Question

select the correct answer.
why did the armed forces of south carolina fire at the federal forces at fort sumter?
a. south carolina wanted to capture federal forces at fort sumter.
b. the federal forces prevented south carolina from raising an armed militia.
c. the federal forces had forcibly captured fort sumter in south carolina.
d. federal forces refused to surrender fort sumter to the confederacy.

Explanation:

After South Carolina seceded from the Union, Fort Sumter was still held by federal troops. The Confederacy (of which South Carolina was a part) demanded the surrender of the fort. When the federal forces refused (as stated in option D), the armed forces of South Carolina (acting for the Confederacy) fired on Fort Sumter. Option A is incorrect as the main issue was control of the fort, not capturing the troops. Option B is wrong as there was no such prevention of raising a militia related to the firing on Fort Sumter. Option C is incorrect as the federal forces were already in control of Fort Sumter (it was not forcibly captured by them at that time - the Confederacy wanted it).

Answer:

D. Federal forces refused to surrender Fort Sumter to the Confederacy.