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Battles of Lexington and Concord
websiteThe British marched towards Concord looking for ammunition. While the British went to see a nearby farm for weapons, they met a group of minutemen at Concord's North Bridge. There was a battle, and the Minutemen made the British retreat. The British troops had lost 273 soldiers, while the Colonists lost only 94. -
Fort Ticonderoga
websiteFort Ticonderoga was originally in French control, but was captured by Ame'rican malitia men. Most of these men were members of the "Green Mountain Boys" under the command of Ethen Allen. They charged the fort and kicked down the doors, taking Fort Ticonderoga into American control. -
Battle of Bunker Hill
websiteDuring the Battle of Bunker Hill, the American colonists took control of Bunker Hill and Breeds Hill because they were high ground and extremeley important locaations. However, the British knew that too and they fouhgt back for the land. As they were shooting from below, they lost many more men and suffered greater loses, but they still managed to win by taking back Bunker and Breeds Hill. The colonists never gave up though, they fought until their last amunition was glass and rocks. -
"Common Sense" Published
websiteThis document was written by a man named Thomas Paine and discussed how Great Britian shoud be dealt with and what the right/just side was. Paine clearly had no respect for the loyalists because he described them as dishonorable, untrustworthy, and selfish men. He also said Britian could never be forgiven because they destroyed property and killed friends and families. Separating from Great Britian was his only solution and the only way to obtain freedom and protect their rights. -
British Evacuate Boston
websiteOn March 17, 1776 the Continental Army pushed Great Britian out of Boston. They did so under the leadership of George Washington and with cannons captured from Fort Ticonderoga. The British troops chose to retreat to Nova Scotia. This was Washington's first success in the war and is forever celebrated as Evacuation Day. -
Second Continental Congress Meets
websiteThe congress met in the State House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their main concerns were the battles of Lexington and Concord and their separation from Britian. Finally, they decided to fully break away from Great Britain. Also, there were sixty-five delagates, not all of them were convinced about this separation when they first came to the congressional meeting. -
Declaration of Independence Announced
websiteIt wasn't until July 8th that the signing of the Declaration of Independence was announced to the public. The Sherriff of Philadelphia County was sent to read the Declaration to the group of people at Independence Hall. His name was Colonel John Nixon. Fireworks were also shot to celebrate independence. -
"The Crisis" Published
websiteThe American Crisis was a series of pamphlets published from 1776 to 1783 during the American Revolution by 18th century Enlightenment philosopher Thomas Paine. The papers worked with the early beginnings of the Revolution. Also, they were written in a language the common man could manage and indicated Paine's liberal ideas. -
Washington Captures Trenton
website General George Washingtonhad crossed the Delaware River and because of the weather was able to move on to Trenton. He lead the Continental Army in battle against Hessian soldiers garrisoned at Trenton. After brief fighting, nearly the entire Hessian force was captured. -
British Defeated at Saratoga
website There was another battle of Saratoga on the nineteenth of September, and the British forces were again attacked on the seventh of October. With a spirited rallying of the American troops, Burgoyne's forces were thrown back to the positions they held before the September 19 battle. The Americans also captured a portion of the entrenched British defenses. -
Winter at Valley Forge, PA
website Valley Forge was the campground of 11,000 troops of George Washington's Continental Army. Valley Forge came to symbolize the heroism of the American revolutionaries because of the suffering endured there by the hungry, poorly clothed, and badly housed troops. 2,500 of these troops died during the harsh winter, -
John Paul Jones Defeats the Serapis
websiteJones became a well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. In 1779, Captain Jones took command of USS Bonhomme Richard. Jones', having rammed Serapis and tied up to her, had his marksmen in the rigging cleared Seraphis' decks so a boarding party could cross and effect her capture. The cost of victory was high and Bonhomme Richard sank. However, this event during the American Revolutionary War established the American Navy as a fighting force. -
Benedict Arnold Plans Found Out
websiteArnold was certainly angry and hurt over the many slights he received over the years and he slwoly moved towards treason against his country. He began working against the colonists and with the British forces. The bounty Arnold offered the British was West Point. A man maned Andre was the courier between Arnold and Clinton regarding the closing of the deal. However, Andre was captured and placed into American custody when the documents were found. -
Cornwallis Surrenders
websiteOn October 19, 1781, British General Lord Cornwallis officially surrendered to American General George Washington at Yorktown, VA. The battle combined assaults of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau against the British army. This event finally signified the end to the fight for independence and freedom. -
Virginia & Kentucky Resolution Written
