Civil War and Abraham Lincoln

South Carolina, Fort Sumter and the start of the Civil War

In Charleston Harbor, South Carolina there was a fort that soon became a symbol to the American people of the sanctity of the Union. It was called Fort Sumter. After Abraham Lincoln took office, the South seized federal forts within their borders and left Abraham Lincoln with some difficult decisions.

• Should Abraham Lincoln reclaim the forts?
• Should Abraham Lincoln strengthen the forts that had not been taken, like Fort Sumter?

The South attacked Fort Sumter

Abraham Lincoln knew if he reinforced Fort Sumter, the South would consider it an act of war. Yet if he didn't, the North would protest. As a compromise Abraham Lincoln decided to send only provisions to the fort, first informing the South of his intentions. The compromise didn't work. The South attacked, the fort surrendered, and the Civil War had begun.

Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War

The Civil War was the sole consuming business of the entire presidency of Abraham Lincoln. It was a crisis of such enormous import, and Abraham Lincoln poured so much energy and soul into resolving it, that by the time his four-year administration was over, Abraham Lincoln had aged twenty years. The pictures of him before and after are the pictures of two different men.