1. Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12-13, 1861):
- The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter, a Union-held fort in South Carolina.
- Confederate forces commanded by General P.G.T. Beauregard bombarded the fort, leading to its surrender.
- This marked the official start of the Civil War and the division between the Union (Northern states) and the Confederacy (Southern states).
2. Battle of First Manassas (July 21, 1861):
- Also known as the First Battle of Bull Run, this battle occurred in Manassas, Virginia.
- Confederate forces under General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson and General Joseph E. Johnston won a decisive victory over the Union troops led by General Irvin McDowell.
- The Confederate victory boosted Southern morale and reinforced the idea of states' rights and secession.
3. The Battle of Antietam or Sharpsburg (September 17, 1862):
- Fought near Sharpsburg, Maryland, this battle was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history.
- The Union army, led by General George B. McClellan, launched assaults against the Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee.
- Despite failing to capitalize on their successes, the Union victory in Antietam had significant political implications, allowing President Abraham Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate territory.
4. Battle of Gettysburg (July 1-3, 1863):
- Considered the turning point of the Civil War, the Battle of Gettysburg was fought in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
- Union forces under General George G. Meade stopped the Confederate invasion of the North led by General Robert E. Lee.
- The Union victory at Gettysburg marked the end of Confederate hopes for a decisive victory in the war.
5. Vicksburg Campaign (May 18-July 4, 1863):
- A series of military engagements aimed at capturing the strategic city of Vicksburg, Mississippi, which controlled access to the Mississippi River.
- Union forces under General Ulysses S. Grant laid siege to the city, eventually leading to its surrender on July 4, 1863.
- The capture of Vicksburg gave the Union control over the Mississippi River and cut the Confederate states in two, significantly boosting Union morale.
6. Battle of Fort Wagner (July 18, 1863):
- A significant battle of the Civil War that occurred on Morris Island, South Carolina, near Charleston Harbor.
- Union forces, including the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, an all-Black unit, assaulted the Confederate-held Fort Wagner.
- Although the Union forces were unsuccessful in capturing the fort, the battle marked an important step forward for the cause of racial equality and showcased the courage and bravery of African American soldiers.
7. Appomattox Court House (April 9, 1865):
- General Robert E. Lee, commander of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, commander of the Union forces, at Appomattox Court House in Virginia.
- This event marked the effective end of the Civil War and the defeat of the Confederacy.
- The surrender led to the Confederate armies laying down their arms and the eventual reunification of the United States under the Federal government.
These key events left a profound impact on the nation and shaped the political, social, and economic trajectory of the United States for years to come.