-
The Idea of Secession
Jefferson Davis expresses his opinion about secession for the first time. -
Lincoln is Elected
Lincoln is elected President of the United States of America. -
Fort Sumter Threatened
Major Robert Anderson reports that Fort Sumter is being threatened and asks for reinforcements but doesn't get it. -
Request for Reinforcements
Robert Anderson makes his third request for reinforcements but Lincoln continues to wait as long as he can for the confederates to act first. -
Secession is Unconstitutional
President James Buchanan says in a State f the Union message that secession is unconstitutional but also says the federal government doesn't have the authority to prevent it. -
Tennessee Ponders Secession
Isham Harris, the governor of Tennessee, calls for a session of Legislature to contemplate secession. -
Georgia Rallies the South
Georgia calls all southern states to a convention to consider forming an independant nation. -
Debating Secession
-
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina officailly secedes from the union which will start an avalanche effect of southern states seceding. -
Union Troops at Charleston
President Buchanan says that he will not withdraw Federal troops from Charleston. -
Confederate States of America is Born
The Confederate States of America is formed with Jefferson Davis as its president. -
Lincoln Sworn In
Lincoln officially becomes the 16th president of the US. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
Confederate forces led by general Pierre Beauregard attack Fort Sumter which starts the Civil War. -
Call to Arms
Lincoln calls for 75,000 militiamen to fight for the Union. -
The Confederacy Grows
Virgina Secedes from the Union and is then followed by Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina within the next 5 weeks. -
Blockades
Lincoln orders Southern ports to be blockaded to restrict the South from receiving supplies. -
Lee Joins the Confederacy
Robert E. Lee resigns from the United States Army because he doesn't want to fight against his homeland, Richmond, Virgina. -
Call for More Men
Congress authorizes a call for 500,000 men into the Union Army. -
Confederate Victory at Bull Run
Stonewall Jackson defeats McDowell's army at Bull Run, he also earns his nickname here. -
McClellan replaces McDowell
Lincoln gives George B. McClellan control of the Union Army. -
Advance on the South
Lincoln orders all US troops to start a general advance on the South. -
Unconditional Surrender
General Ulysses S. Grant Captures Fort Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee and earns his nickname, "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. -
The Confederate "Merrimac"
The Merrimac, an ironclad Confederate ship, sinks 2 wooden Union Ships and then ends a battle in stalemate against another ironclad Union ship. -
Battle of Shiloh
On the first day of fighting, the Confederates had the upper hand, but the next day Union reinforcements arrived and forced the Confederates to retreat. -
New Orleans Seized
Officer David Farragut moves up the Mississippi River then takes New Orleans. -
Williamsburg
During this inconclusive battle, the Confederate was close to gaining an advantage over the Union but Feederal reinforcements soon arrived so the Confederates retreated. -
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Confederate forces won a second victory at Bull Run despite being outnumbered. -
Lee's Advance into Maryland
Lee led his army across the Potomac River into Maryland. Although the Confederates had soe good victories, the campaign as a whole had failed. -
Antietam
During the bloodiest single day battle of the civil war, Union General McClellan stops Confederate forces and maakes Lee fall back to Virginia. -
Fredericksburg
General Burnside attempts to take Fredericksburg but suffers heavy losses after attacking well entrenched soldiers. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation which frees all slaves in Confederate territories. -
Grant in the West
General Grant is placed in charge of the Union Army of the West and is given orders to capture Vicksburg -
Lee Wins at Chancellorville
Lee defeats general Hooker at Chacellorville despite having half as many troops as Hooker. -
The Stonewall Falls
After being wounded by friendly fire at Chancellorville, he had his arm amputated but contracted pneumonia from the operation and died soon after. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Confederates suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Gettysburg which lasted 3 days. This was the turning point of the war because Lee lost so many troops that he could not launch an invasion on the North while so undermanned. -
Vicksburg Captured
Union troops put Vicksburg under siege for 6 weeks until they finally surendered on July 4th. Capturing this stonghold gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, which was a stage of the Anaconda Plan. -
Abolition and Equality
President Lincoln meets with Frederick Douglass who wants black soldiers to be treated equally in the Union. -
Battle of Chickamauga
This was the first major battle fought in Geogia and was a big loss for the Union troops led by Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans. -
Grant Leads the West
President Lincoln appoints General Grant as commander of all armies in the West. -
Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address which is a 2 minute speech to comemorate the loss of life at the Battle of Gettysburg. -
Union Officers Escape
109 Union officers escaped from Libby Prison on the bank of the James River. 59 of the officers were able to get to Union lines and be rescued. -
