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Civil War Timeline
Civil War Timeline -
Shoemaker Strike in New England!
While the panic of 1857 is gone, its effects are still felt. Many have lost jobs or have had lowered wages due to the industrialization of shoe-making. -
Abraham Lincoln gives his Cooper speech.
Abraham Lincoln gives a speech talking against slavery. This leads to him becoming the leading candidate for the republicans. -
Spencer Rifle Patented.
The Spencer rifle was used by the Union army during the civil war. Most notably by the cavalry, yet most still used muzzle-loading rifled muskets. -
Pony Express Established!
A mail service for transcontinental mail. Played a major role in bringing California into the US. -
The Paiute War begins.
With the northern Paiutes raiding William's station, the US declares war on the tribe. The war would last less than 3 months. -
Constitutional Union Party is created.
The Constitutional Union Party is created and nominated John Bell as presidential nominee. It was formed from the previous members of the Whig party. -
Second Battle of Pyramid Lake.
The first battle had gone terrible due to the disorganization of the vigilantes. The second battle was a decisive victory for the US and effectively won the war. -
Abraham Lincoln elected President of the US.
Lincoln is elected to become the 16th president. Much of the south view this as a threat against slavery. -
Crittenden Compromise Proposal
A compromise to decide what territories should prohibit or allow slavery. The proposal ultimately failed due to a lack of republican support. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union.
South Carolina becomes the first state to secede from the Union. They cite that the election of Abraham Lincoln was a hostile act. -
Mississippi secedes from the Union.
Mississippi votes to leave the Union. They are the second state to do so. -
Florida secedes from the Union.
They leave the Union to join the Confederacy. They become the 3rd state to do so. -
Alabama secedes from the Union.
Alabama leaves the Union and joins the confederacy. They become the 4th state to do so. -
Georgia secedes from the Union.
Georgia leaves the Union to join the Confederacy. They are the 5th state to do so. -
Louisiana secedes from the Union.
They leave the Union to join the confederacy. It is notable that they control New Orleans a major port city. -
Texas secedes from the Union.
Texas leaves the Union to join the confederacy. They are the last state to join before the battle of Fort Sumter. -
Jefferson Davis is elected president of Confederacy
Jefferson Davis is selected as the provisional president by the Weed convention in Alabama. Davis was previously a US senator. -
Abraham Lincoln becomes president.
Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th president of the United States. He represented the republican party. -
Battle of Fort Sumter
The first battle of the war was fought over Fort Sumter. A fort located in South Carolina (the first state to secede). -
Fort Henry is captured!
Ulysses S Grant captures Fort Henry in Tennessee marking an important first victory against the Confederate States. He begins to make his way to Fort Donelson. -
The second victory at Fort Donelson.
Ulysses captures Fort Donelson making an important strategic victory in the western theater. This helped to shift the fighting to the Virginian front. -
Jefferson Davis is inaugurated.
Jefferson Davis is inaugurated to a 6 year term as president of the Confederacy. He would not serve his full 6 years as president. -
First clash of Ironclads!
The battle of the ironclads showed the world the power of ironclads. Navies around the world such as Great Britain and France began to build these new types of ships. -
US forbids Union army Officers from returning fugitive slaves.
In order to further harm the South, the US forbids army officers from returning slaves. This ended the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and prepared the US for the Emancipation Proclamation. -
Abraham Lincoln signs the homestead act into law.
The homestead law is signed into law allowing the US to give away 160 acres of land to anyone for free. This in turn was a move to give farmers their own smaller farms instead of large plantations manned by slaves. -
Battle of the Seven Pines!
The battle of the Sevens Pine was the result of the Union offensive against Richmond the current capital of the CSA. The fight ended in a union retreat yet both sides claim victory. -
Pacific Railroad Acts signed.
These laws promote the construct of a railroad in the pacific and thus a transcontinental railroad. The acts authored the issuance of grants of bonds and land to railroad companies. -
Emancipation Proclamation!
The Emancipation Proclamation declares all slaves in the south to be freed of their masters. Mostly unenforced and little more than a speech until the troops pushed southwards. -
George B McClellan is removed from command.
Due to his losses and his case of the "slows", Abraham Lincoln removes him from commander of the union army. He would eventually be replaced with Ulysses S Grant. -
Abraham Lincoln signs the National Bank Act.
This act created a system of national banks. Previously the 2nd Bank of the US had expired in 1836 and thus control was left to the states. -
Southern bread riots.
With the civil war raging on, the southern economy is inflated. Prices of bread rise and riots break out on the streets! -
Battle of Chancellorsville
The battle of Chancellorsville marks a Union defeat. Notably the battle is remembered for the death of Stonewall Jackson, a confederate general. -
Siege of Port Hudson
With the Siege of Port Hudson being a Union victory, the Union has complete control over the Mississippi. Bringing the anaconda plan one step closer to completion. -
West Virginia admitted as the 35th State
As a border state, Virginia was torn between staying with the Union or seceding to the Confederacy. Those who wanted to stay with the Union split Virginia and created a new state. -
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg was the largest battle in the civil war. It was a failed invasion by General Lee into Union territory. -
Robert E Lee attempted resignation.
Following his defeat at Gettysburg, he sends a letter to Davis asking to resign. Davis refuses the request. -
Battle of Bristoe Station
This was a confederate defeat at trying to push the Union out of Virginia. Even by being out numbered 2 to 1, the Union army surprised the Confederate army and won the battle. -
The sinking of the first successful submarine!
