A 34-hour bombardment, one (accidental) death, and the start of the bloodiest war the United States has ever seen.The Battle of Fort Sumter, in April 1861, is often obscured by the more famous battles in the four years of Civil War history, but it is one of the most significant among them.To find out more, Don speaks to the incredible Allen C. Guelzo, Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Research Scholar and Director of the James Madison Program’s Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship at Princeton University.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ You can take part in our listener survey here.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.