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First Issue of the LIberator
William Lloyd Garrison started a newspaper call the Liberator. In it he stated how slavery was wrong and called for an immediate end to it. 'In the first issue of The Liberator, he wrote, "I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. . . . I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HEARD." ' -
Compromise of 1850 is Passed
The Compromise of 1850 was proposed by Senator Henry Clay from Kentucky. His idea was that California would be added as a free state, and in Washington D.C. slavery would be illegal. Unfortunately, there also was a new Fugitive Slave Act which basically said that anyone who helped a fugitive escape or just helped them would be fined or/and imprisoned. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin was Published
Uncle Tom's Cabin is a book that Harriet Stowe wrote. In the book she shows that slavery is a cruel thing to do with people. The book became a very popular best-seller, but some people didn't like the book and its message. It was banned to sell Uncle Tom's Cabin in the South. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act Passed
The Kansas--Nebraska act was proposed by Senator Stephen Douglas of illinois. He suggested to demolish the Missouri Compromise rules and let the states vote on whether to allow slavery. The Northerners opposed the idea, but the Southerners supported it. -
James Buchanan is sworn into office as 15th president.
James Buchanan was a former member of Congress and was nominated by the Democratic Party. Buchanan "took" all of the Southern states besides Maryland. Buchanan won with 174 electoral votes. -
Dred Scott's case was decided
Dred Scott was a African American slave. Scott said that he should be free because he had lived in a free states. Chief Justice Roger B. Taney wrote that Dred Scott was still a slave because being in a free state did not make him free. According to the Supreme Court, a slave is property and Congress couldn't ban slavery. Since the Supreme court said that, it means the Missouri compromise was unconstitutional and voters couldn't outlaw slavery because it would be taking someone's property. -
John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry
Brown's hope was to arm slaves and start a revolt against slave holders by attacking an arsend, a storage spot for weapons. Local citizens and federal troops stopped the raid, but the raid caused many southern people to fear the North conspiracy and realize the nation was on the brink of disaster. John Brown was later executed for the raid. People who lived in the North thought that: a) he should not have been so violent, or, b) he is a martyr and that is terrific. -
Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the U.S.
He was nominated by the Republican party which wanted to leave slavery alone where it was, but ban it in the new territories. He was the 16th president and his presidency went from 1861 to 1865 when he was shot. -
South Carolina Seceds from Union
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union. Eventually when other states had seceded, Jefferson Davis was elected President of the Confederate States of America. Southerners used states' rights to justify seceding. -
Battle at Fort Sumter Begins
Fort Sumter was a fort on an island off of the coast of South Carolina. Before the battle began, Lincoln got a message that supplies were low at Fort Sumter and the Confederates demanded that they surrendered. Lincoln responded saying he would send an unarmed group with supplies to Fort Sumter. Unfortunately, the Union ships couldn't reach the Fort, so the people in the Fort had to evacuate. The battle ended on April 14, 1861. -
Battle of Bull Run Begins
The battle of Bull Run was fought along a river called Bull Run in Manassas, Virginia. It was the first major battle of the Civil War. Although many people thought that the battle would be quick and easy victory for the North, the Confederates won the the battle of Bull Run. After the North was defeated, Union General McDowell was blamed and then replaced by Union General George McClellan. -
Emancipation Proclamation goes into Effect
The Emancipation Proclamation is a document that stated all slaves were free. While the Emancipation Proclamation did not free a single slave right away, it was a big turning point in the civil war. It went into effect on January 1st, 1863. -
Battle of Gettysburg Begins
The Battle of Gettysburg was fought from July 1st to July 3, 1863. It is considered the most important battle in the Civil War. When the battle began, the Confederates were winning and the Union was losing ground, but on the 3rd day, the North made up it's lost ground and eventually won the battle of Gettysburg. -
Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman led about 62,000 soldiers to the sea from November 15th to December 21st. The trek started in Atlanta and moved to Savannah Georgia. The purpose was to scare the people in Georgia to giving up on the Confederate cause. The march was successful because it destroyed the Confederacy's ability to wage further battles and quickened the end of the war. -
Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse
General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. The Confederates surrendered in the Appomattox Courthouse in Virginia. The four bloody years of conflict were finally over. -
Lincoln is Assassinated
President Lincoln was assassinated by John Booth on Good Friday, April 14, 1865. Lincoln was shot only five days after General Lee surrendered. He was shot when he was attending a play. Lincoln died the day after he was shot.
