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Trent Affair
The Trent Affair was an incident during the Civil War involving the Doctrine of Freedom of the Seas. In this event, the traditional freedom of the seas and the rights of the neutrals were challenged. This almost resulted in a war between the US and Great Britain. -
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Seven Days Battles
This event included six major battles in a timespan of seven days in Virginia. It resulted in a Confederate victory. Robert E. Lee's army drove the invading Union army of the Potomac away from Richmond. -
Battle at Antietam
Antietam was the bloodiest battle in all of America's history. There were over 23,000 casualties in just under 12 hours. Shortly after the war, Lincoln issued the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. This war resulted in a Union victory. -
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Battle at Fredericksburg
This was a war commanded by General Burnside; it was a war between General Robert E. Lee's confederate army versus the Union army of the Potomac. The Union forces were victorious in this battle. It was one of the bloodiest battles of the civil war. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Written and issued by Abraham Lincoln, the Emancipation Proclamation was a technical document that guaranteed freedom for all slaves in areas of Confederacy still in rebellion. The document ensured that slavery would be abolished gradually, over time. -
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Siege of Vicksburg
This was a very decisive battle in the a Civil War. I the end, Confederates surrendered after being besieged for over 7 weeks. The battle of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign during the American civil war. -
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Battle at Gettysburg
The battle at Gettysburg was the most important battle in the Civil War. Over 160,000 Americans were involved with over 28% if the men involved dying. It ended with a major victory for the North and is considered the turning point of the war. -
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New York Draft Riots
Erupting in New York City, the New York Draft Riots was a four day act of violence resulting from immense worker discontent regarding the inequities of compulsory enlistment for state service to the armed service during the U.S. Civil War. -
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Battle of Chickamaugua
Fought between the Army of Cumberland under command of General William Roscerands and the Confederate Army under General Braxton Bragg, the battle of Chickamaugua was fought in northeast GA. The result of this war was a Confederate victory. -
Lincoln Proposed 10% Plan for Reconstruction
This plan specified that if 10% of its voters swore an oath of allegiance to the Union, then a southern state can be re admitted into the Union. If the 10% was met, the southern state could then elect delegates to draft revised state constitutions and establish new state governments. -
Gettysburg Address
The most famous speech by Abraham Lincoln, the Gettysburg Address stressed Lincoln's main goal during the Cvil War which was to preserve the Union. Throughout the speech, Lincoln also invoked the principles of human equality ensured by the Declaration of Independence. The main goal of this two-minute speech was to encourage citizens to not only preserve the Union, but to preserve liberty and freedom as well. -
Fort Pillow
Occurred on the Mississippi River in Henning, TN during the Civil War. In this war, Confederates started a massacre of black Union troops after the surrender at Fort Pillow. -
Spotsylvania
This was a battle between Lee's and Grant's armies. It occurred during the Wilderness Campaign, a series of indecisive battles during Grant's campaign against Lee. Both sides suffered numerous losses. The results of the battle were inconclusive. There were over 30,000 casualties total. -
Wade-Davis Bill
The Wade-Davis Bill was written by two southern radical republicans, Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Henry Winter Davis of Maryland. Part of the Reconstruction, the bill proposed Congress to set a reconstruction policy before the end of the Civil War. Unfortunately, the bill was not passed. -
Battle at Franklin
This battle was part of hour Franklin-Nashville Campaign during the Civil War. It was one of the worst wars for the Confederate side, as they were very disorganized. This led to disaster for the Confederate side, and it resulted in a Union victory. -
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Battle at Nashville
This battle shattered the Confederate Army in the Western theatre during the civil war. This battle is well-known for its first ever successful battle plan for victory that was followed accurately and was successful. -
States Begin to Pass Black Codes
Shortly after the end of the Civil War when blacks were first free, Black Codes were enacted to ensure and continue the assurance of white supremacy. These laws were designed to replace the social controls of slavery that had previously been taken out of the 13th Amendment and the Emancipation Proclamation. -
13th Amendment
Part of Lincoln's Reconstruction Amendments, the 13th amendment abolished slavery in the U.S. -
Freedman's Bureau Founded
Freedman's Bureau was initiated by Abraham Lincoln and was intended to serve as a aid for freed slaves during the Reconstruction era. It was designed to last one year after e end of the civil war and was important assisting freedmen in the south. However, the Bureau was not as successful as they had hoped. -
Lincoln's Assassination
John Wilkes Booth, a Confederate sympathizer, shot Lincoln in the head at Ford's Theatre. Lincoln was the first president to be assassinated; Booth's initial plan was to kidnap Lincoln and hold him for ransom. However, this plan was not implemented. -
KKK Founded
In Pulaski, TN, the KKK was founded. It extended into almost every southern state by 1870. The main goal of the KKK was to assist white southerners' resistance against the Republican Party's Reconstruction-Era ideas and policies. They were against guaranteeing black equality and rights; they wanted to re-establish and ensure white supremacy. -
First Reconstruction Act
Also known as the Military a Reconstruction Act, the First Reconstruction Act bill divided recessionist states into five military districts. This reduced the states to little more than conquered territory. These divided military districts were each governed by a Union General where troops were dispatched to preserve peace and protect former slaves. -
Impeachment of Johnson
After being accused of "high crimes and misdemeanors," the U.S. House of Representatives detailed 11 articles of impeachment for Johnson. The House's primary ruling against Johnson was his violation of Tenure of Office Act. After Johnson was impeached, General Lorenzo Thomas was the replacement. -
14th Amendment
Part of Lincoln's Reconstruction Amendments, the 14th amendment included the privileges and immunities clause, applicable to all citizens, and the due process and equal protection clauses applicable to all people. -
15th Amendment
Part of Lincoln's Reconstruction Amendments, the 15th amendment prohibited voting rights discrimination of citizens on the base of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
Hayes-Tilden Compromise
This compromises resolved a conflict that had arisen during and after the presidential election of 1876. The compromise ensures that the congressional committee in charge of reviewing votes would decide in favor of Hayes in 4 states. In return, Hayes agreed to withdraw federal troops from Louisiana and South Carolina. This would ensure a de facto transfer of power in every single Southern state into the control of former slaveholders. -
End of Reconstruciton
Reconstruction ended when Hayes withdrew the last remaining federal troops from the South. Shortly after, the Republican governments collapsed. Over the next few decades, however, blacks that had previously been promised civil rights were not granted these promises. Their promise crumbled under white authority in the South. -
Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act forbade discrimination of any form based upon sex as well as race in job promotions and political hirings. This act granted citizenship and same rights held by white U.S. citizens "without distinction of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary servitude."