Election of 1848

The industrial revolution

Compromise of 1850

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Election of 1856

The Dred Scott Decision

John Brown’s Raid

Election of 1860

Secession

Fort Sumter

More Secession

Baltimore Raids

Battle of Bull Run

Smaller Battles

Slaughter at Shiloh

Antietam

Emancipation Proclamation

Union Victories

Chancellorsville

Gettysburg

Vicksburg

Chattanooga

Gettysburg Address

Election of 1864

Battles in May and June

Sherman’s March

Surrounded at Richmond

Confederate Retreat

Abandonment

Appomattox Courthouse

AssassinationTip: Use the green stars to navigate.

This issue of slavery was at the forefront of society, but the majority of the parties attempted to down-play the issue to avoid conflict. The Democrats supported a compromise called popular sovereignty, while the Whigs avoided the topic all-together. The attempt to leave slavery out of the election was spoiled by the Free-Soil Party, whose motto was “free soil, free speech, free labour, and free men.”

1848 1848

A political cartoon mocking the election of a Whig

president.

Industrial revolution shifted the economy of the north, drastically decreasing the need for slaves in the north.

Proposed and put in place by Henry Clay, it stated that California would be admitted as a slave-free state, and that in the District of Columbia, slavery would be permitted, but the slave trade would not. To satisfy the South, a stronger Fugitive Slave Law would be put in place, to help restrict the underground railway.

1840 - 1860

1850

This act opened Kansas and Nebraska for settlement. It stated that the issue of slavery in the new territories would be decided by popular sovereignty. This caused a flood of people, and many violent outbursts between pro and anti slavery settlers. These battles, known as “bleeding Kansas” reached civil war proportions.

The disbanding of the Whigs party allowed for the emergence of the Republicans and the Americans. The Americans avoided slavery and focused on immigration, while the Republicans supported the “free soil” ideology. The Democrats dodged the issue. They won by a minority vote, and Buchanan took office.

18561861

Dred Scott was a slave that had been moved into a territory closed to slavery by the Missouri Compromise. He was later brought back to his original slave-permitting state. He resided for ten years in a state where slavery was not permitted, and on these grounds, he sued for his freedom. March 6th brought the news that the court sided against Scott. The judge, Taney, ruled that banning slavery in any territory was unconstitutional.

John Brown believed he was sent by heaven to free the enslaved. He seized the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA with the intentions of arming and freeing the enslaved of the surrounding areas. His raid was cut short when he was arrested by Robert E. Lee. John Brown was hanged on December 2nd. The north saw him as a martyr, while the south thought his punishment was just.1857 October 16, 1859

Lincoln vs. Douglas. Lincoln believed that if slavery were confined to its current area, it would eventually be abolished by the southerners themselves. Douglas based his political career on the idea of popular sovereignty as the best method to settle the slavery dispute. Lincoln won the election, with nearly all his votes coming from the north, carrying every free state except new Jersey.

By March 1st, the states of the deep south voted for secession. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas formed the Confederate States of America, and asked that the remaining slave states of the Union join them. The north believed that the states could not legally secede. The south believed it was their constitutional right to do so. 186

01860

One of only two Union forts within Confederate territory that survived the secession, This was the beginning of the battles. Here, Davis, leader of the south, faced the dilemma of whether or not to allow Lincoln to send supplies to the fort. Were he to let Lincoln re-supply, then he would look as if he were agreeing with Lincoln’s policies. However, if he refused, he would need to attack to stop the re-supplying, effectively committing an act of war. On April 12th, the South Carolina Militia opened fire on the fort. The fort surrendered after 34 hours of bombardment, but zero casualties.

1861 1861

More SecessionVirginia, Arkansas, North

Carolina, and Tennessee left the Union, faced with the prospect of fighting their neighbours.

Baltimore RiotsAs Union troops marched

through Maryland on their way to D.C., they were attacked by a group who supported the views of the pro-confederate newspapers. As a result, Baltimore was placed under Martial Law, and the rights of the people were suspended. Lincoln could not afford to lose Maryland, as it’s loss would leave the Union’s capital in enemy territory.

1861

Around 30 miles from Washington D.C., The union army, on their way to Richmond, encountered a small number of Confederate forces. This battle was expected to bring an easy victory for the Union, and a quick end to the war. However, it instead highlighted how untrained both armys were. Although the Union fought better, the Confederates were more organized and were able to effectively use the railroad and telegraph to supply reinforcements. The Confederates won, leaving the Union and the watching civilians to flee back to Washington. Confederate General “Stonewall” Jackson favored an offensive war, but President Davis chose to fight defensively, effectively giving the Union time to prepare.July, 1861

July, 1861

Battle of Bull Run

Smaller BattlesSeven Day’s Battle, Second Battle of Bull Run, Fredericksburg. All Confederate victories.

ShilohIn April on the Tennessee-Mississippi border, Union troops were slowed in their advances when they were surprised near Corinth by General Albery Sydney Johnson’s Confederate troops. The Union suffered losses of 13,000 of their 63,000 troops, while the Confederates lost 11,000 of their 40,000. The battle left an impression on Grant, and he later wrote that “[after Shiloh] I gave up all idea of saving the Union except by complete conquest.”

