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Lincoln Elected President
Lincoln ran for President in 1860, and won. But nobody from the South voted for him, because he was the only candidate who was against slavery. This showed that the country was divided in half. The people in the South didn't like how the federal government was 'too controlling over the states' rights'. So this led to many Southern states seceding, to keep their rights of slavery. -
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Lincoln Elected President
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Civil War Timeline
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South Carolina Secedes from the Union
South Carolina was the first of 11 Southern states to sucede, in 1860. Lincoln still wanted peace, but it was too late. A new 'country' was starting to form. -
The Confederate States of America is Formed
Once 11 states in the South seceded, they decided to elect a presdient, Jefferson Davis. They then decided to call themselves the Confederate States of America, and rebel against the Union. They attacked Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. Lincoln sent troops to stop them, and the Civil War began. -
Fort Sumter is Attacked
On April 12th, 1861, Confederate troops led by P.G.T. Beauregard fired at Union soldiers around Fort Sumter. The next day, Major Robert Anderson (Union Commander) surrendered and evacuated on the 14th. -
First Battle of Bull Run
This was an important battle because it was the first major land battle of the Civil War. It happend in Fairfax County and Prince William County, Virginia. There were about 60,000 troops involved total and about 4,000 casualties. The Confederates beat the Union, causing the Union to retreat back to Washington. -
Battle of the Monitor and Virginia
Just off the coast of Hampton Roads, Virginia, two Naval ships fought each other, on the morning of March 8th, 1862. The Union's ship, U.S.S. Monitor, was fighting against the Confederate's ship, C.S.S. Virginia. They fired at each other all morning, but their ships just kept deflecting the blows. Eventually the Confederates pulled back, and the Union had a victory. -
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
On January 1st, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. This was a document that freed all the slaves in the Confederacy. This eventually led to freeing all the slaves in the country. It also made it so that the Union was fighting for abolition. -
Battle of Gettysburg
Robert E. Lee took his army up into Gettysburg, PA and pushed the Union army back to Cemetery Hill. On July 1st, Lee commanded his army to attack the Union army on Cemetery hill. This led to major fights at Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, Peach Orchard, Culp’s Hill and East Cemetery Hill. On July 3rd, Lee tried to attack the Union army on Cemetery Ridge. It resulted in a major loss for Lee. This was the second time Lee invaded the North, and both times he failed. -
Fall of Vicksburg
A group of Union soldiers led by Ulysses S. Grant attacked Vicksburg and sieged the people and soldiers in it, on May 18th, 1863. The Confederates finally surrendered on July 4th, and the Union took control of the Mississippi River. This caused the Confederacy to split almost in half! -
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Siege of Petersburg
After many failed attempts by the Union army to take down the Confederate soldiers in Petersburg, VA, the Union settled for a siege. They dug trenches all around the city, stood guard. Eventually in March of the next year, the Confederates surrendered, giving the Union soldiers access to Richmond, the Confederacy captial, which led to Lee surredering at Appottomax Court House. So the Siege of Petersburg was a very important success for the Union. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
General Sherman, of the Union, marched to the sea. He took over Atlanta, which was a major city for railroads. He took over Savannah, which was a huge sea port. He also took down everything in his tracks, between Atlanta and Savannah. He destroyed a lot of the South and took over two major cities in Georgia. This was a big success for the North! -
Fall of Richmond
The North fought the South in a few different battles, which the North won, in early 1865. That led to the Confederates fleeing from Richmond, and letting the Union take it over on April 3, 1865. This was important because this was the captiol of the Confederacy, and this started the downfall of the South. -
Lee Surrenders at Appomattox Court House
General Lee was in Appomattox, trying to get food and supplies off of a train, when they were approached and trapped by Union soldiers. Lee tried to escape, but failed and decided to surrender the rest of his troops to General Grant, on April 9th. -
Lincoln was Assassinated
On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was in Ford's Theater in downtown Washington, when John Wilkes Booth snuck up behind him, and shot him in the head. Booth jumped down onto the stage, and escaped from the theater. Lincoln died the next day, and was the very first president to ever be assassinated. Booth did it because he thought it would help the South, even though it didn't end up doing that.
