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Henry Repeating Rifle
The Henry Repeating Rifle was perfected in early 1860. It was used by many soldiers in the Union Army. -
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Civil War Timeline
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Pony Express
The Pony Express was used as a mail system. People on horses would carry mail from station to station while switching horses at each stop. The rider is replaced every one hundred miles or so. -
Democrats Decide
The Democrats met to decide their platform and who would be their nominee. Their meeting place was Charleston, South Carolina. Stephen Douglass was being considered but Southern Democrats wouldn't support him because he wouldn't adopt a pro-slavery platform. This caused the meeting to end without a nominee. -
Constitutional Union Party
The Constitutional Union Party was made up of democrats, Unionists, and former Whigs who help their first convention. They nominated John Bell, who was a Tennesse slaveholder, as their presidential nominee, and Edward Everett, who was a former Harvard University President, as his running mate. -
Second National Convention
The Republican Party held its second National Convention to discuss slavery. They decided that they did not want the expansion of slavery and some people of the party wanted slavery to be abolished. They also decided who would be their nominees for President and running mate, Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin. -
Democrats Meet Again
The Democrats held another meeting in Baltimore. Although a lot of Southern Democrats left early again, enough people stayed in order to vote for their nominees. They voted for Stephen Douglas as their presidential nominee and his running mate, former Georgia governor Herschel Johnson. -
Abraham Lincoln Wins the Election
On November 6, 1860, 2,218,388 people went to the polls and voted for Abraham Lincoln as the next President of the United States. Lincoln also received 180 electoral votes, causing him to win the election. With Lincoln's win, the Southerners feared he would abolish slavery. -
Secession Convention
The first Secession Convention meets in Columbia, South Carolina. This convention led to the secession of South Carolina in three days. -
Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise was meant to solve the secession crisis. It included six proposed constitutional amendments and four proposed Congressional resolutions that were hoped would appease Southern states and help avoid civil war. zit was unsuccessful. -
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union and start the Confederacy. They did not agree with the tariffs and wanted to protect their state's rights. They also did not want the abolishment of slavery. -
Mississippi Secedes
Mississippi secedes from the union a few weeks after South Carolina. Many southern states follow Mississippi very soon after. -
South Makes their Own Government
The seven states that seceded started their own government and constitution. They made Jefferson Davis their President. -
Lincoln is Inaugurated
Lincoln starts his first term as President on March 4th. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
Fort Sumter was the first battle of the American Civil War. Fort Sumter is located in Charleston, South Carolina. There were no casualties but the Union surrendered. -
Battle of Philippi
The Battle of Philippi was in Virginia and had 4 Union Casualties and 26 Confederate casualties. This resulted in a victory for the Union. -
First Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run is known as the first battle of the Civil War. The battle took place in Virginia where there were 2,950 Union casualties and 1,750 Confederate casualties. This resulted in the Union retreating and the Confederate winning. -
Lincoln Responds to Bull Run
President Lincoln Responds to Bull Run by enlisting 500,000 more men for 3 years. 3 days later he calls for 500,000 more men. -
Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries
The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries lasted two days in North Carolina. The Confederates lost 770 men while the Union only lost 3 men. -
Battle of Ball's Bluff
The Battle of Ball's Bluff was fought in Virginia. This battle was a loss for the Union. The Confederates drove them to the point where the Union soldiers had to escape through the river. This resulted in many of them drowning. There were 921 Union casualties and 149 Confederate Casualties. -
Battle of Belmont
The Battle of Belmont was fought in Missouri. Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Army, hoping to destroy the camp, and he did. There were 498 Union casualties and 966 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Mill Springs
The Battle of Mill Springs was fought in Kentucky. With 439 Confederate casualties and only 232 Union casualties. The North had a morale boost and maintained control over Kentucky. -
Battle of Fort Henry
The Battle of Fort Henry was fought in Tennessee. This is known as the first significant Union victory. There were 40 union casualties and 79 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought in Tennessee. The battle was a Union victory. It forced the Confederacy to give up southern Kentucky and much of Middle and West Tennessee. The casualties were 2,331 Union and 15,067 Confederate. -
Battle of Hampton Roads
The Battle of Hampton Roads was a naval battle. The casualties were 409 Union and 24 Confederate. Although there were more Union deaths, the battle still provided experience. -
First Battle of Kernstown
The First Battle of Kernstown was fought in Virginia. There were 590 Union and 718 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh was fought in Tennessee. The Confederacy staged a sneak attack in order to get an advantage on the Union. The Confederates were winning until the Union got reinforcements the next day. This resulted in a union victory with 13,047 Union