1862

After victory for the Confederates at the Second Battle of Bull Run, Lee decided to invade the Union. He split his forces, allowing half to vanish into the mountains in Maryland, while the other half was to follow the lead of “Stonewall” Jackson and seize the federal arsenal in Harper’s Ferry. McClellan was supposed to protect the capitol by staying between the enemy and the city. This move by Lee left him to chase after his enemy. McClellan then stumbled over a bit of good luck. Wrapped around three cigars, he found a copy of Lee’s plans. He realized the forces were divided, and that he could effectively destroy Lee’s army. He attacked near Sharpsburg, Maryland at a Creek called Anteitam. The Union army was, after this battle, too damaged to pursue the retreating Confederates. Union losses were greater than the Confederate losses of 11,000.

September 17, 1862

September 17, 1862

Emancipation Proclamation A rallying cry for the north, Lincoln redefines the war by proclaiming that the North shall free the slaves of the South on September 22. Now the war is officially over the issue of slavery.

Union VictoriesBy the end of the year, New Orleans had surrendered to the Union without firing a shot. There were now Union troops advancing into Western Tennessee, and Mississippi.

ChancellorsvilleUnion general Joe Hooker lost 17,000 to an army half the size of his own in May.

GettysburgOn July 3rd, there were three days of battle. The south attempted to remove the Union from their advantage of higher ground. This ended with over 50,000 casualties, and the Confederacy retreating on July 4th.

1862 1863

A Mississippi River victory for the Union depended on their taking of Vicksburg. On his 6th attempt, Grant began one of his most drastic campaigns. He moced his army down the west bank, and moved inland south of Viksburg. Under the impression that he was being tricked to move into the fields, the Confederate commander stayed behind the fortifications. The union forces moved to Jackson (the capitol of Mississippi), and from their, fought their way west to Viksburg. After defeating armies larger than his own five times, Grant laid siege to Viksburg. On July 4th, Viksburg surrendered. Five days later, the only remaining Confederate fort on the Mississippi (Port Hudson) also surrendered. This effectively cut off the Confederacy from their two major food suppliers, Arkansas and Texas.

1863 1863

November 25, 1863

November 25, 1863

A rail center on the Georgia-Tennessee border, In September, the Confederates gained a major victory here, however, the Union retreated into Chattanooga, where the Confederates bombarded them. The arrival of Grant with supplies and reinforcements in late October saved the Union army and pushed the Confederates out of the heights of the city. Tennessee was in Union hands by November, and the forces had moved into Georgia. At this point in time, only Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia had not fallen. Resulting from this, in early 1864, Lincoln gave his orders to Sherman for the west, and sent Grant out to destroy Robert E. Lee’s army.

Gettysburg Address

On November 19, 1863, President Lincoln visited this battlefield to dedicate it, and to honour the deceased soldiers who were buried there. His address proclaimed to the people that “these dead shall not have died in vain.”

Election of 1864Lincoln is re-elected, as the voters see safety in keeping the same leader during difficult times.

1863 and 1864

1864

Battles in May and June

The two armies (Lee and Grant) clash almost constantly, the numbers of Union troops at 120,000 and the Confederacy at 60,000. The Battle of the Wilderness saw Lee stop Grant in a forest where the resulted fighting lit the forest ablaze, leaving the wounded to burn to death. Despite heavy losses, Grant continued to pursue Lee, and they fought again in what was later called the “most terrible 24 hours of (our) service in the war,” at Spotsylvania. Less than a month later, Grant had suffered total losses of a number greater than Lee’s army. Regardless, Grant knew that as long as he had a steady stream of reinforcements, he must continue to press Lee’s forces into surrender.

General Sherman (Union) was ordered to move out of Tennessee and destroy the Confederates in the west. Sherman forced them into Atlanta, Georgia. Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground. Sherman continued through Georgia to Savannah, destroying 100 million dollars of property and doling out $20 million in military damage.

May, 1864

May, 1864

In mid-June, Lee retreats south of Richmond, to Petersburg. Grant surrounded and assaulted the city. Lee attempted to sneak out a number of forces to attack Washington D.C. through the Shenandoah River Valley but was stopped by Grant’s cavalry men. The valley was turned into a barren waste-land by the Union, and Grant confirmed his attack on Richmond as successful.

In March, as Lincoln gave his second inaugural address, Grant closed in on Richmond. Davis was told by Lee that the situation was hopeless, and that Richmond could no longer be defended. Lee retreated south, as the Confederate government moved south as well.

Abandoned

By April 4th, The former capitol of the Confederacy was now controlled by the Union

1864

1865

Lee’s forces are cut off as they attempt to meet up with other forces. Grant asks a surrender of Lee, asking for an end to the blood-shed. The two generals met at Appomattox courthouse, where generous terms on the part of the North were agreed to. The Confederates would be allowed to return home on the basis of never fighting again, and they would be allowed to keep their guns and horses. A Union soldier described the surrender. “[with] not a cheer, nor a word, nor whisper of vainglory, but an awed stillness rather, a breath-holding, as if it were a passing of the dead.” Despite orders from former President Davis, it took until June to subdue all other confederate generals.

April 9, 1865

April 9, 1865

A Confederate radical by the name of John Wilkes Booth assassinates President Lincoln. This death was tragic to both sides, as Lincoln was considered the best person to “bind up the nation’s wounds.” This was considered by many to be a terrible blow for the South, with newspapers and diarists writing of the effects that would surely arise from having a different president mend the country’s war-torn soul.April 14,

1865 April 14, 1865

John Wilkes Booth

Although the war is over, the effects of the war are to be felt long after. The South must now be re-established as part of the country once again, and old feuds must be set aside if the country is ever again to be fully unified.