Secession

Secession

• December 20, 1860 - South Carolina is the first state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 9, 1861 - Mississippi is the second state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 10, 1861 - Florida is the third state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 11, 1861 - Alabama is the fourth state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 19, 1861 - Georgia is the fifth state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 26, 1861 - Louisiana is the sixth state to secede from the Union.
  
• January 29, 1861 - Kansas is the 34th state admitted to the Union. Kansas became a free state on January 29, 1861, after seven years of bloody feuding between residents over whether to be admitted as a slave or free state.
  
• February 4, 1861 - The Confederate States of America is formed.
  
• February 4, 1861 - The Apaches declare war on the United States.
  
• February 13, 1861 - The first Congressional Medal is presented to Col. Bernard Irwin.
  
• February 18, 1861 - Jefferson Davis is sworn in as the first President of the Confederate States of America
  
• February 18, 1861 - Alexander Stevens is sworn in as the first Vice President of the Confederate States of America.
  
• February 22, 1861 - The Nevada Territory is organized.
  
• February 23, 1861 - Texas is the seventh state to secede from the Union.
  
• February 28, 1861 - The Colorado Territory is organized.
  
• March 2, 1861 - The Dakota Territory is organized.
  
• March 4, 1861 - Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as the 16th President of the United States.
  
• March 4, 1861 - Hannibal Hamlin is sworn in as the 15th Vice President of the United States.
  
• March 11, 1861 - The Confederate Congress adopts their Constitution.
  
• April 12, 1861 - Confederate forces begin an assault on Fort Sumter.
  
• April 13, 1861 - After 34 hours of bombardment, Fort Sumter surrenders.
  
• April 17, 1861 - Virginia is the eighth state to secede from the Union.
  
• April 19, 1861 - Union blockade of Confederate ports is initiated (first part of the Anaconda Plan).
  
• April 27, 1861 - 48 counties in western Virginia secede to rejoin the Union (reducing Virginia's size to 42,326 sq. miles).
  
• May 6, 1861 - Arkansas is the ninth state to secede from the Union.