websiteThe Kentucky Resolutions of 1798 were a series of resolutions written by Thomas Jefferson. They were passed as a group by the Legislature of Kentucky in response to the Alien and Sedition Acts. They were primarily protests against the limitations on civil liberties contained in the Alien and Sedition Acts. -
Hartford Convention Meets During War of 1812
websiteThe Hartford Convention was an event spanning from December 15, 1814–January 4, 1815 in the United States during the War of 1812. New England's opposition to the war reached the point where secession from the United States was discussed. The opposition became so intense that leading Massachusetts Federalists called for a meeting of delegates from all New England states to discuss grievances, means of common defense, and possible changes in the Federal Constitution. -
Missouri Compromise
websiteThe Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery states and their representatives in the United States. This compromise invloved the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It stopped slavery from being started in the unorganized territory, but allowed slavery to be opened in the Arkansas territory. -
Tariff of Abomination Passed
websiteThe Tariff of Abominations was a protective tariff passed by the United States Congress in 1828. The goal of the tariff was to increase the prices of European goods to prevent them from competing with American merchants. The tariff was caused after end of the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars because of a recession in Europe that made British manufacturers offer to sell goods in America. However, they sold these goods at prices American manufacturers often could not match. -
South Carolina Tries to Nullify
websiteThe Nullification crisis arose as a result of the Tariff of 1828. In 1832, the legislature of South Carolina nullified the entire "Tariff of Abominations," as the Tariff of 1828 was known in the South. This prompted a stand-off between the state and federal government. -
Abolition of Slavery Act (1833)
websiteAfter 1830 the ideas of the Great Britian changedto favor many of types of reform, the antislavery campaign was growing stronger. In 1833 Wilberforce's efforts were finally rewarded when the Abolition of Slavery Act was passed. -
Texas Declares Independence from Mexico
websiteThe Declaration of November 7, 1835, described why the Texans were upset with the present Mexican Government. On March 2, 1836 Texas became a republic. In the early morning hours of March 2, the convention voted unanimously to accept the resolution -
James Polk Elected
websiteThe election was very close run. Polk was committed to territorial expansion and favored the annexation of Texas. To deflect charges of pro-slavery bias in the Texas annexation issue, Polk combined the Texas annexation issue with a demand for the acquisition of the entire Oregon Territory. -
Mexican War
websiteThe U.S.-Mexican War began on April 25, 1846. It ended nearly two years later with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on February 2, 1848. When General Taylor received word that a large Mexican force had crossed the border up the river, a small force of American soldiers went to investigate. The Mexican cavalry attacked the mounted American patrol, killing five, wounding eleven, and capturing forty-seven. General Taylor quickly sent a message to President Polk saying war had begun. -
Wilmot Proviso
websiteDavid Wilmot made a proposition that would divide the Congress. On August 8, 1846, Wilmot introduced legislation in the House that boldly declared, "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist" in lands won in the Mexican-American War. Since the north was more populous and had more Representatives in the House, the Wilmot Proviso passed. -
California Enters The Union
websiteCalifornian representatives unanimously outlawed slavery and set up a state government that operated until California was given official statehood by Congress on September 9, 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. This document meant that California would be admitted as a free state. -
Fugitive Slave Law Enacted
websiteThe Fugitive Slave Law or Fugitive Slave Act was passed by the United States Congress on September 18, 1850. It was part of the Compromise of 1850. It declared that all runaway slaves be brought back to their masters. -
Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin
website The story was published in book form on March 20, 1852. The novel was so controversially popular that it soon sold out its complete print run. In the first year of publication, 300,000 copies of Uncle Tom's Cabin were sold. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Passed
websiteThis act created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and allowed settlers in other territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty about whether ir not they would allow slavery within each territory. The act was designed by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois. -
'Border Rufians' Attack Lawrence
website On May 21, 1856, a group of Border Ruffians entered the Free-State stronghold of Lawrence. There, they burned the Free State Hotel, destroyed two newspaper offices and their printing presses, and ransacked homes and stores. The attack excited almost everyone. Republicans introduced bills to bring Kansas into the Union under the free state government, while Democrats introduced bills to bring in Kansas as a slave state. -
Charles Sumner Attacked
websiteThe beating of Charles Sumner on May 22, 1856 has been forever known as intense and scary momments of the senate's history. Preston Brooks, a congressman from South Carolina, viciously attacked the Massachusetts senator on the floor of the United States Senate. This was because Sumner had used language southerners found deeply offensive in a strong anti-slavery speech a few days earlier. -
