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Battle of Fort Sumter
After the South declared their secession, they bombarded Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina until the Union surrendered the fort. This is what began the fighting of the civil war which was significant because it would end up costing many lives and it would keep the union intact. -
First Battle of Bull Run
This was one of the first battles fought in the civil war which was near the city of Manassas, Virginia. After a day of fighting, the confederates gained the victory. This was a very important battle because it came as a big victory for the south at the beginning of the war which influenced the north to realize that the war was not going to be so easily won. -
Monitor vs. Merrimack
This was the first modern naval encounter in the world where both ships were ironclad. This took place in Hampton Roads, Virginia where the battle ended in a draw, but a new era of fighting began. This battle greatly influenced the modern naval ships and the way that they fight. -
Battle of Picacho Pass
A little west of Tucson, Arizona, a group of confederate soldiers from Texas marched to Arizona to occupy the city of Tucson. Once the union heard of this, a group of Californian soldiers were sent out. The soldiers were quickly repelled, but this marked the most western battle of the civil war and represents how fighting was distributed throughout the entire continent and was not just contained on the east coast. -
Stonewall Jackson dies
After being shot in the arm and having it amputated, Stonewall Jackson (one of the top confederate generals) died of the pneumonia. This gave the north the upper hand by having less competition. -
Battle of Antietam
This was the single bloodiest day of the civil war which happened in Maryland during Lee’s campaign north. The north turned back the south to prevent them from continuing north. This allowed the north to protect their cities and it gave Abraham Lincoln the chance to announce the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Vicksburg
In Vicksburg, Mississippi, General Ulysses S. Grant set up a siege to defeat the confederate army there. This gave the Union control over the Mississippi river, which split the confederate states in two. By having the Mississippi river, the north could also prevent the transsportation of goods and weapons that could have traveled down the river. -
The Battle of Gettysburg
In a Pennsylvania town, Confederate troops attacked a union army and soon reinforcements arrived on both sides. After days of fighting the north won beating General Lee. This battle boosted the moral of the north by breaking General Lee’s winning streak. -
Battle of Chickamuaga
In Georgia close to Chattanooga, a union army was sent to occupy Chattanooga, but when they were attacked by a large army of confederates, they lost heavily. It was a very bloody battle with the Union retreating at its end. This terrified the North by losing this heavily but it proved to be the south’s last large victory. This battle ended up being so significant because the confederate campaign would deteriorate after they won in Chickamuaga. -
Gettysburg Address
After Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech to commemorate the dead soldiers. The speech brought the country together in a sense that people began to recognize how the United States is a nation and not just multiple states. This increased nationalism helped to build moral for the union army. -
Election of 1864
Lincoln is re-elected due to recent northern victories which made people feel more confident in him. This allowed the north to continue working towards reuniting themselves by having a strong leader who was not willing to give into the southern powers. -
Shermans March to the Sea
Sherman leading a union army marched to Atlanta while ruining everything in their way. This total war devastated the south by cutting of their transportation and trade. They did this by burning down major cities and cutting railroad tracks. After doing this, Sherman went on to assist with defeating Lee from the south. The fact that Sherman had to engage in total war to defeat the south shows how the south was very committed to the war and were not -
Surrended at Appomattox
After the union took Richmond (the confederate capital), General Lee surrendered finally ending the war in the favor of the Union. Abraham Lincoln made sure that the surrendered soldiers were not treated harshly to ensure that further hatred would not ensue. -
