Download Fort Sumter and the American Civil War

Fort Sumter and the American Civil War
What is Fort Sumter?
Fort Sumter is an island installation that was built in 1817 as a system of coastal fortifications to
help to protect America’s Southern coastline from potential attacks. The walls of Fort Sumter
are between 5feet and 8 feet thick. Fort Sumter is located in the Charleston, South Carolina
harbor. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States. South Carolina
would eventually become the State that felt the brunt of Sherman’s March as he cut though
Southern territory in a march that drove the nail of defeat through the coffin of the Confederacy,
and destroyed the Confederates will to continue the fight. But most important of all, Fort
Sumter is where the American Civil War (1861-1865) official started on April 12, 1861.
Lincoln’s Inauguration as President
After Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as president of the United States on March 4, 1861, of
a deeply divided Union; the “divided” States. On the day of his inauguration seven (7) states
had seceded. Very soon after that four (4) other states followed bringing the total number of
seceding states to eleven (11). Slave holding states seceded from the Union fairing that a
Lincoln led Republican Party would bring about an eventual abolition of slavery across all of
the United States of America. Earlier we saw that the rate of secession was directly related to
the slave population. Therefore, the issue of slavery was a primary factor for the various states
to secede.
Fort Sumter and the Civil War
When the Southern States seceded, they claimed ownership of all federal property and
possession in the South. However, the major in charge of Fort Sumter, Major Robert Anderson,
remained defiant. As an incomplete coastal installation, Fort Sumter was primarily of symbolic
stature to the United States, and a position that made it an enviable possession for both parties;
the Union and the Confederacy.
President Lincoln was determined to retain ownership of Fort Sumter. Therefore, failed
attempts were made to send food and other re-enforcements to Fort Sumter by the United States
government. In the meantime, the Confederate government made repeated attempts to get Major
Anderson and the United States government to give up ownership of the fort. The Confederate
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Army eventually opened fire on Fort Sumter after a failed attempt by the United States Navy to
bring in supplies to the soldiers now encircled on Fort Sumter by the Confederate Army.
The Confederates eventually opened fire on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1862. This bombardment
lasted for 34 hours. After almost two days of taking fire from all angles, Major Robert
Anderson eventually surrendered Fort Sumter to the Confederate Army. The Union Army’s
only casualty on Fort Sumter was due to an accidental explosion on the Fort while departing.
After the Union abandoned Fort Sumter, the Confederate Army took control and held the Fort
for almost the entirety of the Civil War.
After the bombardment of Fort Sumter and the eventual abandonment by Major Anderson and
his men, Abraham Lincoln declared war on the Confederacy and called for volunteers. After
Lincoln’s call for volunteers, the South followed likewise and called up volunteers as well. The
Civil War had officially begun. The Confederate Army abandoned Fort Sumter just before
Robert E. Lee Surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865.
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Name:___________________________________________ Date:_____________________________________
1. Where is Fort Sumter Located?
A. Harleysville, Alabama
B. Charleston, South Carolina
C. Charleston, Tennessee
D. Cherry Granges, Wisconsin
6. What was the outcome of the battle for Fort
Sumter?
A. The North sold Fort Sumter to the South
B. The South demolished Fort Sumter
C. The North Surrendered Fort Sumter
D. Fort Sumter remained a battlefield
throughout the war
2. What was the main reason why the North
wanted to keep Fort Sumter?
A. Fort Sumter symbolized the Confederacy.
B. Fort Sumter was a slave auction house.
C. Fort Sumter symbolized something that the
North could use as a wedge to hold onto the
South.
D. This was the only fort that the South had.
7. What does the author mean by, “…drove
the nail of defeat through the coffin of the
Confederacy,” in paragraph 1?”
A. The Confederate Army was no longer
willing to continue the fight.
B. The Confederacy was a coffin
C. The North had killed the South.
D. The war was like a hammer.
3. Who was the leader of the Northern force
stationed on Fort Sumter during the
Attack?
A. Jefferson Davis
B. Robert E. Lee
C. Andrew Jackson
D. Robert Anderson
8. Why is Fort Sumter important?
A. Fort Sumter is of Strategic importance to
the USA
B. It marks the first major battle of the
American Civil War
C. Fort Sumter is a symbol of pride for Native
Americans
D. Fort Sumter is a unique floating island.
4. Who was victorious at Fort Sumter?
A. The North
B. The South
C. The Union
D. Abraham Lincoln
9. What was the effect of the bombardment of
Fort Sumer and the withdrawal of General
Anderson?
A. Abraham Lincoln officially declared war on
the Confederacy
B. The South became an independent country
C. South Carolina became its own country
D. Abraham Lincoln was given the Medal of
Freedom
5. How many soldiers were killed during the
South’s bombardment of Fort Sumter?
A. Too many to count
B. None
C. Less than 100
D. Ten soldiers
10. What was the effect of Abraham Lincoln
calling for volunteers to join the Union
Army?
A. The South celebrated victory over the
North
B. The North recognized the South as an
independent country
C. The South called up volunteers as well
D. Both sides signed a peace treaty
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Name:_____________________________________ Date:_____________________________________
1. Where is Fort Sumter Located?
A. Harleysville, Alabama
B. Charleston, South Carolina
C. Charleston, Tennessee
D. Cherry Granges, Wisconsin
6. What was the outcome of the battle for Fort
Sumter?
A. The North sold Fort Sumter to the South
B. The South demolished Fort Sumter
C. The North Surrendered Fort Sumter
D. Fort Sumter remained a battlefield
throughout the war
2. What was the main reason why the North
wanted to keep Fort Sumter?
A. Fort Sumter symbolized the Confederacy.
B. Fort Sumter was a slave auction house.
C. Fort Sumter symbolized something that the
North could use as a wedge to hold onto the
South.
D. This was the only fort that the South had.
7. What does the author mean by, “…drove
the nail of defeat through the coffin of the
Confederacy,” in paragraph 1?”
A. The Confederate Army was no longer
willing to continue the fight.
B. The Confederacy was a coffin
C. The North had killed the South.
D. The war was like a hammer.
3. Who was the leader of the Northern force
stationed on Fort Sumter during the
Attack?
A. Jefferson Davis
B. Robert E. Lee
C. Andrew Jackson
D. Robert Anderson
8. Why is Fort Sumter important?
A. Fort Sumter is of Strategic importance to
the USA
B. It marks the first major battle of the
American Civil War
C. Fort Sumter is a symbol of pride for Native
Americans
D. Fort Sumter is a unique floating island.
4. Who was victorious at Fort Sumter?
A. The North
B. The South
C. The Union
D. Abraham Lincoln
9. What was the effect of the bombardment of
Fort Sumer and the withdrawal of General
Anderson?
A. Abraham Lincoln officially declared war on
the Confederacy
B. The South became an independent country
C. South Carolina became its own country
D. Abraham Lincoln was given the Medal of
Freedom
5. How many soldiers were killed during the
South’s bombardment of Fort Sumter?
A. Too many to count
B. None
C. Less than 100
D. Ten soldiers
10. What was the effect of Abraham Lincoln
calling for volunteers to join the Union
Army?
A. The South celebrated victory over the
North
B. The North recognized the South as an
independent country
C. The South called up volunteers as well
D. Both sides signed a peace treaty
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