-
South Carolina Secedes
South Carolina is the first state to secede from the Union, followed by six other states (Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas) in the following weeks, symbolically ending the Union. -
Confederate States of America (CSA) is Formed
Delegates assemble in Montgomery, Alabama to form CSA and draft their own constitution; Jefferson Davis is chosen as President. -
Lincoln's First Inaugural Address
Lincoln's address echoes that of Davis: "We are not enemies, but friends," demonstrating the initial aim of peace between the two neighbours. -
Assault on Fort Sumter
April 12-14, 1861 The Battle of Fort Sumter Summary The attack on federal Fort Sumter marks the beginning of the Civil War. -
Battle of Bull Run
Battle of Bull Run Summary The Confederate forces forge a victory over Northern soldiers, forcing Union forces to retreat back to Washington, DC. -
The Trent Incident
The Union navy seizes two Confederate agents from a British vessel who are on a journey to Europe to gain regocnition of their new nation. Seeking to avoid war, the U.S. apologizes and frees the two men. This appals many citizens of America, and causes tension with Britain's proclamation of neutrality. "The resolution of the Trent affair dealt a serious blow to Confederate diplomatic efforts."
-Charles Hubbard, Historian -
Battle of the Ironclads
March 8-9, 1862 The Confederate Navy's CSS Virginia, an example of iron naval tehnology, battles the new Union warship USS Monitor in the Battle of the Ironclads; the Union Navy maintains their blockade of Southern ports. -
Battle of Shiloh
April 6-7, 1862 Battle of Shiloh Summary One of the bloodiest battles of its time, the Battle of Shiloh produced more than 20 000 casualties. -
The Homestead Act
The first of the Homestead Acts is signed by President Lincoln, encouraging people to settle in the West by offering 64 hectares of land at no cost- as long as farmers worked the land and lived there for a minimum of 5 years. However, the Act proved unsuccessful, particularly due to grants of land unsuitable for farming. -
Seven Days Battles
June 25- July 1, 1862 Seven Days Battles Summary Union General George McClellan's Army of the Potomac lauches an invasion of Virginia but is beaten by the Confederate Army's General Robert E. Lee. Map of Seven Days Campaign -
Battle of Antietam
September 16-18, 1862 Battle of Antietam Summary Lee, intending to advance his army north in hopes of capturing Washington, DC, is stopped by McClellan and his Union forces in the bloodiest single day in American history. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
December 11-15, 1862 Battle of Fredericksburg Summary "Victory has no charms for me when purchased at such a cost"
-General George McClellan on Union casualties in 1862 After failing to exploit a Union advantage after Antietam, this ambush on Lee's army was unsuccessful- the Union suffered over 12 000 casualties. -
The Emancipation Proclamation
President Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, which declares that the 3 million slaves living in the South are now free, ending more than 250 years of slavery in the United States and setting ablaze a wide range of controversial opinions. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
April 30- May 6, 1863 Video- The Battle of Chancellorsville Summary A major battle of the Eastern Theatre, resulting in a Confederate victory. -
Siege of Vicksburg
May 18- July 4, 1863 After crossing the Mississippi River, General Ulysses S. Grant's Union force gains control of the Confederate fortress of Vicksburg, resulting in the Union's total control of the heart of the Confederacy. -
Battle of Gettysburg
July 1-3, 1863
<ahref='http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg/maps/gettysburg-campaign-map.html' >Map of Gettysburg Campaign</a>
<ahref='http://www.civilwar.org/battlefields/gettysburg.html?tab=facts' >Battle of Gettysburg Summary</a>
General Lee's army again advances north, this time meeting a Union force commanded by General Meade. The largest battle ever fought in the United States, the Confederates lose with Pickett's Charge and an incredibly high number of casualties. -
Battle of Chickamauga
September 18-20, 1863 Battle of Chickamauga Summary A major battle of the Western Theatre, leaving the Confederacy with another victory. -
The Gettysburg Address
Gettysburg Address as recited by Jeff Daniels Lincoln delivers his memorable Gettysburg Address following the total destruction that was the Battle of Gettysburg. This speech has since become one of Lincoln's most famous, which makes reference to the proposition "that all men are created equal." -
Lincoln's 10% Plan
Lincoln pledges to offer forgiveness to any Southern citizen who vows to take an oath supporting the Constitution of the United States of America. Those who took the oath are authorized to form new state governments, which are formally recognized on two conditions: agreeing to the Emancipation Proclamation, and that the number of those voting for the new government was at least 10% of those who had voted in the 1860 presidential election. -
Battle of Atlanta
General Grant begins a campaign of total destruction, leading his forces to annihilate the city of Atlanta, Georgia in an effort to menace the South. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
November 15- December 21, 1864 <ahref='http://www.ducksters.com/history/shermans_march_to_the_sea_map.png' >Map of Sherman's March to the Sea</a> Throughout the final months of the year 1864, General William Sherman's Union Army begins a calculated march through the heart of Georgia towards the Atlantic port of Savannah, leaving in their path a trail of total destruction. -
