What led to the first fight in the American Civil War?

Question

After Lincoln was elected president, 11 states seceded from the Union to form the Confederate States of America. What circumstances surrounding this secession led to the first battle of the war, and where did the first battle take place?

Answer 1

You got it when you said Lincoln's election in 1860 as the first Republican president pushing a platform of keeping slavery from being established in the territories. While some may argue that the principle of States' Rights or taxation were causes, they are issues driven by the South's insistence on maintaining slavery as a basis of its economic and social well-being.

The attack by Confederate forces on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 is generally considered the official beginning of the Civil War, though some may point to the First Battle of Bull Run (known as the First Battle of Manassas in the South) on July 21, 1861.