Civil War Timeline

Republican Party is formed

Mar 20, 1854

This party was created to oppose the expansion of slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act passed

May 30, 1854

This act created 2 new states and allowed them to choose pro slavery or no slavery by using popular soviergnty.

Abraham Lincoln elected president

Nov 6, 1860

Abraham was the 16th president of the United States and issued the emancipation proclamation.

South Carolina votes to secede from the United States

Dec 20, 1860

South Carolina votes to be the first state to secede, or leave, the union. The left after they didn't agree with a tariff that was being placed.

Confederate forces fire on Fort Sumter

Apr 12, 1861

The confederates openly fired on Fort Sumter, officially starting the civil war.

Richmond becomes the capital of the Confederacy

May 8, 1861

The capital city of the confederation switches from Montgomery to Richmond.

First Battle of Bull Run is fought

Jul 21, 1861

This was the first land battle of the civil war, fought just 30 miles from Washington DC.

Jefferson Davis elected president of the Confederacy

Nov 6, 1861

Jefferson Davis is the only president ever elected for the confederacy. His term was supposed to be 6 years long but the confederacy ended before his term even finished. He was elected by representatives from states the seceded including Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Mississppi, and South Carolina.

The Merrimack and the Monitor fight of the Virginia coast

Mar 9, 1862

This was a naval battle that marked histroy's first duel between ironclad warships.

Battle of Shiloh

Apr 6, 1862

This battle lasted from April 4- April 5 1862. This battle allowed the union to get into the confederate land.

Robert E. Lee is named commander of the Army of Northern Virginia

Jun 1, 1862

This army was the main Confederate army. Lee commences 7 days of counter attacks to drive the union out of the Confederate capital.

Battle of Antietam

Jul 17, 1862

This battle was the deadliest SINGLE day battle. It took place in Maryland and accounted for 12,400 union casualties and 10,300 confederate casualties.

Battle of Fredericksburg

Dec 11, 1862

This battle was fought across between December 11 and Decenber 15 1862. With about 200,000 people fighting, this battle had the most people involved compared to any other battle. There were about 12,500 casualties on the union side and about 6,000 losses on the Confederate side.

Emancipation Proclamation is announced

Jan 1, 1863

The Emancipation Proclamation stated that slaves would be freed.

Confederates surrender at Vicksburg

Apr 4, 1863

The war starts to end when the confederates surrender at Vicksburg.

Battle of Gettysburg

Jul 1, 1863

The battle of Gettysburg lasted between July 1- July 3 1863. It was fought between the confederacy and the union. With more than 50,000 casualties this battle was considered the bloodiest single battle of the war.

New York City draft riots

Jul 11, 1863

This was a major eruption of violence from July 11 to July 16 1863.

Lincoln suspends habeas corpus

Sep 15, 1863

This made it possible for arrests to be made without proper reason.

Lincoln gives his Gettysburg Address

Nov 19, 1863

This address was given to honor the men who fought and died at the Battle of Gettysburg to help preserve the union.

Congress passes the 13th Amendment

Apr 8, 1864

congress passes the 13th amendment which abolished slavery in all territories and states.

Atlanta is captured

Sep 1, 1864

The union forces captured Atlanta, which was an important city to the south.

Abraham Lincoln defeats George McClellan to win re-election

Nov 8, 1864

Lincoln easy beat McClellan with the electoral votes being 212-21.

Sherman begins his March to the Sea

Nov 15, 1864

This was the most destructive march and started in Atlanta and concluded in Savannah.

Freedman’s Bureau is created

Mar 3, 1865

This act provided land, food, shelter, and medical services for newly freed southerners.

Lincoln gives his second inaugural address

Mar 4, 1865

Lincoln used this speech to explain how both the north and the south to take some responsibility for slavery.

Richmond falls to the Union Army

Apr 3, 1865

Richmond (which is the capital of the confederation) gets taken over by the union army.

Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox

Apr 9, 1865

This was the most significant surrender of the war. Lee surrendered his army to union general Ulysses S Grant.

President Lincoln Assassanation

Apr 15, 1865

President Lincoln was assassinated by John Wilkes Booth in Ford's Theatre. Booth assassanated Lincoln with the use of a pistol.

John Wilkes Booth is killed

Apr 26, 1865

Booth was shot in the neck causing his spinal cord to be severed. Booth was paralyzed for the hours leading up to his death.