Fort Sumter was extremely important. Lincoln had assured the South that he meant no harm to slavery where it was legalized. Most of the people who voted for Lincoln could live with Lincoln's position. The rabid anti slavery abolitionists of course could not.
Nevertheless, Lincoln had vowed to uphold the US Constitution and defend Federal property.
Lincoln did believe however that secession was a prelude to anarchy within the Union. He believed in individual freedom. He also vowed to keep his word on slavery and did not believe the Federal Government had the authority to abolish slavery.
There certainly was no mass movement in the Northern States to have a war over slavery. As long as there was no threat to the North or a possible attack from The British Empire or the French empire, there was no reason for a war.
The fatal mistake the South made was to attack and occupy the Federal Fort Sumter in the Charleston harbor.
Lincoln was later quoted as saying that the attack galvanized the North towards his opinion that to keep the Union whole was to benefit the nation as a whole. He, nor did others ever think that a 4 year bloody war causing over 600,000 military deaths, untold massive destruction and all the bitterness that lasted for decades would be the result of Fort Sumter.
Lincoln had no choice but to defend Federal troops. The nation agreed and thus Sumter was the straw that broke the camel's back.
Charleston SC at Fort Sumter.
The first shots fired were April 12, 1861 at Ft. Sumter, Charleston Harbor. SC.
Fort Sumter - in Charleston Harbour (South Carolina), where the Confederacy was trying to assert its authority as a separate nation.
For US and FULL CSA after ft Sumter. South Carolina way before Dec 1860 and other first confederate states feb 1861.
The battle that was the beginning of the US Civil War, was the canon barrages against the Federal Fort Sumter. The fort was in the Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. The fort had to surrender and forced US President Lincoln to begin preparations to end the rebellion.
in fort sumter. hello!
1861 - the bombardment of Ft. Sumter
Fort Sumter
after the south attacked fort sumter
Charleston SC at Fort Sumter.
April 12th 1861
The Immediate Cause was the bombardment of Fort Sumter.
April 12, 1861. Causes by the south's attack on Fort Sumter :]
On April 12,1861 Confederate forces attaked Fort Sumter and The Civil War Begin.
Actual combat began at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, SC on April 12, 1861.
On April 12,1861 Confederate forces attaked Fort Sumter and The Civil War Begin.
On April 12,1861 Confederate forces attaked Fort Sumter and The Civil War Begin.