Black Codes
Laws limiting African-American labour rights, preventing land ownership by former slaves, and prohibiting interracial marriages are passed in nearly every state in the South. -
Ku Klux Klan is Formed
Video- The KKK A secretice organization is born in the South, whose members wreak havoc on former slaves and any Northerners who assist them in an effort to decrease support for Republican governments. -
Confederacy Surrenders
After Grant's army closes in on Richmond, the Confederate capital, General Lee surrenders to him at the Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Davis, President of the Confederacy is captured soon after his nation's surrender. -
Assassination of President Lincoln
Reenactment of the Assassination of Lincoln President Lincoln is assassinated at Ford’s Theater in Washington by Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth, an event that rocks the nation still brimming with conflict and to this day, resonates in the hearts of countless Americans. -
The Thirteenth Amendment
The ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment confirms the abolition of slavery as part of President Johnson's Plan of Reconstruction. -
Red Cloud's War
1866-1868 Red Cloud's War, part of the Great Sioux War, begins in Wyoming as a result of Americans continuing to settle on land previously set aside for the Sioux people. Furthermore, the discovery of gold on the Sioux reservation leads to conflict between Col. Custer and a combined force of Sioux and Cheyenne people. -
Purchase of Alaska
Secretary of State William Seward negotiates the purchase of Alaska, a seemingly barren wasteland, from Russia for $7.2 million, allowing America access to resources such as gold and furs, as well as further pursuing the notion of Manifest Destiny. -
Reconstruction Act
The Republican Congress passes the Reconstruction Act, which divides the South into military districts, each being occupied by soldiers and ruled by generals; sets a strict marital law; and ensures that Confederate sympathizers are promptly removed from government positions. -
The Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment is ratified, stating that states cannot deny former slaves their civil rights. -
Presidential Election of 1868
Prestiged Union General Ulysses S. Grant becomes the new President of the United States. -
First Transcontinental Railroad
<ahref='http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Transcontinental_railroad_route.png' >Map of Central Pacific Railroad</a> The last spike is hammered into the first transcontinental railroad, the Central Pacific Railroad, at Promontory Point in the Utah Territory. The railroad boom leads to a major increase in the population of the West, reduced transportation costs and, most importantly, lower consumer prices. -
Standard Oil Company
John D. Rockefeller creates the Standard Oil Company, which eventually flourishes to control over 90% of the American oil industry, also making him one of the richest individuals in the United States. -
The Fifteenth Amendment
In return for gaining much support from the African-American community in the 1868 presidential election, the Republicans pass the 15th Amemdment, which states that no male cictzen can be prevented from voting because of race. -
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire highlights the dangers of urban overcrowding in American cities when a fire rapidly spirals out of control. -
Completion of Central Park, NY
Central Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is finally completed in an attempt to incorporate rural life into urban areas, improving city life for new immigrants to America. -
Panic of 1873
After the Civil War, a major increase in railroad expansion eventually leads to an economic depression that lasts for over 5 years. The national unemployment rate skyrockets to 15%, foreshadowing what is to come during the Great Depression of the 1930s. -
Conflict at Little Bighorn
Known as "Custer's Last Stand," this battle takes place at the Little Bighorn River in Montana, where Col. Custer's forces are met by a much larger force of Sioux and Cheyenne people. Although Custer's ruthlessness is initially viewed as heroic, perspectives have since changed to become more sympathetic towards the Native American peoples. -
Celebrating the Centennial
The United States of America celebrates the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence; just a few months later the election of Rutherford Hayes as President signals the end of the Reconstruction Era. -
Presidential Election of 1876
With Grant facing the conclusion of his two terms of presidency, scandal rocks the nation when several Southern states report false victories of Republican candidate Hayes in the 1876 presidential election. An electoral commission is created to resolve the issue, awarding victory to Hayes. -
American Red Cross is Born
Clara Barton, a volunteer nurse during the Civil War, founds the American branch of the International Red Cross. This not only further progresses the campaign for women's voting rights, it also aids significantly in the many wars to come. -
Great Railroad Strike Begins
Railroad workers begin walking off the job in response to decreased wages and hours by several major companies. Violence is triggered in numerous cities as a result of state governors' initiative to hire local militias to halt the strikes. Damage to company property proved extensive, and mostly immigrants were blamed for the clash.
