2. The election of Abraham Lincoln: The election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 was the final straw for the Southern states. Lincoln was a known opponent of slavery, and his election signaled that the federal government was no longer willing to tolerate the institution.
3. The secession of the Southern states: In response to Lincoln's election, the Southern states began to secede from the Union. By February 1861, seven states had seceded and formed the Confederate States of America.
4. The attack on Fort Sumter: The attack on Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861, was the first major battle of the Civil War. The attack marked the beginning of open warfare between the Union and the Confederacy.
5. The Emancipation Proclamation: The Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Lincoln in January 1863, declared that all slaves in the Confederate states were free. This was a major turning point in the war, as it made the abolition of slavery a central goal of the Union.