Civil War | The Gathering Storm | 1

American History Tellers

Wondery

Society & Culture, Kids & Family, History, Education For Kids

4.7 • 18.3K Ratings

🗓️ 27 July 2022

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Over the first decades of the 19th century, Americans fought over whether slavery should be allowed to expand into newly settled western territories. The debate grew so fierce that it led to a bloody attack right on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Many believed that the fight over slavery had made the bonds of union more brittle than ever.

Then, in 1860, Abraham Lincoln won the presidency with a promise to keep slavery out of the West. Lincoln’s victory was the tipping point. One by one, Southern states took steps to sever their ties to the Union, and America hurtled down the path to Civil War.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to American History Tellers add free on Amazon Music,
0:05.6	download the app today.
0:07.0	Imagine it's 7 a.m. on April 12, 1861.
0:22.1	You're the second in command of U.S. forces at Fort Sumter in Charleston, Harbor.
0:27.6	In South Carolina seceded from the Union 4 months ago, you found yourself guarding a federal
0:32.4	fort behind enemy lines.
0:34.9	Since then, six more southern states have broken away, joining South Carolina to form the
0:39.6	Confederate States of America.
0:42.1	And now, for the first time, Confederate forces have opened fire.
0:47.0	South Carolina rebels have been shelling the fort with artillery for two and a half hours.
0:52.0	You're badly outnumbered and outgunned.
0:54.2	In your superior, Major Robert Anderson has delayed a response, waiting until daylight
0:58.7	to use your limited ammunition.
1:01.2	You and only a few dozen soldiers have gathered on the fort's parade ground.
1:05.2	You're wrapped in wet blankets to keep the falling cinders from scorching you.
1:09.8	Anderson approaches a grim expression on his face.
1:12.8	Major Anderson, how much longer until we can return fire?
1:15.9	Look, I wasn't about to waste our meager ammunition while it's still dark.
1:19.8	Whatever shots we take, I want to be certain that they hit their targets.
1:23.2	While our best cannon are at the top tier of the fort, if we could take position there,
1:26.9	no, that's out of the question.
1:27.9	It's just simply too dangerous.
	...

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