Fort Sumter Teacher Resources

On April 12, 1861, Fort Sumter in South Carolina became the site of the first battle of the American Civil War and the first victory achieved by the Confederate South. It would not be the last time that the fort saw siege, as the Union unsuccessfully attempted to retake the fort in 1963, just months before the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg and the Union’s luck began to change.

Set the context for a lesson on Fort Sumter with a video on the causes of the Civil War, as well as a resource that describes how women lived in the 19th century before the start of the war. A detailed video from a playlist focused on individual battles explores the First Battle of Fort Sumter, including key events that led up to the fateful first shots of the Civil War.

Note the important battles and turning points of the Civil War with a living timeline that starts from Fort Sumter and ends with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Once you finish your Civil War unit, create a cross-curricular project between social studies and language arts class with a Civil War newspaper activity. For an engaging review, a Jeopardy game connects key figures and concepts from the Civil War in a fun activity.