Major Events of the Civil War

Fort Sumter

• Seen as the start of the civil war, CSA won.

• North saw it as south’s fault since they fired at the US troops

• South saw it as Lincoln's fault since he stationed troops on CSA land and didn’t pull them when asked.

First Manassas/Bull run

• First land battle, CSA won

• people came to watch the union win, just made things worse.

• Both sides realized that the war would be much longer than originally thought.

Antietam/Sharpsburg/Photography

• Single bloodiest day of the war, first significant union victory.

• 3,600 dead and 17,000 wounded

• the brand new technology of photography was used to take photos of the horrors, upsetting many who had never seen war before (started copperheads)

Emancipation Proclamation

• It said that slaves in rebel states were now free and allowed black men to enlist in the military.

• Lincoln legally freed these slaves, however, many still had to free themselves, escaping from their masters.

54th Massachusetts Infantry

• first black infantry led by white officers.

• At first they weren’t able to participate in battles because of the public’s fear they would start a race war. Once they began fighting they proved their loyalty and became very successful.

Battle of Gettysburg

• Lee had had a big victory before this so he led his troops to PA to prove their strength.

• After three days the CSA was defeated and would never win again. (Over 51,000 died total)

New York Draft Riots

• Lincoln was running out of soldiers so he enlisted a draft between ages 18 to 40

• this draft targeted the poor and Irish immigrants since you could avoid the draft by paying a fine 

• The Irish didn’t want to free the slaves, thinking they would take their jobs so they murdered 120 black people by lynching and burning them.

Gettysburg Address

• The address was done months after the battle.

• Lincoln's address spoke about how the country was built on all men being created equal and how after the war there would be a new era of freedom

• This gave hope to many black and enslaved people.

Election of 1864

• Lincoln was reelected, won all but three states since the south didn’t get to vote.

Lincoln’s Suspension of Habeas Corpus

• Lincoln suspended habeas corpus because of the rebellion within the country

• This allowed the military to arrest anyone who was speaking badly about the union to be arrested without due process. To hopefully prevent the rebellion from spreading even more.

Sherman’s March to the Sea

• General Sherman marched more than 60,000 troops all the way across Georgia

• Along the way they destroyed everything, even ripping up railroads and bending them around trees.

• This was to send a message that the union isn’t in a rush and have loads of man power

South Surrenders, Lincoln assassinated

• Lee surrendered to grant April 9th 1864

• Lincoln lets the off free saying the generals should leave the country

• Lincoln is assassinated three days later by John Wilkes Booth while watching a play. He died the next morning on the 15th