Civil War Timeline

By Kevin Reyes

Pre-Civil War

1850- Fugitive Slave Act. This upset the North because runaway slaves, that were caught, were secretly trialed and were trialed unfairly and without representation.

1852- Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published. It changed people’s views on slavery because they realized the hardships of slaves’ lives. It was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

1854- Congress passes the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This repealed the Missouri compromise which upset the North because it opened the new territories to slavery.

1857- Dred Scott vs. Sanford. This proved that congress does not have the right to band slavery in states and further more that slaves are not citizens. The decision by congress was roundly denounced by the growing antislavery group in the north.

1860- Abe Lincoln elected president. He was against slavery, which upset the north and caused them to secede from the union.

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During Civil War

1861- Civil War begins. This was the beginning of the war between the North and the South over the Expansion of slavery into western states.

1862- Seven Days Battle. Confederates launch seven day offensive. They suffered heavy casualties, but save Richmond, Virginia.

1862- Antietam. Bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War: combined casualties of 23,000. Both sides lost men which shows that war is bad.

1863- Chattanooga. Union reinforcements arrive by railroad and are victorious. This was another step towards winning the war.

1863- Battle of Gettysburg is fought. It was a series of decisive battles of the Civil

War. It was a major battle that eventually helped us to win the war.

1865- General Ulysses S. Grant captured Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the confederacy

1865- Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Ulysses S. Grant, the end of the Civil War, with the North victorious.

Ulysses S. Grant (left) Robert E. Lee (right)

1865- President Abe Lincoln was assassinated by Tom Wilkes Booth in Washington D.C. This was important because Lincoln supported the antislavery group and he was very influential because he was the president.

1865- Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, prohibiting slavery. This was a sign to the end of slavery in all the states.

Work Cited:

Infoplease. Pearson Education. 5 Apr. 2004
<http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0903595.html>.

Women in History. Harriet Beecher Stowe biography. Created/Last modified: June 26 2003. Lakewood Public Library. Accessed: April 05 2004. <http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/stow-har.htm>.