The American Civil War (1861-1865) was a complicated and pivotal conflict that shaped the path of American history. Here are some key occasions all through the conflict:

• Election of 1860 (November 6, 1860): Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, became elected as the sixteenth President of the USA. His victory heightened tensions between the Northern and Southern states due to his anti-slavery stance.
• South Carolina Secession (December 20, 1860): South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union in reaction to Lincoln's election and what they perceived as a hazard to their "states' rights," in particular regarding the issue of slavery.
• Formation of the Confederate States of America (February 4, 1861): Delegates from seven Southern states met in Montgomery, Alabama, and fashioned the Confederate States of America, with Jefferson Davis as its president.
• Attack on Fort Sumter (April 12-14, 1861): Confederate forces attacked the federal garrison at Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. This marked the start of the Civil War.
• First Battle of Bull Run (July 21, 1861): Also referred to as the First Battle of Manassas, this turned into the first major land battle of the battle. It shattered the Union's hope for a quick victory.
• Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863): President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that every slave in Confederate-held territory had been to be let loose. While it didn't straight away unfasten all slaves, it shifted the point of interest of the conflict closer to the abolition of slavery.
• Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-three, 1863): A turning factor in the war, this battle in Pennsylvania ended in a Union victory and marked the quit of General Robert E. Lee's invasion of the North.
• Gettysburg Address (November 19, 1863): President Lincoln added a short however effective deal within the course of the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, emphasizing the concepts of equality and the protection of the Union.
• Fall of Vicksburg (July four, 1863): Union forces, led by General Ulysses S. Grant, captured the Confederate stronghold of Vicksburg, Mississippi, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River.
• Atlanta Campaign (May-September 1864): General William T. Sherman led Union forces in a hit campaign to seize Atlanta, a critical railroad hub in the South.
• Sherman's March to the Sea (November-December 1864): General Sherman conducted a devastating navy campaign through Georgia, aiming to demoralize the South and destroy its infrastructure.
• Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865): General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, correctly finishing the Civil War.