OTD 165 YEARS AGO: Confederates open fire on the Federal garrison at Fort Sumter, touching off the most horrific conflict in American history.
Tag: Civil War
The Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln becomes the 16th U.S. president and prepares to face the sectional crisis head-on.
The Inauguration of Jefferson Davis
Some 10,000 people attend the inauguration of Jefferson Davis as the first president of the Confederate States of America. The ceremony features a grand procession and an inaugural address emphasizing independence.
The Farewell Soiree
The Lincolns host their final reception in their Springfield home as they prepare for their move to Washington. President-elect Lincoln expresses ambivalence about leaving his home and reflects on the daunting challenges that lay ahead.
Building Greater Permanency
A convention opens in Montgomery as delegates from the seceded states start work on forming a new nation independent of the United States.
Key Events Leading to the War Between the States
The United States of America had been in existence for less than a century when it was nearly shattered by the most terrible conflict in its history. Why did it happen?