Key Battles
This battle, fought on April 12, 1861, marked the beginning of the Civil War.
What is the Battle of Fort Sumter?
This new type of warship, used in battles like the Monitor vs. Merrimack, was made with iron armor instead of wood.
What is the Ironclad
This president led the United States during the Civil War and delivered the Gettysburg Address.
Who is Abraham Lincoln?
This institution, central to the Southern economy, was a major cause of tension between the North and South.
What is slavery?
This speech, delivered by President Lincoln in November 1863, begins with the words "Four score and seven years ago."
What is the Gettysburg Address?
This was the single bloodiest day of the Civil War, fought in Maryland on September 17, 1862.
What is the Battle of Antietam?
This type of firearm, with spiral grooves inside the barrel, increased accuracy and range during the Civil War. It was mildly used during the Revolutionary War.
What is the rifled musket?
This Confederate general, nicknamed "Stonewall," was accidentally killed by friendly fire in 1863.
Who is Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson?
This idea held by Southern states argued that individual states had the right to ignore federal laws they disagreed with.
What are State's rights?
Issued on January 1, 1863, this executive order by Abraham Lincoln declared freedom for slaves in Confederate states.
What is the Emancipation Proclamation?
The turning point of the Civil War occurred over three days in July 1863 in Pennsylvania.
What is the Battle of Gettysburg?
This early form of rapid-fire weapon, invented by Dr. Richard Gatling, was introduced during the Civil War.
What is the Gatling Gun?
This former slave became a prominent abolitionist, author, and advisor to President Lincoln during the Civil War.
Who is Frederick Douglass?
This term refers to the division of the nation into distinct regions, each with its own economic and cultural priorities.
What is sectionalism?
This set of resolutions passed by Congress in 1861 stated the Union's goal of preserving the nation rather than abolishing slavery.
What are the Crittenden Resolutions?
This battle gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, splitting the Confederacy in two.
What is the Battle of Vicksburg?
The use of this innovation in communication, which relied on electric signals, allowed for faster transmission of battlefield orders.
What is the telegraph?
This Union general earned the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" and later became the 18th president of the United States.
Who is Ulysses S. Grant?
This 1857 Supreme Court decision declared that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories.
What is the Dred Scott decision?
This 1865 constitutional amendment abolished slavery in the United States.
What is the 13th Amendment?
Known as "Lee’s Perfect Battle," this Confederate victory in May 1863 saw the death of Stonewall Jackson due to friendly fire.
What is the Battle of Chancellorsville?
This type of artillery ammunition, designed to explode in mid-air, was especially effective against advancing infantry.
What is Canister Shot?
This nurse, known as the "Angel of the Battlefield," later founded the American Red Cross.
Who is Clara Barton?
This 1859 raid, led by an abolitionist at Harpers Ferry, sought to incite a slave rebellion and heightened tensions between North and South.
What is the John Brown Raid?
This secret agreement, signed in 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse, outlined the terms of Confederate surrender.
What are the terms of surrender at Appomattox?