Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Representative Henry Winter Davis of Maryland authored a bill that laid down conditions for the reentry of seceding states into the Union.  Far more stringent that President Lincoln's plan, it required that no former Confederates participate in their state's "reconstruction" and required that a majority of voters in any seceded state take the oath of loyalty to the United States before admission could be considered. The bill passed the Senate in July but the President rejected it, enraging Radical Republicans.  (By John Osborne)

Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio and Representative Henry Winter Davis of Maryland authored a joint bill that laid down conditions for the reentry of seceding states into the Union.  Far more stringent that President Lincoln's plan, it dictated that no former Confederates could participate in their state's "reconstruction" and required that a majority of voters in any seceded state take the oath of loyalty to the United States before admission could be considered. Lincoln never signed the bill, enraging Radical Republicans.  (By John Osborne)

Japanese radicals of the feudal domain of Chōshū harassed foreign commerce and had attempted to close the Shimonoseki Straits to western shipping.  British, French, and Dutch units had defeated Chinese forces and opened the straits in September.  These nations, along with the United States, demanded indemnities and a Convention agreed and signed in Yokohama awarded a total sum of three million dollars.  (By John Osborne)

The war, fought largely over the fate of the German-Danish provinces of Holstein and Schleswig, had begun in February 1864.  The Danes had held their own at sea but were defeated heavily by Prussian and Austrian land forces.  The Treaty of Vienna ceded both provinces and other areas to Prussia and Austria, reducing both Denmark's land area and population by around 40%. (By John Osborne)

Following up on the earlier meeting at Charlottetown, representatives from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Province of Canada had gathered in Quebec to discuss the framework of a united Canada. The conference produced seventy-three resolutions that were then submitted to provincial legislatures. This led directly to the London Conference in late 1866 and the British North America Act of 1867. (By John Osborne)

Following up on the earlier meeting at Charlottetown, representatives of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Province of Canada gathered in Quebec to thrash out the framework of a possible united Canada. The conference produced seventy-three resolutions that were then submitted to provincial legislatures. This led directly to the London Conference in late 1866 and the British North America Act of 1867. (By John Osborne)