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Civil War
Civil War -
Senator Jefferson Davis speaks for Slavery
Mississippi Senator Jefferson Davis presents resolutions as to why slavery should be allowed in the territories. He also gave reasons as to why the nation should protect slaveholders. His intention was to unite the Democratic party. -
Cooper Union Adddress
Lincoln gives the Cooper Union Address, in which he validated the Federal Government banning slavery in new territories. This was Lincoln's most influential speech and many people believe it won him the presidency. -
The Pony Express
The Pony Express begins going from Saint Louis, Missouri to Sacremento, California. It had 119 stations that were each 12 miles apart. They made it possible for more letters to be delivered in a more timely manner. -
Constitutional Union Party Forms
The former members of the American and Whig parties meet in Baltimore and form the Constitutional Union Party, They elect John Bell to be their candidate for president and Edward Everett as candidate for vice president. -
Lincoln Elected President
Lincoln is elected the 16th president. This is a major win for the North because he is going to abolish slavery. -
Souther Secession is Urged
Seven senators and twenty-three representatives issue a manifesto urging southern secession. It also recommends forming a Souther Confederacy. -
South Carolina secession
South Carolina becomes first state to secesside -
South Carolina Congressmen
The South Carolina Congressmen resign due to secession. However, their names remain on the roll because the Union still does not agknowledge secession. -
South Carolina's Declaration
South Carolina issues their "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Seccession of South Carolina from the Federal Union". This was South Carolina's version of the "Declaration of Independence". -
Mississippi secession
Mississippi becomes part of the Confederation states -
The secession of Florida
Florida leaves the United States to become a Confederate state -
The secession of Alabama
Alabama becomes the 4th state to leave the United States -
The secession of Georgia
Georgia leaves the United States and becomes 5th state of the Confederate staes -
Secession of Louisiana
Louisiana becomes 6th state of the Confederate staes -
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis is elected the provisional president of the Confederate States of America. He is elected at the Weed convention in Montgomery, Alabama. -
Abraham Lincoln becomes president
Abraham Lincoln officially becomes 16th president of United States -
Battle of Fort Sumter
The battle only took 1 day. The Confederate army ambushed the fort in Charleston, South Carolina. The Confederate army won -
Lincoln's Suspension
Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus. This meant that people could now be imprisoned without being seen by a judge and told what their crimes were. Technically this is against the constitution but during a time of war it was necessary. -
Battle of Bull run
The first battle of the American Civil War -
McClellan ignores Lincoln
Lincoln issues the first General War Order, telling all land and sea army forces to advance. McClellan igornes this, but because of his backing Lincoln could not punish him. -
Greenbacks
This was a form of paper money introduced by Lincoln. It was the unified money for the United States and was used by the Union army. This money was distributed longer then any other money. -
Conscription
Davis and the Confederate Congress approve the conscription act. This calls forward any white male ages 18 to 35 to fight for the confederate army. -
Internal Revenue Law
This law would give the government funds to use towards the civil war. It put a tax on inheritance, tobacco, and incomes over $600. -
African Americans and the Army
The Union army is officially allowed to hire African Americans as laborers. This is a step in the right direction because they are on their way to becoming equal. The slaves are now allowed to help in the army that is being fought to free them. -
Antietam
The battle of Antietam is the bloodiest single day battle in American history. Neither side won the war but the Confederate retreat during the battle made it a victory in Lincoln's eyes. The battle ended in a loss of 110 men. -
Emancipation
Lincoln's plan for Emancipation is published in the Union newspapers. This gives the slaves hope for their freedom and even more of a reason behind the war. -
Grant Against the Jewish
Grant issues an order to bar Jewish people from serving under his command. This is horribly ironic because he is fighting to free a group of people because of the harsh treatment they are receiving. He then discriminates against another group of people simply because they have different beliefs. -
Lincoln hangs Indians
Lincoln orders 39 Sioux Indian men to be hanged -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln signs the Emancipation and officially frees 3.1 million of the nation's slaves. This document only freed slaves that were not under Union control but allowed them to serve in the Union army. -
National Banking Act
Lincoln signs the National Banking Act, making it a law. It put someone in charge of controlling currency and it led to the creation of local banks. -
Conscription Act
The National Conscription Act is signed forcing able bodied males aged 18-35 into joining the Union Army, The signing of this act led to the week long New York Draft Riots. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
This battle took place from May 1st to May 4th, ending in a Confederate victory. Both sides lost many of their soldiers, the Union casualties were 17,500 men and the Confederate casualties were 13,000. The most devestating Confederate loss was General Stonewall Jackson. -
Gettysburg
This is the largest battle of the Civil War, taking place in a field in Gettysburg, Pennyslvania. General Meade's Union forces turn back Lee's Confederates during this battle. There were 28,000 Confederate casualties and 23,000 Union casualties. This is a Union Victory. -
Lee Resigns
Following his shameful defeat at Gettysburg, General Lee sends a letter of resignation to Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Davis refuses the request. -
Battle of Lawrence
This battle took place in Lawrence, Kansas, the site of much previous violence over the issue of slavery. William Qauntrill's raiders kill over 200 men and boys. The north views this as one of the most vicious atrocities of the war, -
Thanksgiving
Lincoln declares Thanksgiving a national holiday to be celebrated the last Thursday in November, This holiday is to celebrate the colonists and Native Americans coming together and sharing their resources -
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln gives the Gettysburg Address -
