The Confederate States of America: Secession, Slavery, and War

Correcting the Name

The entity was the Confederate States of America (CSA) (1861–1865), not "Confederation States America." It was formed by eleven Southern states that seceded from the United States.

The Secession Sequence (1860–1861)

1. South Carolina — Dec 20, 1860
2. Mississippi — Jan 9, 1861
3. Florida — Jan 10
4. Alabama — Jan 11
5. Georgia — Jan 19
6. Louisiana — Jan 26
7. Texas — Feb 1 (referendum Feb 23)
8. Virginia — Apr 17 (after Fort Sumter)
9. Arkansas — May 6
10. Tennessee — Jun 8 (referendum)
11. North Carolina — May 20

(Missouri and Kentucky had dual governments; claimed by CSA but never fully controlled.)

The Core Cause: Slavery

The declarations of causes issued by seceding states (SC, MS, GA, TX) explicitly state: preservation of slavery as the primary motive. The Confederate Constitution (March 1861) entrenched slavery permanently (Art. I Sec. 9(4): "No law... impairing the right of property in negro slaves shall be passed").

Economic System

The "Cotton Kingdom" relied on enslaved labor (4M people, 1860) producing 75% of world cotton. Planter elite feared Republican platform (Lincoln) would restrict slavery's expansion → eventual extinction.

Political Trigger

Lincoln's election (Nov 1860) with zero Southern electoral votes convinced Deep South that their interests could not be protected in the Union. Secession began before inauguration.

Formation

Feb 4, 1861: Delegates meet in Montgomery, AL. Provisional Constitution (Feb 8). Jefferson Davis (MS) elected President; Alexander Stephens (GA) VP. Permanent Constitution (Mar 11). Capital moved to Richmond, VA (May 1861).

Outcome

Four years of civil war (620,000+ dead), emancipation (13th Amendment), Confederate defeat (Apr 1865), Reconstruction. The CSA was never recognized as a sovereign nation by any foreign power (though UK/France granted belligerent status).