Recent Event Highlights: Second Battle of Bull Run, Confiscation Act of 1862, First Battle of Bull Run, Seven more states Secede from the Union, South Carolina Seceds from the Union, and 17 more...
Created by Sunnygirl11 on Nov 16, 2010
Last updated: 04/06/11 at 01:54 PM
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In a desperate attempt to increase the troop count slaves were forced to fight but the war ended before the law could be put into real affect.
Slavery is completely abolished in the US
Lincoln is assassinated by Southern Johns Wilkes Booth while attending a play.
Confederate forces defending Richmond and Petersburg canno longer continue after a full year of fighting. Lee surrenders when he realizes there is no point in wasting any more lives. At around the same time, Johnson in NC surrenders to Sherman.
After securing Atlanta, Sherman marches from there to Savannah destroying everything in his path. His army lived off the land and destroyed everything else so the southerners could not use it. Savannah surrendered two days after they arrived.
After few major battles, Sherman secures Atalanta, the major City of the south.
From the beginning of the war to 1864, Lincoln had a very hard time finding a reliable and good commander. He turned to General Scott of the Mexican War, McClellan of the East Union Army, and others but none of them were right.
Lincoln appoints Ulysses S. Grant as the commander of the army - he is intelligent and agrees with Lincoln on many accounts. Sherman takes his previous position as head of the West Army.
There is a break in the Republican party but Lincoln wins - there is a boost in his ratings due to some well timed victories. Lincoln was a forceful president who took control and ignored the rules and rulings that didn't work in his favor.
Grant spends a lot of time trying a failing to take Richmond. He eventually decides to bypass it and go east to Petersburg to cut off their communication. Lee tries to defend the territory but Grant seizes an important railroad which cut off resources.
A ceremony is held at Gettysburg and Lincoln delivers his famous speech.
Grant was having trouble seizing Vicksburg, the last great stronghold in the Mississippi river, so he moved his men to the rear of Vicksburg and attacked. He blockaded the city until it surrendered. Thus, the Confederacy was split in two.
During Vicksburg, Lee tries to divert the Union's attention by invading Penn. The Potomac Army of the Union took the hills and the Confederates were forced to walk through open fields (Pickett's Charge) to battle the Northerners where they were shot at from the high ground. Major turning point in the war.
New national banking system: banks with enough capital could join if they invested in gov't securities. Issued treasury notes as currency which eliminated uncertainty.
Black battalion fought admirably in SC even though blacks had a hard time being part of the army and usually ended up doing the arduous work.
Anti-secession mountain people were liberated from VA and formed their own state in the union
After the initial rush of enlistees, congress was forced to pass a draft bill. Led to many riots feeling the gov't was overstepping the boundaries
After promising to free the slaves after the victory at Antietam, Lincoln's ruling on slavery is put into affect. All slaves were free everywhere except in the border states that had sided with the union and shown no aggression.
First victory of the Union - Lee tried to go on the offensive and attack Washington. McClellan knew that Lee's army was split but stalled his attack. The union did defeat the southerners but if quicker thinking had been applied, the confederates could have been pursued and crushed
Army of Potomac left the Peninsula to join another force and Lee struck and was victorious.
All slaves of any one associated with supporting the Confederacy and allowed to be used as Union soldiers
Gov't tried to enforce a draft but there was so much opposition due to poor prejudice (the rich could pay their way out of serving) that it was repealed in 1863
Republicans enact aggressive nationalistic programs to promote development: Homestead Act (purchase of small lands) and Morrill Land Grant Act (public land given for states for educational sales).
McClellan created an elaborate plan to capture Richmond but when he was gone. Confederate general Jackson came to Washington and reeked Havoc.
Modernizations of technology in warships changed naval battles. The creation of the ironclad ship in the confederacy spurred the northerners to build a similar ship. The Merrimack destroyed two ships but when faced with the Monitor, the two were evenly matched. Battle ended in a draw but the Union continued to hold the blockade.
After Bull Run, VA, AR, TN, and NC decided to join the confederacy while DE, MD, KY, and MO decided to join the Union
Union soldiers try to advance toward the confederate capital of Richmond to end the war quickly but they are stopped by Confederate soldier at the Bull Run Creek and the Northerners retreated back to Washington due to their inexperience. Signified the war would be long and bloody.
Gov't tried to finance war by levying an income tax for the first time, using paper currency backed by good faith, and borrowing money from big corporations and ordinary people in the form of bonds
Gov't tries to use paper money to finance war but only leads to terrible inflation. In 1863, they tried to impose an income tax but it was not very successful.
Very soon after the beginning of the war, the advantages of the northern naval power show themselves. The north immediately blockades the south, cutting them off from food and resources that they cannot get from their land. The navy also helped the bring supplies quickly along the Mississippi river.
England was neutral in the war but became upset when union forces stopped an English boat with two stowaway confederates on them. The English demanded their passengers back and the Union eventually relented
Though Missouri sided with the Union, inwardly there were clashes. There was terrible violence on both parts in which supporters of the confederacy and the jayhawks used guerrilla warfare and killed many civilians
All slaves supporting the military effort in teh south are freed
Confederates begin to seize property in their areas including Fort Sumter. Lincoln was determined to hold onto the fort but the Confederates retaliated his attempts to take it back and the first shots of the war happened. Union had to retreat.
New amendments that would guarantee slavery in slave states and enforce fugitive slave laws but also extend the Missouri Compromise line. Southerners refused.
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