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Period: to
Civil War Era Before 1863
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Compromise of 1850
The compromise admitted California as a free state, organized Utah and New Mexico without restrictions on slavery, adjusted the Texas/New Mexico border, abolished slave trade in D.C. and placed tougher figitive slave laws. Solution to the threat of national division. Caused tension over what states were slave states or not (popular soveirgnty) -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
An abolitionist book. Helped to crystalize the rift between the North and South. Greatest American propaganda novel ever written. Encouraged the Civil War. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The act repealed the Missouri Compromise and established a doctrine of congressional nonintervention in the territories. Popular sovereignty would determine the outcome. Controversy over slaves vs. no slaves -
Dred Scott Decision
Missouri slave sued for his freedom when he went to court claiming that his four year stay in the northern portion of the Louisiana Territory made free by the Missouri Compromise made him a free man. The Supreme Court decided he couldn't sue the federal court. He was considered to be property, not a citizen. -
Lincoln-Douglas debates
A series of seven debates. Argued over important issues such as popular sovereignty, the Lecompton Constitution and the Dred Scott decision. Douglas won the debates. It helped Lincoln win his presidential election. -
Harper's Ferry Raid
John Brown seized the U.S. arsenal at Harper's Ferry. He wanted to end slavery, so he attacked slae owners and freed their slaves. Brown was soon captured and executed. -
Lincoln is elected as president
Lincoln played a very important role in the Civil War. The south feared a republican in charge, and feard what might have happened to their slaves. Lincoln was one of the main reasons as to why so many southern states has seceeded. -
South Carolina seceeds
South Carolina was the first state to seceed the Union. They demanded that all federal property in the State be surendered to State authorities. -
Confederacy is formed
The formation of the Confederacy was to help keep the idea of slavery alive and also keep the idea of state's rights prominant. It was made up of most southern states and most democrats. It lasted only from 1861 -1865. -
Confederate capitol is founded (Richmond, Virginia)
Richmond was the Confederatecy's main base or ground. It played an important role in some battles towards the beginning of the war, but most importantly the end of the war. The Union tried multiple times to besiege the capitol and claim it as their territory. -
Fort Sumter
One of the only two forts located in Southern territoy that the Union had control over. With news of supplies coming to the fort, the Confederates attacked the fort. Congress declared war on the Confederacy the next day. -
Battle of Bull Run
Confederate soldiers attacked Union men that were planning to besiege Richmond. It was a Confederate victory. It is best known as the first major battle of the American Civil War. -
The Homestead Act
Signed by Lincoln, this act encouraged western expansion of settlers. It also encouraged migration of settlers and immigrants. In response, many Native Americans were pushed out of their land. -
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln frees all slaves that are in the south or the seceeded states. However, this does nothing since the South was it's own country. This angered the Confederacy. Border states were not affiliated with the Emancipation Proclamation. -
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Civil War Era After 1863
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Grant becomes general of the U.S. army
Grant played an important role in the Civil War because he was strategic and was one of the first generals to lead the Union in a good direction. He was a major help towards the success of the Union. Because of his success durring the Cvil War, he would be elected as president in years to come. -
Lincoln is reelected as president
Lincoln's reelection proved that he was strengthening the country. In the election, he defeated Democrat George Mclellan. Lincoln's leadership continued to lead the Union towards success in the Civil War, and eventually he was the one to help end the war. His continued help was clearly needed. -
Lee surrenders
Gen. Robert E. Lee and his men were cut short on their journey to meet with other Confederate soldiers. The Union had stopped them from travelling any further and had completely surrounded the Confederacy at Appomattox. Lee was forced to surrender his entire army; ending the Civil War. -
Assassination of Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was assassinated at the Ford Theater. The Assassin was John Wilkes Booth. Booth escaped to a barn where he would soon be found and lit on fire. Booth died. -
The 13th Amendment
It is best known for ending slavery. The 13th Amendment declared that no form of slavery or involuntary servitude would be allowed in the United States. It freed all slaves. It is also one of the threemajor reconstruction amendments. -
Tenure of Office Act
It forbade the president from removing civil officers without consent of the Senate. It was meant to prevent Johnson from removing radicals from office. Johnson's efforts to remove Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, whom he considered a spy for the Radicals in cabinet meetings, was seen as a violation of the Tenure of Office Act and led to the impeachment of the president. -
Civil Rights Act passed
The civil rights gave all equal rights to men. Any race male had the same rights as any white male. This lead to controversy as to what justice the women would recieve. The Civil Rights Act would eventualy encourage the 14 and 15 ammendments in which rights are given to both men AND women. -
The Reconstruction Act
This act provided firmer, more strict government tactics on many of the rebelious states. It divided the country into five different military districts. States had t ratify the 14th ammendment and allow any free man the right to vote in the election. -
The 14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment declared that all men and women were equal. Each American citizen had officially been declared to possess the same rights as another. This amendment was important for many slaves sice they had not recieved anything like this before. It is one of the three major reconstructive amendments. -
Railroad Boom
It connected the Union Pacific railroads with the Central Pacific railroads, making it the first transcontinental railroad. It speedily helped westward expansion and also influenced more people to participate in westward expansion. It encouraged farming and ranching on The Great Plains (which had never really been done before). Transportaions costs were decreased. -
The 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment gave voting rights to all men and women of all races. This amendment not only was significant to blacks, but women as well. This was the last of the three major reconstuctive amendments. -
Election of 1876
Samuel J. Tilden (Democrat) had beaten Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican) by the popular vote, yet he only had 184 of the 185 electoral votes to win the election. In response, Congress sets up a 15-member Electoral Commission. Balance favored Republicans 8-7 and in result, the commission decided that Hayes was the winner. -
Compromise of 1877
After the election of 1876, many people assumes states should have been charged for fraud. Hayes promised internal improvements in the South and removal of any federal troops in the region. Southern Democrats agreed and the country was at last reunified as a modern nation-state.