The CSS Hunley sinks the warship USS Housatonic. Shortly after sinking the ship she sunk herself aswell. -
Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln delivers his famous Gettysburg address addressing his view of the war. It is to remember those who have fallen in service. -
Battle of Olustee
This was one of the worst Union battles during the war. The confederates decisively won the battle. -
Ulysses S Grant becomes commander in chief.
Due to McClellan shortcomings he was previously fired. With Grant's victories Abraham appoints him commander in chief. -
Coinage Act of 1864
A small event yet we still see it today in our coins. It replaced the motto "E pluribus unum" with "In god we trust.". -
Battle of Resaca begins!
The Battle of Resaca was part of General Sherman's plan to devastate the South. While the outcome was inconclusive, the Confederate retreat led him deeper into Atlanta. -
Abraham Lincoln abolishes conscription fee.
Instead of serving, men could pay a fee to opt out. Abraham Lincoln abolishes said clause to draw more manpower. -
General Sherman's Atlanta assault.
Sherman begins his assault on the capital of George, Atlanta. One of the final pieces to start his famous march. The city would soon fall less than 3 days later. -
Nevada becomes a state!
Nevada is admitted to the US as the 36th state to the Union. It is of course admitted as a free state. -
Shermans March to the Sea
Sherman begins his march south. Burning crops and living off the lands. -
Battle of Nashville
This was the final major battle on the western front. It ended in a decisive Union victory. -
End of the Sherman's March to the Sea.
His famous march ends as he captures the major port of Savannah Georgia. His devastation to the land disrupts many parts of the South. -
Robert E Lee becomes General in Chief.
Due to his numerous successes as a general he is appointed general in chief. He would surrender less than 4 months later. -
Confederate States conscript african americans soldiers.
In an act of desperation due to dwindling manpower, the CSA conscripts african americans after previously rejecting conscription. They promise freedom to those who serve. -
Evacuation Sunday!
With the capital about to fall, most of the confederate cabinet flee from Richmond. The Union troops capture it the next day. -
Robert E Lee Surrenders
With the capital fallen and the resources dwindling, Robert E Lee surrenders. This effectively ended the civil war. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
Famous actor John Wilkes Booth is angry at the confederate loss. He takes his anger on Abraham Lincoln and shoots him in the back of the head. -
Josheph E Johnson surrenders.
With Robert E Lee surrendered Johnson surrenders to Sherman in North Carolina. -
General Richard Taylor surrenders his troops.
The continual surrender of the confederate army pressures the remaining to surrender. With the eastern front gone, Richard Taylor surrenders. -
Jefferson Davis is captured.
Meeting with his cabinet for the last time 5 days prior, they had dissolved the government. Now his attempt to fled has failed and he has been captured. -
Edmund Kirby surrender.
As the last significant general to surrender, his surrender officially ends the war. The remaining troops surrender less than a month after. -
Ku Klux Klan is founded.
Former confederate army veterans, found the ku klux klan to resist reconstruction and intimidate freedmen. -
Fisk University founded.
Fisk University founded in Tennessee was the first primarily black college in the US. -
First daylight bank robbery.
Previously confederate guerrillas, Jesse and Frank James commit the first armed robbery of a bank in Missouri. -
Peace officially proclaimed.
Andrew Johnson declares that there is now a state of peace between the previous confederate states. It should be noted that Texas was not a part of the state of peace. -
Congress overrides Andrew Johnson's veto!
The Civil Rights Act was to protect African Americans but as Johnson is a democrat, he rejects the bill. Congress overrides his veto gaining majority support from both houses. -
Congress overrides Johnson again!
With Johnson's continual vetoes, congress overrides him. They gain the majority they need due to the massive republican base. -
Tennessee readmitted!
As one of the first acts of reconstruction, Tennessee is readmitted to the Union. More states will follow after. -
Ulysses S Grant becomes 5 Star General.
Congress creates the 5 Star General and appoints Ulysses as the first General. -
Secret Service begins investigation into Ku Klux Klan.
With the recent formation of the notorious hate group, the secret service begins investigating into it. The main purpose of the secret service at the time was for counterfeit currency. -
New Orleans Massacre of 1866
Ex-confederates attack radical republicans and blacks attending a suffrage convention. Over 100 people die due to this event. -
Peace with Texas.
Finally after negotiations, Texas officially agrees to peace. -
Blacks gain the Right to vote in D.C.
After overriding Andrew Johnson's veto, Congress passes a bill to allow african-americans to vote in DC. -
Nebraska becomes a state!
The territory of Nebraska met the the necessary requirements for statehood. On this date it became a state! -
Tenure of Office Act!
The act passed by congress limits the president's power to remove officials appointed by congress. It was passed due to Andrew Johnson's actions against congress. -
Army Appropriations Act
This acts loosens the president's control over the armies. The First Reconstruction act is passed which sets up five military districts in the South. -
Department of Education
This was created in 1867 to manage the US's education. They were soon demoted to an office a year later. -
Alaska bought by the US.
Russia sold Alaska to the US for 7.2 million. At the time it is called "Sewards Folly". -
Third Reconstruction Act.
Andrew Johnson vetos the act with sets the election procedures in the South and assert congressional control over Reconstruction. Congress eventually overrides his veto. -
Territory of Wyoming Created
Andrew Johnson signed a bill establishing the territory of Wyoming. -
Johnson suspends Stanton.
Stanton is ousted due to disagreements over the reconstruction plans. Ulysses S. Grant succeeds him. -
Johnson's Impeachment
Congress begins to look into Johnson's lack of effectiveness and disagreements and considers impeachment.