Andersonville Gains Prisoners
The first union prisoners arrive at the Andersonville prison camp which will soon become the most notorious prison camp in the south. -
Grant is Promoted
Lincoln gives General Grant command of all armies in the United States and fills his old position in the western theater with William T. Sherman. -
Inconclusive Battle
Grant and Lee battle southwest of Fredericksburg for days but neither side wins a clear victory. -
Battle of Picketts Mill
Union general Sherman made a mistake in battle when he ordered his troops to attack the flank of the enemy which he thought was a weak spot, but was actually a supported position. -
Battle of Cold Harbor
Union and Confederate troops battled here for 13 long days and both sides combined recieved about 18,000 casualties but eventually ended in a Confederate victory. -
Siege of Petersburg Begins
Grant commands his soldiers to entrench themselves around the city of Petersburg where they fought trench warfare to prevent the south from getting supplies from Petersburg. -
Lincoln favored over McClellan
Lincoln won a landslide victory over McClellan in the election and won the popular vote with 55%. -
Sherman's March to the Sea Begins
The 300 mile march of destruction starting at Atlanta, Geogia and ending at Savannah, Georgia. -
The March to the Sea Ends
Sherman's troops arrive at Savannah, ending his reign of terror. His scorched earth policy was extremely cruel but also extremely effective at destroying the Confederacies infrastructure. -
13th Amendment Approved by Congress
The US congress approved the 13th amendment and now needs to be ratified by the states to be put into effect. -
Hampton Roads Conference
During this peace talk, Lincoln and his secretary of state met with Confederate representatives to discuss a possible surrender, but the only thing they could agree on was an exchange of prisoners. -
Lincoln's Second Inauguration
During his inaugural speech he says that the war must end so that the US can cheerish peace among itself. -
Siege of Petersburg Ends
Lee eventually abandoned the city of Petersburg after supply lines were completely cut off. Lee attempts a final offensive but his attack is broken within 4 hours. -
Grant's Push Southward
Grant breaks through Lee's lines at Petersburg and force the Confederates to evacuate Richmond, Virginia, the Confederate Capital. -
Stars and Stripes
A day after the evacuation of Righmond, Union troops enter the city and fly the stars and stripes over the capital. -
Lee Surrenders
General Lee surrenders his Confederate Army to General Lee in the Appomattix Court House. The Confederates are treated respectfully and are allowed to keep their horses and sidearms. -
Booth Killed
John Wilkes Booth is chased down and shot while hiding in a barn. -
Lincoln Assassinated
While attending a play at Ford's Theater, Lincoln was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln died the next morning. -
Slavery Abolished
The 13th amendment is finally ratified and slavery is abolished. -
Discrimination Continues
President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Freedman's Bureau bill that would make it illegal to "deprive Negroes of their civil rights" -
Johnson Vetoes Civil Rights Act
Johnson vetoed this civil rights because he deemed it was unconstitutional. -
Remembrance of Ford's Theater
Congress buys Ford's Theater to build the Army Medical Museum and the Office of the Surgeon General. -
Johnson is Overridden
Congress overrid Johnson's veto on the Civil Rights Act. -
Riots Erupt
Riots start in New Orleans and Memphis because of racial violence. -
14th Amendment Approved
This amendment was created in order to help reconstruction that is supposed to give all citizens equal protection of the law. -
Congress Overrides again
Congress overrides Johnson's veto on the Freedman's Bereau bill which woudl make it illegal to deny Negroes their civil rights. -
Tennessee Joins the Union
After seceeding during the civil war, Tennessee becomes the first sate to rejoin the Union -
The New United States Army
Congress promotes Ulysses S. Grant to 4-star general and is made general of the armies. Sherman is also promoted to Lt. General. -
US Keeps its Word
In order to protect the Civil Rights Act and the Freedman's Bereau bill, the US sercret service starts to investigate the Ku Klux Klan. -
African Americans Earn the Right to Vote
Blacks in Washington DC gain the right to vote after a bill is passed despite Johnson's veto. -
Tenure of Office Act
This act was passed to make sure the president didn't remove officials without the consent of Congress to prevent corruption. -
Continued Supression of Blacks Rights
in Alexandria, Virginia, thousands of votes by blacks are rejected even though they were given suffrage under the Reconstruction Act. -
Reconstruction Efforts Increase
Congress passes the second Reconstruction Act, which yet again was almost vetoed by Johnson. -
Treaty for Alaska
The Senate ratifies a treaty with Russia to purchase Alaska for 2 cents an acre. -
Rejoining the Union
Congress admits Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina back into the Union because they ratified the 14th amendment. -
New Secretary of War
Ulysses S. Grant becomes the ad interim Secretary of War. -
Secretary of War Removed
Andrew Johnson suspends Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War. -
The US Aquires Alaska
Russia turns over Alaska to the United States. -
Impeachment?
Congress considers impeaching Johnson because of his efforts to halt reconstruction with vetos.
