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The First Issue of the Liberator
The first issue of the Liberator was printed on January 1, 1831. Written by William Lloyd Garrison it was one of the most influential antislavery newspaper. Published in Boston, it was read by more than 3,000 people. -
Compromise of 1850 Passed
Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky suggested that California enter as a free state, but other territories would have no limit. Also, slavery would be illegal in Washington D.C. Senator Stephen A. Douglas solved the debate over the new plan by splitting it up into parts. In the end, congress passed the Compromise of 1850. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. Her novel became a very popular best seller. The book showed slavery to be a cruel system, which is why the book was banned in the South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Passed
Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois introduced a bill to settle the issues of slavery. The region west of the Missouri and Iowa would become the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. Before the law it the states would have been free giving the giving free states more votes in Senate. He also proposed to repeal the Missouri Compromise. He called his idea popular sovereignty and would let the voters in each territory vote on whether to have slavery. -
James Buchanan sworn into office as the 15th President
James Buchanan won the election with 174 electoral votes. Fremont only had 114 and Filmore only had 8. Buchanan was nominated by the Democratic Party. He was a diplomat and a former member of Congress. He was the 15th President of the United States and served immediately prior to the Civil War. he was also the only president to be elected from Pennsylvania. -
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was an enslaved African American that traveled with his owner to free territories. Scott sued his owner saying that since he had been on free soil, he should be free. The case reached the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Roger B. Taney made the final decision. He said that Scott was property and nobody can take property away without "due process". With this decision many antislavery groups were outraged and called it "the greatest crime ever committed in the nation's courts. -
John Brown's raid at Harper's Ferry
John Brown led an attack at Harper's Ferry to try to raid the arsenal to arm enslaved African Americans and start a revolt against slaveholders. Local citizens and federal troops defeated Brown's raid. He was tried and convicted of treason and murder. Many Northerners saw Brown as a martyr. Abolitionists rallied together. Southerners realized their fears of a northern conspiracy was confirmed. -
Abraham Lincoln elected President of the United States
In the election of 1860, there were four candidates. Abraham Lincoln, John Bell, John C. Breckenridge, and Stephen Douglas. Lincoln's name didn't appear on any of the Southern States' ballots, but he won over every Northern state which gave him the victory in the election. Shortly after South Carolina would secede from the Union. -
South Carolina Secedes from the Union
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina voted to secede the Union. They didn't trust the Republicans to protect their rights. Along with them Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia seceded later. They used states' rights to justify succession. Those states formed the Confederacy. -
Battle at Fort Sumter begins
The Union fort on an island outside of Florida was low on supplies. They sent a message to Abraham Lincoln telling him this. Lincoln responds by gathering an unarmed troop to bring supplies, before the troop gets there the Confederacy attacks the fort. Nobody got killed, but the Union fort surrendered on April 14, 1861. After the fort had surrendered, Lincoln called for troops. The Civil War had begun. -
First Battle of Bull Run Begins
On July 1, 1861, 30,000 Union troops attack a smaller group of Confederates. The fighting took place in Virginia near a small river called Bull Run. Civilians came to watch the battle because they believed it would be an easy win. The Confederate side attack, and the Union later retreated. The Northerners were shocked at the loss. -
Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect
The Emancipation Proclamation freed all enslaved people in rebel-held territory. This document had a huge impact on the United States. If the Union won, it would end slavery in all states. The focus of the war was on slavery now, not just two sides of a country fighting. -
Battle of Gettysburg Begins
Gettysburg was a small town in Pennsylvania, yet it held one of the most decisive battles. The Confederates came into the town looking for supplies, but found the Union soldiers instead. The Union won after four days. Over half of the Confederate soldiers lay dead after trying to charge Cemetery Ridge. The Battle of Gettysburg ended the Confederates chance of gaining help from France of Britain. -
Sherman's March to the Sea begins
Sherman marched his troops from Georgia to the Atlantic Ocean. On the way they burned many cities and crops as they marched. Sherman joined Grant's forces they tore up railroads, fields, and killed livestock. This march outraged Southerners and many African Americans left their plantations. -
The Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
Grant asked Lee to surrender two days before the war actually ended. Lee didn't want to surrender, but was forced to when the Union took over a train carrying food for the starving soldiers. Grant told Lee that his officers could keep small firearms and they would not be disturbed on their way home. Grant also gave Lee food to feed his soldiers. -
Lincoln's Assassination
Abraham Lincoln was enjoying a play at Ford's Theater when John Wilkes Booth shot him in the head. Lincoln was dead. Vice President Andrew Johnson took over as President and started creating plans for the country after the war had eneded.
