Final answer:
The bombing of Fort Sumter in South Carolina directly led to the start of the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The event that directly led to the start of the Civil War was the bombing of Fort Sumter in South Carolina. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked and captured the fort, which was a Union stronghold. This act of aggression by the Confederacy marked the beginning of the armed conflict between the North and South.
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