The American Civil War took place between 1861 and 1865 in the United States. It was fought between the Northern states, called the Union, and the Southern states, called the Confederacy. The war resulted in an estimated 620,000 to 750,000 deaths, making it the deadliest war in American history.
The following is a chronological account of the American Civil War:
(1) The Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 by Congress to deal with the issue of slavery in new territories. It allowed Missouri to become a slave state and Maine to become a free state. It also established a boundary line at 36°30′N latitude, above which slavery was prohibited.
(2) The Compromise of 1850 was passed to settle the dispute between the North and South over the territories gained from the Mexican-American War. The compromise allowed California to become a free state and established popular sovereignty for the territories of New Mexico and Utah. This meant that settlers could vote on whether to allow slavery in those territories.
(3) The Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850. The act required citizens to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves and made it a federal crime to assist runaway slaves. This law angered many Northerners and helped fuel the abolitionist movement.
(4) The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854, which allowed settlers in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to vote on whether to allow slavery. This led to violent clashes between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas, earning the territory the nickname "Bleeding Kansas."
(5) In 1857, the Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Sandford. The court ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, could not be considered citizens and therefore could not sue in federal court. The decision also declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, as Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in the territories.
(6) Abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 with the goal of arming slaves and sparking a rebellion against slaveholders. Brown and his men were quickly captured and executed, but the incident increased tensions between North and South.
(7) In the 1860 presidential election, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories, won with less than 40% of the popular vote. This led to Southern states seceding from the Union, fearing that Lincoln would try to abolish slavery.
(8) In February 1861, representatives from the seceding states met in Montgomery, Alabama, to form the Confederate States of America. Jefferson Davis was elected as the Confederate president, and the Confederacy established its own government and constitution.
(9) Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina in April 1861, which was still held by Union troops. The attack marked the beginning of the Civil War, as President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to put down the rebellion.
(10) The Union developed a military strategy called the Anaconda Plan, which aimed to blockade Southern ports and cut off the Confederacy's supply lines. The plan also called for the capture of the Mississippi River, which would divide the Confederacy in two.
(11) The First Battle of Bull Run took place in July 1861 and was the first major battle of the Civil War. Confederate forces won the battle, which shocked the Union and showed that the war would be long and difficult.
Overall, the American Civil War was a complex and tragic event that shaped the course of American history.
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