The Battle of Fort Sumter occurred in 1861.

The Battle of Fort Sumter occurred in 1861, beginning on April 12. This crucial event signified the onset of the American Civil War, as Confederate troops initiated an assault on the Union-controlled fort located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. The battle was important not only for its military consequences but also for its influence on public opinion in both the North and South. The Union's eventual capitulation rallied support for the war, resulting in a spike in enlistments and further widening the rift between the two regions. Fort Sumter continues to serve as a symbol of the war's beginning.