The Confederate capture of Fort Sumter in 1861 was significant because it -- a
inspired Northern voters to elect Abraham Lincoln as President
b
allowed the South to form an alliance with France
c
marked the beginning of the Civil War
d
forced the border states to agree to free their slaves

answer: secession

secession, as it applies to the outbreak of the american civil war, comprises the series of events that began on december 20, 1860, and extended through june 8 of the next year when eleven states in the lower and upper south severed their ties with the union. the first seven seceding states of the lower south set up a provisional government at montgomery, alabama. after hostilities began at fort sumter in charleston harbor on april 12, 1861, the border states of virginia, arkansas, tennessee, and north carolina joined the new government, which then moved its capital to richmond, virginia. the union was thus divided approximately on geographic lines. twenty-one northern and border states retained the style and title of the united states, while the eleven slave states adopted the nomenclature of the confederate states of america.

explanation:

the answer i chose to believe is 'harmony'

the western roman empire flourished, but the eastern portion of the empire struggled.