An introduction to the history of the Civil War for kids ages 6 to 9 The United States was not always united. On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first state to leave the Union. Soon after, many other states joined it to try and create their own country: the Confederate States of America. Within months, the Confederates would launch an attack on Fort Sumter and begin a war that lasted almost four years. This engaging story explores how and why the war started, who was fighting, what ...