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Slavery and The University

Timeline 1840-1920

1835 - 1855: Asbury Coward starts recording his life in his diary.

December 20, 1842: Founding of the Arsenal Academy: The South Carolina Legislature passed an act establishing the South Carolina Military Academy.

1845: State Troops to Students: The role of The Arsenal was changed to the instruction of freshmen.

1849-1853: William Simms’ The History of South Carolina : From its First European Discovery to Its Erection into a Republic assigned for a general history class. 

1849 -1855: Francis Weyland’s Elements of Political Economy assigned to students, explaining the political economy usually conducted between nations. 

1852: South Carolina Convention of 1852: Governor John Hugh Means and his fellow men resolve that South Carolina has the right to secede from the Union should the federal government interfere with slavery.

November 23, 1853:  Johnson Hagood would give his "Military Strength of Nations" Speech to the Citadel Alumni Association. 

1853-1865: John Calhoun’s A Disquisition on Government added to the class on constitutional law. 

1854 - 1892:  Joseph B. Cottrell started recording his daily life and experiences in his diary.

December 20, 1860: SC Secession: On South Carolina formally seceded from the Union, setting the stage for the great civil war that was to follow.

January 9, 1861: Firing on Star of the West: South Carolina Military Academy cadets stationed on Morris Island fired on the U.S. steamer, the Star of the West, which failed to supply Fort Sumter with troops and supplies.

January 28, 1861: Creation of Battalion of State Cadets: the Corps of the Cadets of The Arsenal Academy and The Citadel Academy were made part of the military organization of the state)

April 12, 1861 – April 9, 1865: Civil War

December 7, 1861: New Law requiring military service of all men between ages 16-60 during the Civil War including cadets and officers of Military Academy

December 6, 1864: December 9, 1864 - Battle of Tulifinny

February 18, 1865: The Arsenal Academy ceased operation as a college when Union troops entered Charleston and occupied the site

1879: Reopening of the Arsenal Academy

1910: The name of the college was officially changed to The Citadel and the Citadel reached full capacity in the amount of students that were enrolled in that year.