What was shelling of fort Sumter?

The shelling of Fort Sumter occurred on April 12, 1861, marking the beginning of the American Civil War. Confederate forces fired on the Union-held fort in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, after the Union refused to surrender it. The bombardment lasted for 34 hours, ultimately leading to the fort's surrender on April 13. This event galvanized both the North and South, pushing the nation into a full-scale war.