Social Studies Praxis Practice Test

Which event triggered the start of the American Civil War?

1. Fort Sumter attack

2. Election of Abraham Lincoln

3. Fugitive Slave Act enforcement

4. John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry

The correct answer is: Fort Sumter attack

The attack on Fort Sumter is widely recognized as the event that triggered the start of the American Civil War. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired upon this federal fort located in Charleston, South Carolina. The significance of this attack lies in its role as the first military engagement of the conflict, marking the transition from rising tensions and political disagreements to open warfare. While the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 heightened sectional tensions, as he was perceived by Southern states as a threat to the institution of slavery, it was the subsequent secession of several Southern states and their aggressive actions against federal property that ultimately led to war. The enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act and John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry were important events that contributed to the climate of conflict, but they did not provoke an immediate military response like the bombardment of Fort Sumter did. Thus, the attack is considered the catalyst that unified the North and South in a way that directly sparked the Civil War.