Key Events in American History: 1861

President: James Buchanan until March 4th; Abraham Lincoln thereafter

VP: John Breckinridge until March 4th; Hannibal Hamlin thereafter

Date, Event

Jan 9th Mississippi is the 2nd state to secede from the Union

Jan 10th Florida becomes the 3rd state to secede from the Union

Jan 11th Alabama becomes the 4th state to secede from the Union

Jan 19th Georgia becomes the 5th state to secede from the Union

Jan 26th Louisiana becomes the 6th state to secede from the Union

Jan 29th Kansas is admitted as the 34th U.S. state

Feb 1st Texas becomes the 7th state to secede from the Union

Feb 8th The Confederate States of America adopts its constitution

Feb 9th Jefferson Davis is elected President of the Confederate States of America

Feb 28th Colorado is organized as a U.S. Territory

Mar 2nd Nevada and Dakota are organized as U.S. Territories

Mar 4th Abraham Lincoln takes office as the 16th U.S. President

Apr 12th Battle at Ft. Sumter, SC; The American Civil War begins

Apr 17th Virginia becomes the 8th state to secede from the Union

Apr 27th West Virginia secedes from Virginia

May 6th Arkansas becomes the 9th state to secede from the Union

May 20th North Carolina becomes the 10th state to secede from the Union

May 21st Richmond, VA is declared the capital of the Confederacy

Jun 8th Tennessee becomes the 11th state to secede from the Union

Jul 21st First Battle of Bull Run

Jul 26th George B. McClellan assumes command of the Army of the Potomac following a Union defeat at Bull Run

Aug 5th U.S. Government issues its first income tax to pay for the war effort

Oct 24th The transcontinental telegraph is completed; the Pony Express is disbanded

Oct 30th Missouri becomes the 12th state to secede from the Union

Nov 1st George McClellan becomes commander of the Union Army

Dec 10th Kentucky is accepted into the Confederate States of America

Pierre Michaux invents a bicycle

Charles Dickens publishes "Great Expectations"

Oct 4th Frederick Remington (Artist)

Aug 12th Eliphalet Remington (Founder of Remington Arms Co.)