One reason the Confederates chose to attack Fort Sumter was It was a symbol of federal authority.

The Confederates chose to attack Fort Sumter primarily because it was a symbol of federal authority in the South. Located in Charleston Harbor, the fort represented the Union's presence and control over the region, which the Confederacy sought to challenge as they pursued their goal of independence. By attacking Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, Confederate forces aimed to assert their sovereignty and demonstrate their willingness to defend their newly established government. The assault galvanized Southern support for the Confederacy and marked the beginning of the Civil War, highlighting the deepening divide between North and South in American history.