In what year did the American Civil War begin?

The American Civil War began in 1861. This date is significant because it marks the start of a conflict that would have a profound impact on the United States. Tensions between the Northern states, which were generally supportive of a union that preserved the nation without slavery, and the Southern states, which sought to secede and maintain their slave-based economy, escalated throughout the late 1850s.

The first shots of the war were fired at Fort Sumter in South Carolina on April 12, 1861, following a series of events that included the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and the Southern states declaring their secession from the Union. This redefined the political landscape of the country, leading to a conflict that would last for four years and involve numerous battles and significant loss of life.

The other years provided in the options do not coincide with the beginning of the war. While 1860 was indeed a pivotal year with Lincoln's election, the actual calling of military engagement began in 1861. The years 1863 and 1865 refer to crucial moments within the war itself, including significant battles and the eventual surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, respectively, but they do not represent the start of the