Siege of Fort Sumter

The Siege of Fort Sumter was a pivotal event at the start of the American Civil War in April 1861. Union forces occupied the federal fort in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Confederate forces, opposing the Union's presence and seeking independence for their states, bombarded the fort, which eventually surrendered. This attack marked the beginning of open conflict between the Northern and Southern states, leading to four years of civil war. The event symbolized the deep divisions over states' rights and slavery, and it galvanized both sides to commit to their respective causes.