Member-only story

Civil War Timeline: A Comprehensive Guide to the Events of the American Civil War

Steve Carter

·12k Followers· Follow

Published in A Civil War Timeline (War Timelines)

5 min read · 1 week before

186 View Claps

10 Respond

Save

Listen

A Civil War Timeline (War Timelines)

by Lucia Raatma

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	49187 KB
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Print length	:	48 pages

The American Civil War, fought between 1861 and 1865, was one of the most significant conflicts in American history. This comprehensive Civil War Timeline provides a detailed account of the key events, battles, and turning points that shaped the course of this momentous war.

Prelude to the War (1850s)

1850: Compromise of 1850 - A series of laws passed by Congress to resolve tensions over slavery in the territories acquired from Mexico.
1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act - Repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed settlers in these territories to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty.
1857: Dred Scott v. Sandford - A Supreme Court ruling that declared enslaved people were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court.

Outbreak of the War (1861)

April 12, 1861: Attack on Fort Sumter - Confederate forces fired on a Union fort in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, marking the beginning of the Civil War.
April 15, 1861: Lincoln calls for 75,000 volunteers - President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for volunteers to suppress the rebellion.
May 20, 1861: Battle of Balls Bluff - The first major land battle of the war, resulting in a Confederate victory.

The Eastern Theater (1861-1865)

July 21, 1861: First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) - A Confederate victory that halted the Union's advance on Richmond, Virginia.
September 17, 1862: Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg) - A bloody draw that led President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
July 3-4, 1863: Battle of Gettysburg - A Union victory that turned the tide of the war in the East.

The Western Theater (1861-1865)

February 6-16, 1862: Battle of Fort Donelson - A Union victory that gained control of the Mississippi River.
April 6-7, 1862: Battle of Shiloh (Pittsburg Landing) - A bloody battle that resulted in a Union victory but heavy losses.
July 4, 1863: Siege of Vicksburg - A Union victory that gave the Union control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy in two.

Turning Points of the War

January 1, 1863: Emancipation Proclamation - President Lincoln's Free Download declaring enslaved people in Confederate-held territory free.
July 4, 1863: Gettysburg Address - Lincoln's famous speech at the dedication of the Gettysburg National Cemetery.
November 19, 1863: Gettysburg and Vicksburg - The Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg are considered turning points of the war.

End of the War (1865)

April 9, 1865: Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House - The effective end of the war.
May 10, 1865: Confederate General Edmund Kirby Smith surrenders in Galveston, Texas - The final Confederate surrender.

Legacy of the Civil War

The Civil War had a profound impact on the United States. It resulted in the abolition of slavery, the reunification of the nation, and the strengthening of the federal government. The war also left a lasting legacy of division and racial inequality that continues to shape American society.

Additional Resources