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Kansas-Nebraska Act passed
The Kansas-Nebraska Act, introduced by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, repeals the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allows settlers in the Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide whether to allow slavery through popular sovereignty. The act ignites violent conflicts between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the region, foreshadowing the violence of the Civil War. -
Republican Party is formed
A coalition of anti-slavery activists, Free Soilers, and former Whigs and Democrats forms the Republican Party in Jackson, Michigan, with the goal of opposing the spread of slavery into the western territories. The party's formation marks a significant realignment in American politics and lays the groundwork for the eventual election of Abraham Lincoln. -
Abraham Lincoln elected president
Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate, is elected as the 16th President of the United States, defeating Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, Northern Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. Lincoln's victory sparks immediate tensions between Northern and Southern states over issues such as slavery and states' rights. -
Jefferson Davis elected president of the Confederacy
Following the secession of Southern states from the Union, delegates from these states gather in Montgomery, Alabama, and elect Jefferson Davis, a former U.S. Senator and Secretary of War, as the provisional president of the Confederate States of America. -
South Carolina votes to secede from the United States
The South Carolina State Convention votes unanimously to secede from the Union, citing grievances over states' rights and the election of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. -
Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter
Confederate artillery batteries in Charleston, South Carolina, open fire on Fort Sumter, a Union fort in Charleston Harbor. The bombardment marks the beginning of the Civil War, as President Lincoln calls for volunteers to suppress the rebellion. -
Lincoln suspends habeas corpus
In response to the outbreak of the Civil War and concerns about potential subversion, President Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus, allowing for the indefinite detention of individuals deemed a threat to national security without trial. The suspension of habeas corpus becomes a controversial issue, with critics accusing Lincoln of overstepping his constitutional authority. -
Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy
Richmond, Virginia, is chosen as the capital of the Confederate States of America, reflecting Virginia's strategic and symbolic importance to the Confederacy. The relocation of the Confederate capital to Richmond solidifies the city's role as a focal point of political and military activity throughout the Civil War. -
First Battle of Bull Run is fought
In the first major land battle of the Civil War, Union and Confederate forces clash near Manassas, Virginia. Despite early Union advances, Confederate reinforcements led by General Stonewall Jackson rout the Union Army, revealing the long and bloody conflict that lies ahead. -
Battle of Fredericksburg
Union forces, under the command of General Ambrose Burnside, suffer a devastating defeat against General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The Union's ill-fated frontal assault across open ground against well-entrenched Confederate positions results in heavy casualties. -
he Merrimac and the Monitor fight off the Virginia coast
The ironclad warships USS Monitor and CSS Virginia engage in a historic clash near Hampton Roads, Virginia. The battle ends in a draw, but it marks a turning point in naval warfare, as it demonstrates the obsolescence of wooden warships. -
Battle of Shiloh
Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant clash with Confederate troops led by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard near Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, resulting in a bloody two-day battle. Despite heavy casualties, the Union emerges victorious, securing control of key strategic positions in the western theater of the war. -
Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia
general Robert E. Lee assumes command of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, replacing General Joseph E. Johnston. Lee's leadership and tactical brilliance will make him one of the most revered figures of the Confederacy. -
Battle of Antietam
Fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, the Battle of Antietam is the single bloodiest day in American military history. Despite being a tactical draw, the Union victory prompts President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, shifting the focus of the Civil War to the abolition of slavery. -
Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address
In a brief but powerful speech at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, President Lincoln reflects on the significance of the Civil War and reiterates the principles of human equality espoused in the Declaration of Independence. His address becomes one of the most famous speeches in American history. -
Emancipation Proclamation is announced
President Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all slaves in Confederate-held territory to be forever free. While it does not immediately free all slaves, the proclamation shifts the Union's war aims from solely preserving the Union to also ending slavery. -
Battle of Chancellorsville
Confederate General Robert E. Lee achieves a decisive victory over Union forces under General Joseph Hooker in the Battle of Chancellorsville in Virginia. Despite being outnumbered, Lee divides his army and executes daring maneuvers, including Stonewall Jackson's famous flank attack, securing a significant Confederate victory. -
Battle of Gettysburg
In the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Union and Confederate forces clash in one of the bloodiest and most pivotal battles of the Civil War. The Union Army, under General George Meade, successfully repels General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, marking a turning point in the war. -
Confederates surrender at Vicksburg
After a lengthy siege, Confederate General John C. Pemberton surrenders the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, to Union General Ulysses S. Grant. The capture of Vicksburg gives the Union control of the Mississippi River, effectively splitting the Confederacy in two. -
New York City draft riots
Violent riots erupt in New York City in response to the Enrollment Act, which institutes a draft for the Union Army during the Civil War. The riots, primarily fueled by working-class resentment and racial tensions, result in widespread violence, destruction, and loss of life, highlighting the social and political divisions within Northern society. -
Atlanta is captured
Union General William T. Sherman captures the strategic Confederate city of Atlanta, Georgia, after a prolonged campaign known as the Atlanta Campaign. The fall of Atlanta deals a significant blow to the Confederacy's ability to sustain the war effort and boosts Northern morale, enhancing President Lincoln's chances for re-election. -
Congress passes the 13th Amendment
The U.S. Congress passes the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, abolishing slavery throughout the United States. The amendment's ratification marks a significant milestone in American history, ending centuries of legalized slavery and advancing the cause of civil rights for African Americans. -
Abraham Lincoln defeats George McClellan to win re-election
In the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln wins re-election, defeating his former general, George McClellan, who ran on a peace platform. Lincoln's victory ensures the continuation of his policies aimed at preserving the Union and ending slavery. -
Sherman begins his March to the Sea
Union General William T. Sherman leads his troops on a destructive campaign through Georgia, from Atlanta to Savannah, known as Sherman's March to the Sea. Sherman's army destroys railroads, bridges, and Confederate infrastructure, inflicting economic and psychological damage on the South and contributing to the eventual collapse of the Confederacy. -
Freedman’s Bureau is created
Congress establishes the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, commonly known as the Freedmen's Bureau, to provide assistance to newly emancipated slaves and poor whites in the South during Reconstruction. The bureau's efforts include providing food, clothing, medical care, education, and assistance with labor contracts, marking a significant federal intervention in the post-war South. -
Lincoln gives his second inaugural address
In his second inaugural address, President Lincoln emphasizes reconciliation and unity, urging Americans to bind up the nation's wounds and move forward with malice toward none and charity for all. The speech reflects Lincoln's vision for reconstructing the nation after the ravages of war. -
Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox
General Robert E. Lee surrenders his Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. The surrender comes after a series of Union victories that have depleted Confederate resources and morale. -
President Lincoln assassinated
Abraham Lincoln is fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., just days after the end of the Civil War. -
John Wilkes Booth is killed
The assassin of President Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, is tracked down and killed by Union soldiers in a tobacco barn near Port Royal, Virginia. Booth's death marks the end of a nationwide manhunt and brings a sense of closure to the nation reeling from Lincoln's assassination.