1. April 12, 1861 - Attack on Fort Sumter
The Confederate army attacks the Union-held Fort Sumter, starting the Civil War.
2. September 17, 1862 - Battle of Antietam
The bloodiest single-day battle in American history takes place in Maryland.
3. January 1, 1863 - Emancipation Proclamation
President Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing slaves in Confederate-held territory.
4. November 19, 1863 - Gettysburg Address
President Lincoln delivers his famous speech at the dedication of the Gettysburg battlefield cemetery.
5. March 4, 1865 - Lincoln's Second Inauguration
President Lincoln delivers his second inaugural address, calling for "malice toward none" and "charity for all."
6. April 9, 1865 - Surrender at Appomattox Court House
Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, effectively ending the Civil War.
7. April 14, 1865 - Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
President Lincoln is shot and killed by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.
8. May 5, 1865 - Capture of Jefferson Davis
Confederate President Jefferson Davis is captured by Union troops in Georgia.
9. June 2, 1865 - Confederate Surrender in the Trans-Mississippi Theater
The last Confederate general surrenders, marking the end of major fighting in the Civil War.
10. July 13, 1865 - Ratification of the 13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States, is officially ratified.
11. April 15, 1865 - Death of Abraham Lincoln
President Lincoln succumbs to his gunshot wound, dying the morning after the assassination.
12. June 19, 1865 - Juneteenth
Union soldiers arrive in Galveston, Texas, spreading the news of the end of slavery two months after the official end of the war.
13. 1866 - Reconstruction Acts
Congress passes a series of Reconstruction Acts to rebuild the South and ensure civil rights for freed slaves.
14. 1867 - Tenure of Office Act
Congress passes the Tenure of Office Act, restricting the president's power to remove certain officeholders without Senate approval.
15. 1869 - 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment is ratified, granting African American men the right to vote.
16. 1876 - Battle of Little Bighorn
The Sioux and Cheyenne defeat U.S. Army troops in the Battle of Little Bighorn, led by General George Custer.
17. 1877 - End of Reconstruction
The Compromise of 1877 ends Reconstruction in the South and removes federal troops from the region.
18. 1898 - Spanish-American War
The United States defeats Spain in the Spanish-American War, gaining territories like Cuba and the Philippines.
19. 1919 - Treaty of Versailles
The Treaty of Versailles officially ends World War I, which had origins in the aftermath of the Civil War.
20. 1964 - Civil Rights Act of 1964
President Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act, outlawing discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.