Fort Sumter April 1861 The First Shots of

Fort Sumter: April 1861 The First Shots of the Civil War

Secede: to formally leave an alliance or a union n n n n Which 7 states seceded? When? SC: Dec 20, 1860 MS: Jan 9, 1861 FL: Jan 10, 1861 How’d they secede? AL: Jan 11, 1861 Each state voted to leave GA: Jan 19, 1861 the US (the Union). To do LA: Jan 26, 1861 this, they voted to Nullify TX: Feb 1, 1861 (cancel out) their original signing of Constitution.

Basic Facts-Whose fort is it? The fort protected Charleston Harbor in South Carolina. That was one of the South’s biggest ports. n When SC seceded, they claimed the fort was theirs, since it was on their soil. n Since the US thought secession was not legal, they didn’t think the fort was SC’s and refused to give it up. n

Basic Facts-Whose fort is it? Crisis gets worse in March 1861 when supplies start running out. n Lincoln’s choice: give up fort to SC or try to send more supplies. n Before supplies arrive, SC demands that the federal troops surrender and leave. n US troops and SC fires on the fort. n

Results of Ft. Sumter SC takes the fort, North surprised. n Lincoln declares Southern states to be “in rebellion” and asks for troops to fight them. n Lincoln’s gamble: Who will help fight? Who will join the Confederacy? n

Results of Ft. Sumter Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina refuse to send troops and decide to join the Confederacy. Now 11 states in the CSA n 4 Border states agree to stay in the US (Union). Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri. They get to keep slavery. n Big Question of 1861: Is War about ending slavery OR keeping Union together? n

When did different states secede from (leave) Union?