Читать книгу American Civil War For Dummies - Keith D. Dickson - Страница 68

IN THIS CHAPTER

Understanding the two phases of secession

Seeing two U.S. presidents deal with the same crisis

Creating the Confederate States of America

Viewing Fort Sumter as a critical symbol for both nations

After the election of 1860, only a few Southern states took the drastic step of secession. The actions of James Buchanan, the outgoing president, and Abraham Lincoln, the incoming president, would determine whether other Southern states would follow. With very few options and time running out, both men sought to satisfy two conflicting conditions at the same time — to assert the rights of the United States and to avoid war.

On the other side, the seceded states created the Confederate States of America. Although wanting to leave the Union peacefully, the new president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, was not afraid of fighting for his new nation’s independence. For both the United States and the Confederate States of America, Fort Sumter became the dominant symbol of each nation’s prideful determination not to back down.