| January 1, 1808 |
Importation of slaves into the United States becomes illegal |
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| January 1, 1836 |
James Birney begins publishing The Philanthropist, an abolition newspaper named for an earlier abolition newspaper for which Birney had written. The paper was published in Cincinnati, across the Ohio River from Kentucky, a slave state |
Ohio
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James Birney |
| January 1, 1853 |
Wheeling, Virginia celebrates the completion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in November, 1852. Between Christmas and New Year's almost 500 citizens of Baltimore traveled west on the railroad for the celebration |
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Baltimore and Ohio Railroad |
| January 1, 1861 |
On New Year's Day Georgians go to the polls to elect either a pro-Union or pro-Seccession slate of delegates to a state convention to be held in Milledgeville. According to Gov. Brown the results are overwhelmingly pro-secession, however, later research by the Georgia Historical Society indicates that the returns were overstated in favor of the secessionists. |
Georgia
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| January 1, 1861 |
A pro-Union meeting in Parkersburg (now West Virginia) resolves that "secession is revolution." |
West Virginia
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First Wheeling Convention |
| January 1, 1862 |
Minister to Great Britain John Slidell and Minister to France, James Mason are released from Fort Warren, Boston, Massachusetts and allowed to continue their journey, effectively ending the Trent Affair |
Massachusetts
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Trent Affair |
| January 1, 1862 |
Stonewall Jackson begins the Romney Campaign from Winchester, Virginia |
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Romney Campaign |
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Stonewall Jackson |
| January 1, 1863 |
The Emancipation Proclamation goes into effect |
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Emancipation Proclamation |
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The Emancipation of Slaves |
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Emancipation Proclamation (Full Text) |
| January 1, 1863 |
Battle of Galveston
General John B. Magruder [CS] captures the city after a 4 hour battle. Confederate troops seize a federal ship and blow up another, but most of the ships escape. |
Texas
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John Magruder |