France gave serious consideration to an alliance with the rebel colonies primarily because it regarded the war as an opportunity to

The Battle of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in 1861 is viewed as the official event that started the Civil War. In context, up until the confederate forces of South Carolina opened fire on this scenario there had not been an open war between the north and the south. Both sides were growing more agressive ever since the declaration of succession by South Carolina but it was up until the Battle of Fort Sumter that the war officially begun.