events
The first engagement of ironclad warships during the Civil War
Abraham Lincoln was elected President.
Nov 6, 1860
The largest battle in NC, a major clash near Four Oaks
Bentonville (March 1865)
The Union possessed over 70% of the nation's rail lines, allowing for better movement of troops and supplies
Infrastructure
outh Carolina was the first state to secede, doing so in late 1860
Mass Secession
The Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12-13, 1861) was
The opening engagement of the American Civil War, where Confederate forces bombarded the Union-held fort in Charleston, South Carolina
Battle of Gettysburg, a major Union victory; the "high-water mark" for
Jul 1-3, 1863
Occupied by Union troops under Gen. Burnside.
New Bern (March 1862)
Southern industrial production dropped from an index of 100 in 1860 to less than 48 by 1865.
Industrial Output
The war marked the first major use of railroads for transporting troops and supplies.
railroads
On July 21, 1861, in the first major land battle of the Civil War
a large Union force under General Irvin McDowell is routed
The Confederate States of America formed; Jefferson Davis elected President
Feb 1861
Captured by Union forces, leading to federal control of NC sounds.
Roanoke Island (Feb 1862)
The central conflict revolved around the morality, legality, and expansion of slavery, which the South's economy and culture heavily relied on, while the North increasingly opposed it.
Slavery
Both Union and Confederate armies used hot air balloons for reconnaissance
Espionage Balloons
The American Civil War includes
The firing on Fort Sumter (1861) started the war, major battles like Antietam (1862), the turning point victories at Gettysburg & Vicksburg (1863)
USS Monitor vs. CSS Virginia (Merrimack) - first ironclad naval battle
Mar 9, 1862
Known as the "Gibraltar of the South," this fort protected Wilmington, the last major Confederate port.
Fort Fisher (1864-1865)
The North was industrializing with free labor, while the South remained agrarian, dependent on enslaved labor for cash crops like cotton, creating distinct societies and political interests.
Economic and Social Differences
The Battle of Antietam was the single bloodiest day, with 23,000 casualties, while 7,000 fell in just 20 minutes at Cold Harbor
Bloody Days
l, African Americans played a crucial role in the Civil War by
serving as soldiers (nearly 200,000 for the Union), spies, scouts, nurses, and laborers, supporting the Union effort while also fundamentally shifting the war's meaning towards freedom
Union troops capture Richmond, the Confederate capital.
Apr 3, 1865
The site near Durham where Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered to Gen. William T. Sherman, effectively ending the war in the state.
Bennett Place (April 1865)
Southern states argued for the right to self-govern and nullify federal laws they disliked (especially those restricting slavery), clashing with Northern beliefs in stronger federal authority.
States' Rights vs. Federal Power
Roughly two-thirds of the over 620,000 deaths were from sickness, not combat, with malaria, dysentery, and typhoid rampant in crowded camps.
Disease was the biggest killer