Civil War Timeline

1860  Abraham Lincoln elected President in November 1860  South Carolina secedes in December Followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Louisiana and Texas

1861  February- Confederate States of America (CSA) is formed  Jefferson Davis is chosen as President of the CSA  Fort Sumter, SC- first shots fired. War begins  Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Arkansas join the Confederacy

1861  Some slave states remained in the Union. These are known as BORDER STATES Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, Delaware and West Virginia (western counties of Virginia that broke away when they seceded  Robert E. Lee chosen as leader of the Confederate Army

 Anaconda Plan- Northern strategy to win the war by cutting off the south from trade and aid from other countries with a naval blockade  South’s plan was to fight a defensive war  North- (Union, Yankee, The Blue)  South- (Confederacy, Rebels, The Gray)

1861  Battle of Bull Run Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson forced Union forces to retreat  Julia Ward Howe writes “Battle Hymn of the Republic”

North vs. South Northern AdvantagesSouthern Advantages More resources- factories and raw materials Better military leadership Larger population to draw on for soldiers Motivation- fighting for independence and way of life Better transportation system Fighting on home turf More farmland dedicated to food

North vs. South Northern Disadvantages Southern Disadvantages Poor military leadershipNorthern blockade hindered trade Fighting away from home Inflation- no gold/silver backing of currency Soldiers lacked motivation Farmland dedicated to cotton Smaller population

1862  Monitor vs. Merrimack- first battle of iron ships (_______________)  Battle of Antietam 1 st attempt by the South to invade North More causalities in one day than any other day in American History  Emancipation Proclamation- order signed by Lincoln freeing all slaves in Confederate states (not including border states)

1863  Siege of Vicksburg-southern city put under siege by Union General Ulysses S. Grant  This northern victory gave the Union control of the ______________ splitting the south in two  Battle of Gettysburg- 2 nd attempt by the South to invade North Largest battle in the Western Hemisphere Turning point of the war

1863  Gettysburg Address- speech made by Lincoln dedicating a military cemetery at Gettysburg  This was his most famous speech. Especially the end where he speaks of a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

1864  Ulysses S. Grant takes charge of the Union army Only Union General willing to go TO the enemy  Copperheads-northerners against war  Lincoln is reelected In his 2 nd Inaugural Address, he lays out a plan to reconcile with the South “with malice toward none and charity for all”

1864  Sherman’s March to the Sea Union march through Georgia Cut the south in half “Total War”- destroying anything that would help the south keep fighting

1865  Surrender at Appomattox Courthouse Lee surrenders to Grant Signals the end of the war  Lincoln assassinated by John Wilkes Booth and Ford’s Theatre just a few days after the surrender  Andrew Johnson becomes president Plans to follow Lincoln’s lenient plan for reconciliation with the south

Reconstruction  Refers to the time period after the Civil War when th southern states would be readmitted to the U.S. Some northerners (Radical Republicans) believed that the south should be punished in some way for leaving the union and causing the war. Lincoln had been against that idea.

Reconstruction cont’d  When Andrew Johnson tried to follow through with Lincoln’s plans, he angered the Radical Republicans.  They came up with a way to impeach him Found not guilty and served the rest of his term as president

Civil War Amendments  13 th Amendment- abolished slavery in the U.S.  14 th Amendment- made all citizens born or naturalized in the U.S. citizens (including former slaves)  15 th Amendment- stated that citizens could not be stopped from voting because of their race, color or previous servitude

Freedman’s Bureau  Federal agency set up to help former slaves after the Civil War Offered job training, education, etc.

Terms  Carpetbaggers- northerners who moved to the south after the war for economic and political gain  Scalawags- southerners who helped carpetbaggers  Conscription- required military service

Special Honors  William Carney was the first African American to win the Congressional Medal of Honor  Philip Bazaar was the first Hispanic- American to win the Congressional Medal of Honor  Clara Barton was significant because she treated injured soldiers & went on to found the American Red Cross