Question

President Buchanan responded to the secession crisis by?

1) ordering a naval assault on Charleston, which the Confederates repelled.
2) ignoring the situation and leaving it for Lincoln to resolve.
3) supporting the secessionists and helping the Confederacy to secure diplomatic recognition.
4) declaring secession illegal but claiming that the federal government had no power to reverse it.

Answer 1

President Buchanan responded to the secession crisis by declaring secession illegal but claiming that the federal government had no power to reverse it.

Step-by-step explanation:

President Buchanan responded to the secession crisis by declaring secession illegal but claiming that the federal government had no power to reverse it.

When Lincoln found out about the situation at Fort Sumter, he had several options. One, he could scrape together enough warships to use force to enter the harbor and supply the fort, but that risked losing the Upper South. Two, he could cave in to South Carolina's demands and abandon the fort, but that meant accepting the South's independence. Three, he could try to find a solution that would avoid the downsides of the other options. Unsure of what to do, Lincoln polled his Cabinet. His advisers, except Montgomery Blair, seemed against starting a war over Fort Sumter. In fact, unbeknownst to the president, William H. Seward sent word to the Confederate commissioners in Washington that Anderson would evacuate the fort.