Pacific Railway Act
The Pacific Railway Act supports construction of a transcontinental railroad with land and bonds.
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
Abraham Lincoln Biography and Timeline — Page 4
Follow Abraham Lincoln through 199 dated historical records for United States of America.
Abraham Lincoln, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
199Distinct records
4 of 5Page
1862–1864Years on this page
1862
Morrill Anti Bigamy Act
Lincoln signs legislation restricting bigamy in United States territories
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Legal Tender Act
Lincoln signs the Legal Tender Act authorizing United States notes
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
United States Notes
Federal paper currency is authorized as legal tender
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Department of Agriculture Act
Lincoln signs legislation creating the United States Department of Agriculture
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Homestead Act
Lincoln signs the Homestead Act opening western public land to settlers
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln announces that enslaved people in rebellious areas will be declared free on January 1 1863
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issues the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation after the Battle of Antietam
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Battle of Antietam
Union forces halt Lees invasion of Maryland and give Lincoln the opportunity to issue emancipation policy
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Emancipation War Aim
Preliminary proclamation makes abolition in Confederate controlled areas an official Union war objective
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Loyal War Governors Conference
Northern governors meet at Altoona and support Lincoln and the Union war effort
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln makes emancipation a central Union war aim
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln warns rebellious states that enslaved people will be declared free unless they return to the Union
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Currency Administration
Lincoln administration expands federal control over national currency
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
Public Land Policy
Lincoln administration promotes settlement through expanded public land policy
Role range: 1862-1862 – 1861-1865
1863
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issues the final Emancipation Proclamation
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation freeing enslaved people in rebellious areas
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Foreign Neutrality
Emancipation policy makes foreign recognition of the Confederacy less likely
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Slavery
Emancipation Proclamation changes the Civil War into a war for Union and freedom
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Idaho Territory
Lincoln signs legislation organizing Idaho Territory
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
National Academy of Sciences
Lincoln signs the act incorporating the National Academy of Sciences
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Thanksgiving Proclamation
Lincoln issues a proclamation establishing a national Thanksgiving observance
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Annual Message to Congress
Lincoln sends his third annual message to Congress
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Ten Percent Plan
Lincoln announces a reconstruction plan for loyal governments in former Confederate states
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Arizona Territory
Lincoln signs legislation organizing Arizona Territory
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Comptroller of the Currency
National Banking Act creates the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
National Banking Act
Lincoln signs the National Banking Act creating a system of national banks
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
West Virginia Statehood
West Virginia becomes the 35th state of the Union
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
National Thanksgiving Day
The United States observes a national Thanksgiving Day under Lincolns proclamation
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Transcontinental Railroad Terminus
Lincoln selects Council Bluffs as the eastern terminus for the Union Pacific railroad
Role range: 1863-1863 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln arrives in Gettysburg before the cemetery dedication ceremony
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln attends the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery at Gettysburg
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln calls for a new birth of freedom and renewed dedication to preserving the Union
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Soldiers National Cemetery
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln honors Union dead and links their sacrifice to the survival of democratic government
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln redefines the Civil War as a struggle for Union and a new birth of freedom
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
Gettysburg Address
Lincoln speaks after Edward Everett at the Gettysburg cemetery dedication ceremony
Role range: 1861-1865 – 1861-1865
1864
Northern Pacific Railway Charter
Lincoln signs legislation chartering the Northern Pacific Railway
Role range: 1864-1864 – 1861-1865
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Amendments strengthen support for Central Pacific construction eastward from California
Role range: 1864-1864 – 1861-1865
Pacific Railway Act Amendments
Amended law accelerates work toward completing the first transcontinental railroad
Role range: 1864-1869 – 1861-1865
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.