Pottawatomie Creek
website Brown and his fellow abolitionists entered the pro-slavery town of Pottawatomie Creek armed with rifles, knives, and broadswords. The men attacked houses of their enemies and killed five.This was one of the many bloody episodes in Kansas preceding the American Civil War, which came to be known as Bleeding Kansas. -
Formation of Republican Party
website The Party's first nominating convention, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was on June 17, 1856. This convention announced the birth of the Republican Party as a unified political force. -
Dred Scott Decision
website The Dred Scott decision, formally Dred Scott v. John F.A. Sandford, Dred Scott.. ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court made slavery legal in all the territories. This added to the controversy in a nation along the path to civil war. The case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which announced its decision on March 6, 1857. -
Raid at Harper's Ferry
websiteOn October 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown and several followers seized the United States Armory and Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. This attack brought national attention onto the issue of slavery. There were numerous casualties and John Brown himself was captured. -
Lecompton Constitution Passed
websiteThe Lecompton Constitution was the second of four proposed constitutions for the state of Kansas. It was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution. On December 7, 1859, President Buchanan approved the Lecompton Constitution and recommended the admission of Kansas under it -
Democrats Split in 1860
websiteThe territories split the Democratic Party between North and South during the election of 1860. This was caused by the Alabama extremist William Lowndes Yancey's demand for a federal slave code for the territories that was moderate enough to get Southern support and yet extreme enough to enrage Northerners and split the party. -
Formation of Constitutional Union Party
websiteThe Constitutional Union Party was a short lived political party. It was formed mainly of the American Party and the old-line southern wing of the Whig Party during the election of 1860. Meeting in Baltimore in May 1860, the party had its founding convention, and nominated John Bell of Tennessee for president. -
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
websiteThe debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln were held during the 1858 campaign. Lincoln and Douglas decided to hold one debate in each of the nine congressional districts in Illinois. The debates were held in seven towns in the state of Illinois: Ottawa on August 21, Freeport on August 27, Jonesboro on September 15, Charleston on September 18, Galesburg on October 7, Quincy on October 13, and Alton on October 15. -
Election of 1860
websiteThe election of 1860 was held on November 6, 1860, for the office of President of the United States. There was a Democratic Party, a new Constitutional Union Party, and the Republican Party. The North secured enough electoral votes to put Abraham Lincoln in the White House, with very little support from the South. -
South Carolina Secedes
website On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to declare its secession from the United States. The populations within South Carolina began to strongly supported the institution of slavery. The area's passions and annoyances began and it was hard not to hear the voices cried for secession. -
Abraham Lincoln Inaugurated
website The first inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States took place on March 4, 1861. This marked the beginning of his first four-year term as president of the United States. -
Attack on Fort Sumter
websiteBefore the attack, General Buearegaurd had sent a letter asking for the surrendering of the Fort. Anderson denied this offer and on April 12th at 4:30 AM he opened fire on Fort Sumter. Buearegaurd bombarded the fort with heavy fire. General Anderson's ammunition was on fire and his supplies were depleted. He surrendered the following day and left the fort on April 14th. There were no casualties were on the enemy side, but one Union soldier was killed when a cannon backfired. -
Virginia Secedes
websiteBy popular vote, Virginians ratified the articles of secession. This happened on May 23, 1861 with a vote of 132,201 to 37,451 in favor of ratifying the secession proposal. Once Virginia seceded, the Confederate capitol was moved there. -
1st Battle of Bull Run
website On July 21, 1861 the First Battle of Bull Run occurred. It was the first real major conflict of the American Civil War. The Union army was made up of 28,000 men and commanded by General McDowell. They fought 33,000 Confederates under General Beauregard. -
Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimac
websiteThe Battle of Hampton Roads is also called the Battle of Monitor and Merrimack. It was a naval battle of the American Civil War, famous for being the first fight between two warships, the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia. The battle took place on March 8 and March 9, 1862 on a narrow place near the mouth of Hampton Roads, Virginia and lasted two days. -
Battle of Shiloh
[website](library.thinkquest.org/3055/netscape/battles/shiloh.html)The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War. It was fought April 6–7, 1862 in southwestern Tennessee. The battle ended with a retreat of the Confederates and the Union chose not to persue them. -
McClellan Returns to Washington after the Peninsula Campaign
