The Confederate troops first fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. Less than 34 hours later, the union forces had to surrender to them. The reason this firing occurred, was over the debate on slavery. Sectionalism and secession also played part in beginning the civil war.
The Southern “Confederate States of America” started to secede from the Union of the United States of America in a debate over slavery. These new Confederate States decided to fire at Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861, which were the first shots of the American Civil War. Confederates fought to keep their slaves and the Union army (the northerners) fought to abolish slavery.