10,694 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Fort Pulaski
The Battle of Fort Pulaski was when the Union captured the Fort. It holds importance because the fort then became part of the Underground Railroad. The Confederates had 364 deaths while the Union only had 1. -
Capture of New Orleans
The Capture of New Orleans is when the Union took control of the Mississippi River. This is considered one of the turning points in the war. There were no casualties. -
Battle of Gaines' Mill
The Battle of Gaines' Mill took place in Virginia. This battle was a tactical win for the Confederacy. There were 6,800 Union and 8,700 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam was the bloodiest battle in the war. The battle gave President Lincoln the confidence to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. This battle has 23,100 casualties. After this battle, President Lincoln fired George McClellan for having the slows. -
Battle of Arkansas Post
The Battle of Arkansas Post was fought from January 9th to the 11th. On the last day of battle, the Union army captured a Confederate stronghold. -
Battle of Raymond
The Battle of Raymond was fought in Mississippi. This battle was a Union victory with 442 Union and 514 Confederate deaths. -
Battle of Brandy Station
The Battle of Brandy Station took place in Virginia. The battle was the largest predominantly cavalry engagement of the American Civil War. It resulted in a Confederate tactical win. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was a three-day battle in Pennsylvania. John Buford was leading the Union and took the high ground. Both sides had to call for reinforcements. On the 3rd day, the Confederacy tries to break the Union lines but is stopped and severely hurt. The Union won and had a big morale boost. The South's morale took a beating and they never attempted to advance on North territory again. -
Vicksburg
The Confederates surrender on July 3, 1863. This allowed the Union to take control of the Mississippi River. -
First Battle of Fort Wagner
The First Battle of Fort Wagner was fought in South Carolina. This battle was a Confederate victory but it showed the drive the African Americans had in the Union army. -
Second Battle of Fort Wagner
The Second Battle of Fort Wagner was a Union effort to launch an assault on the Confederate fortress of Fort Wagner. They did not succeed and the Confederates defended their territory. -
Battle of Chickamauga
The Battle of Chickamauga was in Tennessee. The battle was the largest Confederate victory in the Western theater. There were 34,624 casualties. -
Gettysburg Address
The Gettysburg Address was a speech that Abraham Lincoln made in dedication to the soldiers that lost their lives in the Battle of Gettysburg. It was the start of his efforts to unify the country again. -
Battle of Chattanooga
The Battle of Chattanooga was fought at the Tennessee River. The battle ended up being a Union victory with 5,815 Union and 6,670 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of the Wilderness
The Battle of the Wilderness was fought in Virginia. The battle had no set winner even though there were 18,400 Union and 11,400 Confederate casualties. It also marked the first stage of a major Union offensive toward the Confederate capital of Richmond. -
Battle of Resaca
The Battle of Resaca was in Georgia. Although the Confederate army was outnumbered, they were able to slow the progress the Union was making in Georgia. -
Battle of New Market
The Battle of New Market is located in Virginia. This battle was a Confederate win and it allowed the local crops to be harvested for Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and protected Lee's lines of communications to western Virginia. -
Battle of Atlanta
The Battle of Atlanta was in Georgia. The battle cut off a main Confederate supply center and influenced the Federal presidential election of 1864. -
Battle of the Crater
The Battle of the Crater was fought in Virginia. This battle was a failed attempt on the Union end. The Union was trying to break Confederate lines but the Confederacy ended up winning. -
Battle of Mobile Bay
The Battle of Mobile Bay took place in Alabama. The Union won this battle and it was one of the first victories to help secure the re-election of Abraham Lincoln for his second term. -
Battle of Jonesborough
The Battle of Jonesborough took place in Georgia. The Union victory allowed the Union to take over and place forces to occupy the city. -
Battle of Cedar Creek
The Battle of Cedar Creek was in Virginia. The battle is important because it ended southern resistance in the Shenandoah Valley which ended the valley as a source of food for the Confederacy. -
Battle of Franklin
The Battle of Franklin was fought in Tennessee. This battle was very important for the Confederates because the federal victory deprived Confederate General John Bell Hood of his last chance to stop Union generals John Schofield and George H. Thomas from bringing their armies together during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign -
Battle of Nashville
The Battle of Nashville was in Tennessee. The Union won this battle and it ended up eliminating the war in Tennesee. -
Second Battle of Fort Fisher
The Second Battle of Fort Fisher occurred in North Carolina. The Union won this battle and it gained them vital trading routes in Wilmington. -
Battle of Bentonville
The Battle of Bentonville was fought in North Carolina. This was the largest battle fought in North Carolina. The Union won this fight with 1,646 Union and 3,092 Confederate casualties. -
Battle of Five Forks
