Historedia
Person

William H. Seward

Events
5
Episodes
11
Years
1865–1868

Every event in Historedia whose sources name William H. Seward, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. Assassination of Abraham Lincoln and death of John Wilkes Booth, April 1865

    1865

    Role: Secretary of State

    1. April 14, 1865 · Ford's TheatreShooting at Ford's Theatre

      John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865, during a performance.

    2. April 26, 1865 · Garrett FarmShooting of Booth at Garrett Farm

      Boston Corbett fatally shot John Wilkes Booth at Garrett Farm in Virginia on April 26, 1865.

  2. Hampton Roads Conference discusses peace terms

    1865

    Role: Union Secretary of State

    1. February 3, 1865 · River Queen steamboatThe Hampton Roads Meeting

      Union and Confederate leaders met aboard the River Queen in Hampton Roads to discuss peace terms, including slavery and independence.

    2. circa February 1865 · River Queen steamboatLincoln's Amnesty Proposal

      According to Campbell, Lincoln indicated willingness to pardon most Confederates except Davis; he later drafted an amnesty agreement that faced Cabinet opposition.

  3. The House passes the Thirteenth Amendment

    1865

    Role: Secretary of State

    1. January 31, 1865 · House of RepresentativesHouse Passage

      The House passed the amendment on January 31, 1865, after legislative maneuvering and an earlier unsuccessful vote.

    2. December 18, 1865 · State DepartmentRatification and Proclamation

      The amendment was ratified by 27 of 36 states on December 6, 1865; Secretary of State Seward certified its validity on December 18, 1865, with the amendment ending slavery in Kentucky and Delaware that December.

  4. The Alaska Purchase: the United States buys Alaska from Russia

    1867

    Role: United States Secretary of State

    1. March 30, 1867 · Department of StateTreaty Signing

      Secretary of State Seward and Russian minister Stoeckl signed the treaty for the sale of Alaska on March 30, 1867, after an all-night session.

    2. October 18, 1867 · SitkaTransfer Ceremony

      The formal transfer of Alaska occurred in Sitka on October 18, 1867, establishing the Department of Alaska.

  5. Ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment

    1868

    Role: Secretary of State (certified the amendment's ratification status on July 20, 1868)

    1. January 13, 1868 – October 16, 1868 · State LegislaturesRescissions and Validity

      States including Ohio, New Jersey, and Oregon rescinded their ratifications, but these actions did not invalidate the amendment.

    2. July 9, 1868 · State LegislaturesState Ratifications

      Twenty-eight states ratified the amendment by July 9, 1868, including Louisiana and South Carolina, which had previously rejected it.

    3. July 20, 1868 · State DepartmentCertification by Seward

      Secretary of State William H. Seward certified the amendment on July 20, 1868, assuming rescissions were invalid.

Sources

  1. Lewis Powell (conspirator) Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-05
  2. Hampton Roads Conference Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-29
  3. Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-02
  4. William H. Seward Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
  5. Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21