Fort Sumter, located in Charleston, South Carolina, is famous for being the site where the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861.

The Battle of Fort Sumter occurred at the fort in Charleston Harbor when Confederate forces attacked the Union garrison stationed there. This event marked the start of the American Civil War. Charleston holds historical significance in this context, and Fort Sumter is now a national monument that attracts visitors interested in Civil War history. While cities like Richmond, Gettysburg, and Boston are also important in American history, it was in Charleston that the Civil War officially began.