The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter marked the beginning of the American Civil War.
This pivotal event unfolded in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces bombarded the federal fort, forcing its surrender after 34 hours.

Historical Context

Tensions had simmered for years over slavery, states' rights, and secession. Abraham Lincoln's 1860 election as president prompted seven Southern states to form the Confederacy by February 1861, electing Jefferson Davis as leader. Fort Sumter, a Union-held outpost in Confederate territory, became the flashpoint as South Carolina demanded its evacuation, which Major Robert Anderson refused.

The bombardment began at 4:30 a.m., with no combat deaths but two Union soldiers killed in a surrender ceremony accident; it galvanized both sides, prompting Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers and four more states to secede.

Why Fort Sumter?

  • Strategic Symbol : The fort represented federal authority in a seceded state, testing Union resolve.
  • Trigger, Not Cause : Preceding events like "Bleeding Kansas," John Brown's 1859 raid, and the Dred Scott decision fueled division, but Sumter was the first shots.
  • Multi-Viewpoints : Confederates saw it as defending sovereignty; Unionists viewed it as rebellion against the Constitution.

Key Timeline

Date| Event| Impact 19
---|---|---
Nov 1860| Lincoln elected| South Carolina secedes first
Feb 4, 1861| Confederacy formed in Montgomery| Davis proclaimed president
Apr 12-14, 1861| Fort Sumter attacked/surrenders| War officially begins
Apr 1861| Lincoln calls for troops| Virginia, Arkansas secede

This "first bloodshed" moment, though bloodless in battle, launched four years of conflict, reshaping America.

TL;DR : Fort Sumter's bombardment on April 12, 1861, is universally recognized as the Civil War's start.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.