- Was first built in the beginning of the War of 1812
- The construction of the fort began in 1829, built on an island made of tons of granite
- Named after the Revolutionary War general and South Carolina native, Thomas Sumter
- Was one of 50 forts built as part of the so-called Third System
- A part of a coastal defense program implemented by Congress in 1817
- The fort’s coastal placement was designed to allow the fort to control access to the Charleston Harbor
- Fort Sumter was to accommodate a garrison of 650 soldiers and 135 artillery pieces
- Before construction slowed up due to lack of funds in 1859, Sumter was proven to be a costly endeavor