During the Battle of Fort Sumter, the Confederate flag symbolized the desire for Southern independence and the Confederacy's break from the Union.

In the Battle of Fort Sumter, the Confederate flag emerged as a symbol of the South's desire for independence. As the Confederacy aimed to establish its autonomy and confront the Union's authority, the flag became a potent representation of its mission. It embodied the principles and beliefs of the Southern states, such as states' rights and resistance to what they viewed as Northern aggression. The presence of the Confederate flag during the bombardment of Fort Sumter marked a crucial turning point in American history, signaling the onset of open conflict and the widening rift between the North and South during the Civil War.