April 12 in American History

April 12, 1861 — the Civil War begins at Fort Sumter

Confederate guns opened fire on the Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, and the Civil War had begun. The bloodiest conflict in American history — some 620,000 dead — would settle whether the nation would endure and whether it would be, as Lincoln put it, a country where all men are truly created equal.

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Common Questions About April 12

What happened on April 12 in American history?

In 1861: the Civil War begins at Fort Sumter. Confederate guns opened fire on the Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, and the Civil War had begun.

Why is April 12 significant?

Confederate guns opened fire on the Union-held Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, and the Civil War had begun. The bloodiest conflict in American history — some 620,000 dead — would settle whether the nation would endure and whether it would be, as Lincoln put it, a country where all men are truly created equal.

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