The Great Escape
John Hunt Morgan, a confederate calvary leader, and some of his men escape the Ohio state prison. They escape by cutting a hole in a cell and crawling through the ventilation system. They return safetly to the South and Morgan picks up his calvary activities. Later in the war he is killed by the Union army. -
Andersonville
The first 500 prisoners of war arrive at the Confederate prison camp, Andersonville. This was the harshest prison camp of the Civil War. Many of the men held there did not survive because of the brutal conditions faced there. -
The Coinage Act
Congress passes the Coinage Act of 1864. This act states the the inscription "In God we Trust" must be on all coins that are to be used as US currency. -
Conscription Hoax
The New York World and the New York Journal of Commerce publish an article stating that Lincoln has drafted 400,000 more soldiers into the Union army, The public decided it was not true when they found that only two papers had published the news. -
Arlington National Cemetery
The Arlington National Cemetary is established by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton. It is created using 200 acres land from Robert E Lee's home, Arlington House. -
Lincoln's Conscription Law
Lincoln signs away the fee that someone could pay to avoid being drafted into the Union Army. -
Confederate Spy
Confederate spy Belle Boyd is arrested by Union forces. He is held at the Old Capital Prison in Washington D.C. -
Gold
Helena, Montana is founded by four prospectors. They create it after finding gold at Last Chance Gulch, it is their last attempt at finding gold after weeks of looking in the Rockies. -
Lincoln's Re-election
Lincoln is re-elected in 1864. His victory is overwhelming because of how many votes he received over George B. McClellan. -
New York on fire
A group of Confederate operatives that call themselves the Confederate Army of Manhattan set fires in more then 20 places. This is their unsuccessful attempt at burning New York down. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
At Waynesboro, Georgia forces the Union prevent Confederate troops from interfering with General Sherman's plan to destroy part of the South by matching to Savannah, Georgia. Union suffers three times as many casualties as the Confederacy. -
Fort Stedman
The Confederate forces capture Fort Stedman from the Union forces. About 2,900 of Lee's men are killed and 1,000 are captured during the counter attack. -
Petersburg
The last offensive for Lee's Army of Northern Virginia begins with an attack on the center of Grant's forces at Petersburg. Four hours later the attack is broken. -
Richmond
Confederate Presiden Davis and his cabinet flee the confederate capital, Richmond, Virginia as Union forces near it. The very next day it is captured by the Union. -
Appomattox
General Lee surrenders to General Grant at Appottamax courthouse. This marks the end of the Civil War, -
Lincoln's assassination
John Wilkes Booth shoots President Lincoln at Fords Theater during a performance of My American Cousin. Lincoln is pronounced dead early the next morning. In addition, William Seward and his family are attacked by Booth's co-conspirator, Lewis Powell. -
President Johnson Takes Office
With the death of Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson takes office. -
Booth is captured
John Wilkes Booth is captured in a barn in Virginia at the Garret's farm. He is shot and killed by Boston Corbett. -
Juneteenth
General Granger arrives in Texas and tells them about the Emancipation Proclamation. It is now celebrated as holiday called Juneteenth. -
Conspirators hanged
The four conspirators in Lincoln's assassination are hanged. These men are Davide Harold, George Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, and Mary Surratt. John Surratt escapes to Canada and later makes his way to Egypt so he does not pay for his involvement in Lincoln's death. -
Henry Wirz
Major Henry Wirz is hanged. He was the leader of the atrocious war camp, Andersonville. He becomes the only soldier hanged for war crimes. -
KKK
Jonathan Shank and Barry Ownby form the Ku Klux Klan to resist reconstruction as well as to repress the freed African Americans. -
Jesse James
The first day light bank robbery takes place in Liberty, Missouri. This was carried out by Jesse James and his gang, although no one is quite sure where Jesse James fits into this event. -
Civil RIghts Act of 1866
The United States Congress overwhelmingly passes the Civil Rights Act of 1866, the first federal legislation to protect the rights of African-Americans. -
Ford's Theatre Purchased
Congress appropriates $100,000 to buy Ford's Theater. It will house the Army Medical Museum, the Office of the Surgeon General and War Department records until 1893. -
Nickel
Congress approves the minting of a five cent piece, know as the nickel. This eliminates the half dime. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment is ratified. This gives civil rights to all the freed African Americans. -
Tennessee Readmitted
Tennessee becomes the first state to be readmitted to the Union. -
General
Congress passes the legislation making General of the Army a rank. Ulysses S. Grant is the first to hold that title. -
The Atlantic cable
The Atlantic Cable is established allowing transatlantic telegraph communication for the first time. -
Train robbery
The first train robbery takes place. The Reno brothers get away with $13,000. -
Longest Bridge in the World
The wartime booming industrial economy of the North continues with the contrustuction of the Covington–Cincinnati Suspension Bridge which opens between Cincinnati, Ohio and Covington, Kentucky in the United States, becoming the longest single-span bridge in the world. -
African-Americans vote
African-American men are granted the right to vote in the District of Columbia. -
Tenure of Office Act
Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act, denying the right of the President to remove officials who had been appointed with the consent of Congress. -
Alaska
President Andrew Johnson announces the purchase of Alaska. This would be the second to last state added to the United States of America. -
Ride ins
African Americans stage a ride on streetcars in New Orleans to protest segregation. -
States readmitted to the Union
Congress passes a bill readmitting Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina into the Union. Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, having refused to ratify the fourteenth amendment, were refused admission into the Union. -
Edwin Stanton
President Andrew Johnson demands the resignation of Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War. -
Impeachment
Congress looks into impeaching Johnson for his lack of effectiveness and unwillingness to follow through with reconstruction.
