gettysburg, a national Soldiers cemetery was dedicated. President Lincoln, at this dedication, gave this speech, about the values of American Unity, and about the hardships faced by Union soldiers at Gettysburg. This was a reminder to everyone, of what the Union was fighting for. -
Grant promoted to general
On March 1, the Union's most famous commander, Ulysses S. Grant, got his position as Lt. general. This was an uncommon rank, with George Washington having been the only man to wield it, prior to Grant. Lincoln's advisors tried to stop him, accusing Grant of being a drunkard, but Lincoln promoted him anyway, requesting not to be informed of his plans. -
Battle of the wilderness
On May 5 of 1864, General Lee’s troops attacked Union troops under Grant in dense Spotsylvania forest. Both fighting continued all of that day, as Both sides attempted to move in the woods, by the time of dusk, the battle was inconclusive. On the second day, Union troops attacked, and caused Confusion, but Lt.General James Longstreet was able to somewhat mitigate the damage. Fighting continued, until Grant withdrew, with the intention of intercepting Lee’s army between Richmond -
Battle of Atlanta
On July 22, 1864, Confederate troops led by General John Bell Hood attacked Union troops near Atlanta, in an attempt to decimate the Union’s left flank. The Union general, James McPherson deduced this move, and positioned his troops to defend. Because of this, the Confederates were not able to stop the Union, which later captured Atlant -
Re-election of lincoln
On november 4, Lincoln is re-elected for a second term as president. Riding high on support after the Battle of Atlanta, which made a Union Victory inevitable, Lincoln had great popular support. Combined with a fractured Democratic party, and no votes from the south, Lincoln had an easy victory, which allowed Lincoln to continue to lead the nation. -
13th ammandment
On January 31, 1865, Abraham Lincoln signed this amendment into law. The amendment ended slavery, or forced servitude in the entire US, not just in the south. This signaled the formal, legal and symbolic end to slavery. -
The surender of Robert E. Lee
Robert E Lee surrenders to the Union, disabling the CSA. After fleeing from Richmond and Petersburg, Lee had tried to join up with Troops in North Carolina, and resume the war. However, the Union surrounded them, and without supplies, Lee was forced to surrender to Grant, at a parlor in Appomattox. The CSA troops could keep their property, and their horses, so that they could return to farming, and officers and men were pardoned. This loss, in effect, ended the civil war. -
Assasination of Lincoln
On April 14, while watching a performance at Ford’s theater, a man named John Wilkes Booth walked to the balcony seat where he was sitting, and shot him. He was rushed to an adjacent house, where he died at 7:22 the morning after. John Wilkes Booth escaped the theater, and was apprehended after a standoff at a farm in Virginia. This showed that even though the civil war was over, old grudges still existed.
