WHAT HAPPENED IN 1861.
Look what happened the 1861.

Russian troops fire on a crowd in Warsaw protesting against Russian rule over Poland, killing five protesters. (27. February 1861)

Alexander II of Russia signs the Emancipation Manifesto, freeing serfs. (3. March 1861)

The first national flag of the Confederate States of America (the "Stars and Bars") is adopted. (4. March 1861)

El Hadj Umar Tall seizes the city of Ségou, destroying the Bambara Empire of Mali. (10. March 1861)

American Civil War: The Constitution of the Confederate States of America is adopted. (11. March 1861)

Edward Clark becomes Governor of Texas, replacing Sam Houston, who has been evicted from the office for refusing to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy. (16. March 1861)

The Kingdom of Italy is proclaimed. (17. March 1861)

The First Taranaki War ends in New Zealand. (19. March 1861)

An earthquake completely destroys Mendoza, Argentina. (20. March 1861)

Alexander Stephens gives the Cornerstone Speech (21. March 1861)

First performance of Arthur Sullivan's debut success, his suite of incidental music for The Tempest, leading to a career that included the famous Gilbert and Sullivan operas. (6. April 1861)

American Civil War: The war begins with Confederate forces firing on Fort Sumter, in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. (12. April 1861)

American Civil War: Fort Sumter surrenders to Confederate forces. (13. April 1861)

President Abraham Lincoln calls for 75,000 Volunteers to quell the insurrection that soon became the American Civil War (15. April 1861)

American Civil War: Baltimore riot of 1861: a pro-Secession mob in Baltimore, Maryland, attacks United States Army troops marching through the city. (19. April 1861)

American Civil War: Robert E. Lee resigns his commission in the United States Army in order to command the forces of the state of Virginia. (20. April 1861)

American President Abraham Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus. (27. April 1861)

American Civil War: Maryland's House of Delegates votes not to secede from the Union. (29. April 1861)

American Civil War: Arkansas secedes from the Union. (6. May 1861)

American Civil War: Richmond, Virginia is declared the new capital of the Confederate States of America. (6. May 1861)