What event sparked the beginning of the American Civil War?

The attack on Fort Sumter is widely recognized as the event that marked the beginning of the American Civil War. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces opened fire on Fort Sumter, a federal fort in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. This act was significant because it represented the first military engagement of the war, following a period of rising tensions between the Northern states (the Union) and the Southern states (the Confederacy) over issues such as slavery, states' rights, and the balance of power in the Union.

While the election of Abraham Lincoln played a crucial role in escalating tensions, as he was seen as a threat to the institution of slavery, it was the actual outbreak of violence at Fort Sumter that galvanized both sides to mobilize for war. The Dred Scott decision, which denied citizenship to African Americans and upheld the rights of slave owners, further inflamed sectional disputes but did not directly cause the outbreak of hostilities. The raid on Harpers Ferry, led by abolitionist John Brown in 1859, was also a significant event, heightening sectional animosities, but like the Dred Scott decision, it occurred prior to the war and did not directly initiate armed conflict. Thus, the attack on Fort