Category Archives: 1860s

Kansas enters the Union as a free state 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 29 1861)


Video: 'Kansas - 50 States - US Geography'

(Tuesday, January 29, 1861; during ) — Following the succession of six Southern states over the issue of preserving slavery, President James Buchanan signed a bill today officially admitting Kansas, located in the Midwestern United States, as a free state.
Continue reading Kansas enters the Union as a free state 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 29 1861)

Louisiana becomes sixth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 26 1861)


Video: 'Louisiana in the Civil War'

(Saturday, January 26, 1861; 11 weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 81 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Louisiana became the sixth state to secede today when delegates to the Secession Convention meeting in Baton Rouge voted 113 to 17 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Louisiana becomes sixth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 26 1861)

‘Saddest day of my life’: Jefferson Davis resigns from U.S. Senate, 12 days after Mississippi seceded 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 21 1861)


Video: 'Jefferson Davis Resigns the Senate'

(Wednesday, January 21, 1861) — Calling it “the saddest day of my life,” Jefferson Davis of Mississippi and four other Southerners whose states had seceded from the Union resigned today from the U.S. Senate.
Continue reading ‘Saddest day of my life’: Jefferson Davis resigns from U.S. Senate, 12 days after Mississippi seceded 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 21 1861)

Georgia becomes fifth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 19 1861)


Video: 'Georgia in the Civil War'

(Saturday, January 19, 1861; ten weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 74 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Georgia became the fifth state to secede today when delegates to the Georgia Secession Convention of 1861 meeting at the Milledgeville statehouse voted 208-89 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Georgia becomes fifth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 19 1861)

Alabama becomes fourth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 11 1861)


Video: 'Alabama in the Civil War'

(Friday, January 11, 1861; nine weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 66 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Alabama became the fourth Southern state to secede today when delegates to the Alabama Secession Convention meeting in Montgomery voted 61-39 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Alabama becomes fourth Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 11 1861)

Florida becomes third Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 10 1861)


Video: 'Florida in the Civil War'

(Thursday, January 10, 1861; nine weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 65 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Florida became the third state to secede today when a special secession convention formally known as the “Convention of the People of Florida” meeting in Tallahassee voted to leave the Union.
Continue reading Florida becomes third Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 10 1861)

Mississippi becomes second Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 9 1861)


Video: 'Mississippi in the Civil War'

(Wednesday, January 9, 1861; nine weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 64 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform which opposed the expansion of slavery into the western territories, Mississippi became the second state to secede today when a state convention meeting in Jackson voted 84-15 to leave the Union.
Continue reading Mississippi becomes second Southern state to secede from the Union 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Jan 9 1861)

Federal troops take refuge in Fort Sumter after South Carolina secedes 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 26 1860)


Video: 'Ken Burns’ Civil War, ep1 part 2-3' (Anderson moves garrison to Fort Sumter at 28:54)

(Wednesday, December 26, 1860; seven weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — Six days after South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union, the Federal commander of the Charleston defenses, Maj. Robert Anderson, moved his tiny garrison of fewer than 90 men today from Fort Moultrie on Sullivan’s Island to Fort Sumter, situated in the middle of Charleston Harbor.
Continue reading Federal troops take refuge in Fort Sumter after South Carolina secedes 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 26 1860)

South Carolina becomes first Southern state to secede from Union over slavery 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 20 1860)


Video: '20th December 1860: South Carolina secedes from the United States of America'

(Thursday, December 20, 1860, 1:15 p.m. local time; six weeks after the 1860 United States presidential election) — 44 days after Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860 on a platform opposing the expansion of slavery into the western territories, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union today as all 169 delegates to a special convention in Charleston voted in favor of separation.
Continue reading South Carolina becomes first Southern state to secede from Union over slavery 160 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 20 1860)

Abraham Lincoln elected president of the United States in four-way contest 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1860)


Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1860'

(Tuesday, November 6, 1860, during the 1860 United States presidential election) — Former U.S. Representative Abraham Lincoln of Illinois, a Republican, was elected as the 16th President of the United States today in a four-way contest, serving as the primary catalyst of the American Civil War. Continue reading Abraham Lincoln elected president of the United States in four-way contest 160 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1860)