The United States tore itself apart, and the first shots of the Civil War were fired. A battle followed at Ft. Sumter, Charleston, SC.
It's been really cool to be in Charleston today. There are lots of re-enacters in town, complete with period correct equipment and living conditions. Musket, mortar and canon battery salvos fired off about every hour. They even had a direct decendent of the guy that actually fired the first shot of the Civil War, fire the first shot today. There have been concerts and speeches. The Confederate flag has also flown today, despite NAACP protests.