The Battle of Five Forks took place in Virginia. The Union won this battle which was a big advantage. With this win, the Union will now be able to reach the South Side Railroad and the Richmond and Danville Railroad. This is not good for the Confederates because it opens up the possibility of the Union cutting off their supplies. -
Battle of Sailor's Creek
The Battle of Sailor's Creek was fought in Virginia and it was one of the last battles before the surrender. In this battle, the Union captured a fourth of Robert E. Lee's army. They did this by cutting off the Confederate retreat route. -
Surrender at Appomattox Court House
The Surrender at Appomattox Court House was in Virginia. When Robert E. Lee realized the Union trapped him and his army, he surrendered. Lee did not want any more unnecessary damage to the South. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
President Lincoln and his wife went to the Ford Theater five days after the Civil War ended. John Wilkes Booth, a 26-year-old actor, shot the President in the back of his head. This lead to Lincoln's death the next day. John Wilkes Booth was able to escape. -
John Wilkes Booth Dies
Twelve days after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, the Union Calvary caught up to his murderer, John Wilkes Booth. Booth ended up being shot to death. -
Money for Jefferson Davis
There was a $100,000 reward offered for the arrest of Jefferson Davis. At the time the former Confederate President was fleeing to the South. -
Juneteenth
Juneteenth marks the day when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas in 1865 to take control of the state and ensure that all enslaved people be freed. -
Captain Henry Wirz
Captain Henry Wirz was the superintendent of the Confederate prison at Andersonville, Georgia. He was convicted of war crimes and executed by being hung on November 10th. -
Andrew Johnson Vetos Civil Rights Bill
In 1866, Andrew Johnson vetoed a Civil Rights Bill that declared all persons born in the United States to be citizens, "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude." -
Congress Rejects Andrew Johnson's Veto
On April 1st the United States Congress overturned Andrew Johnson's decision to veto the bill that declared all persons born in the United States to be citizens, "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude." -
Andrew Johnson Ends the Insurrection
President Andrew Johnson released a proclamation that ended any violence toward the government that existed in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, and Virginia. -
Civil Rights Bill is Passed
On April 9, 1866, the Civil Rights Bill is finally passed even after President Andrew Johnson vetoed the bill. -
American Equal Rights Association Forms
The American Equal Rights Association was formed in 1866. The association stated its goal was to “secure Equal Rights to all Americans citizens, especially the right of suffrage, irrespective of race, color, or sex.” -
US House of Representatives Passes 14th Amendment
On June 13, 1866, the United States House of Representatives passed the 14th Amendment. The 14th amendment granted citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States—including former enslaved people—and guaranteed all citizens “equal protection of the laws.” -
Tennessee Returns
On July 24, 1866, Tennessee became the 1st Confederate state readmitted to Union. -
Ulysses S. Grant Named 1st General of Army
On July 25, 1866, Ulysses S. Grant was named the first General of the United States Army. After the Civil War ended, Grant did not leave the army. He is the first person to hold the title of General since George Washington. -
President Andrew Johnson Formally Declares US Civil War Over
On August 20, 1866, President Andrew Johnson finally declared the Civil War to be over. Although the fighting stopped long ago, the war was never formally declared over. -
Frederick Douglass is the 1st US Black Delegate to a National Convention
On September 6, 1866, Frederick Douglass became the first African-American delegate to a National Convention. -
John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge
The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge opened on January 1, 1867. It was originally created for the Union troops to cross and construct defenses but was opened to the public after the war. -
African American men can vote in D.C.
After January 8th, 1867, African American men were finally able to vote in the District of Columbia. Andrew Johnson vetoed this but he was overruled. -
Nebraska Becomes a State
On March 1, 1867, Nebraska became the 37th state to join the United States. -
Reconstruction Act of 1867
The laws of the Reconstruction Act were passed in 1867. The law meant that the South was divided into five military districts and governed by military governors until acceptable state constitutions could be written and approved by Congress. -
US Buys Alaska
On March 30, 1867, the United States bought Alaska from Russia. It cost about $7,200,000 or 2 cents per acre. -
The First Elevated Railroad in USA
The first elevated railroad in the USA begins service in New York on July 2nd. An elevated railway or elevated train is a rapid transit railway with tracks above street level on a viaduct or other elevated structure. -
Harvard School of Dental Medicine
Harvard School of Dental Medicine was founded on July 17, 1867. It was the first school to provide dental education. -
The United States Controls Midway Island
Midway Island is a 2.4-square-mile atoll in the North Pacific Ocean. On September 9th, the United States took formal control over the unoccupied island. -
US Takes Possession of Alaska
After buying Alaska back in March, the United States is finally able to take formal possession of Alaska from Russia. -
Medicine Lodge Treaty
The Medicine Lodge Treaty relegated the Cheyenne to lands south of Fort Larned. It also allowed the tribes to collect gifts from the government.