website On June 1, the fighting ended at about 11:30 a.m. when the Confederates withdrew. McClellan was shaken by the experience. He redeployed all of his army except for the V Corps south of the river, and although he continued to plan for a siege and the capture of Richmond, he lost the strategic initiative and never regained it. -
2nd Battle of Bull Run
website The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862 as part of the American Civil War. The battle ended in confusion and doubts about just how loyal the Union army was to each other. Porter's corps had stood idle the whole afternoon of the twenty-ninth and Banks's 6,500 men had taken no part in the fight. -
Battle of Antietam
website On September 16, 1862 General McClellan and his Union forces met Lee's forces in Sharpsburg, Maryland. There were heavy losses on both sides and the battle went down as one of the most violent in America's history. More Americans died during Antietam than any other time in history. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
website The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11-15, 1862. It was one of the largest and deadliest of the Civil War. Also, no other Civil War battle featured a larger concentration of soldiers. -
Emancipation Proclamation Takes Effect
website On September 22, 1862 Lincoln announced that he would issue a formal emancipation of all slaves in any state of the Confederate States of America that did not return to Union control by January 1, 1863. None returned and the actual order was signed and issued January 1, 1863. It did not take effect except in locations where the Union had already mostly regained control. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
website The Battle of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, The Army of the Potomac was defeated by the Confederates. -
Battle of Gettysburg
website The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1-3 of 1863. It was a pivitol Union victory that helped the Union get the upper hand on the Confederates. General Meade's defeat of Lee's attacks ended the Confederates attempt to invade the North. -
Surrender of Vicksburg
websiteAlthough Grant had a t first declined a surrender,not wanting to feed so many Confederates in Union camps, thesurrender was finalized on July 4, 1863. Thr fortress city had fallen, the Union held the Mississippi River, and the Confederacy was split into two. -
Battle of Fort Wagner
website The first attack was on the 11th of July. Union forces led by General Strong launched an attack that was forced back with heavy losses of 339 compared to 12 Confederate losses. A second attack was ordered and it was this attack that made a much stronger impact. -
Lincoln Delivers Gettysburg Address
[website](freedomcenter.org/freedom-forum/index.php/2011/11/abraham-lincoln-delivers-gettysburg-address/)This speech was one of Lincoln's most important speeches; however, it is extremely short at only 272 words. Lincoln spoke of the reasons for the Civil War and the importance of the fight for slaves freedom. -
Grant Displays Fighting Style at Cold Harbor
websiteThe Battle of Cold Harbor was fought from May 31 to June 12, 1864. On May 31, Grant's army arrived again around the right flank of Lee's army. His Union cavalry seized the crossroads of Old Cold Harbor and were holding it against Confederate attacks until the Union infantry arrived. -
Atlanta Burns to the Ground
During the Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground and left about 70% of its buildings destroyed during his "March to the Sea." eptember 1, 1864, Confederate General John Bell Hood evacuated Atlanta because Union General William Sherman ordered all public buildings and possible Confederate supplies burned and destroyed. -
Sherman Set Out for Sea
websiteThe March to the Sea by Sherman was the most destructive campaign against a civilian population during the Civil War. It began in Atlanta on November 15, 1864 and concluded in Savannah on December 21, 1864. -
Sherman Reaches Savannah
websiteOn December 22, 1864, Sherman's forces reached Savannah. Sherman's violent and destructive reputation made the town surrender immeadiately. Due to an accidental fire, most of the city was destroyed shortly before the Union forces left. -
Linoln Delivers 2nd Inagural Address
website Abraham Lincoln delivered his second inaugural address on March 4, 1865 during his second inauguration as President of the United States. Even though the end of the Civil War and slavery was so near, Lincoln spke of sadness and the impending reconstruction that was needed. -
Richmond, the Confederate Capitol, Falls
websiteGrant launched a full assault on Lee's army, who were forced to notify President Davis on April 2, 1865 that Richmond had to be evacuated. Soon the Confederate amy decided to set fire to all tobacco warehouses. The Union army that occupied Richmond and extinguished the fire found burned buildings and homeless women and children. -
Robert E. Lee Surrenders Commission
websiteThe last major stage in the peace making process that ended the American Civil War was the surrender of General Joseph E. He surrendered his armies to to United States General Ulysses S. Grant at the McLean House in the town of Appomattox Court House. The battle for Appomattox Court House had begun earlier that morning when Lee realized his own force of 28,000 men was outnumbered and well-surrounded. Lee had no choice but to sign a surrender document, ending the Civil War. -
Surrender at Appomattox
website The surrender at Appomattox Court House occurred on April 9th of 1865 when Confederate General Robert E. Lee submitted to Union General-in-chief Ulysses S. Grant. This surrender ended the American Civil War.
