Which States Were Part of the Confederacy?

During the Civil War era, the United States divided into two groups, the Union and the Confederacy. The split was purely indicative of growing tensions between the northern and southern parts of the country, and the main source of tensions was the debate over slavery.

In the south, otherwise known as the Confederate states, the people fought for what they believed to be their right to own slaves. The Union, in the north, believed that slavery was a major violation of human rights, and they did not endorse the practice of slaveholding any longer by the time the middle of the 19th century came around. Although the Civil War has been over for well beyond a century, some southerners still wave the Confederate flag in support of their fight.

The following is a list of states which were part of the Confederacy, as well as the dates when they seceded from the Union. Note that seven states seceded before Abraham Lincoln officially became president, and four seceded after the outbreak of the Civil War.

• South Carolina (December 20, 1860)
• Mississippi (January 9, 1861)
• Florida (January 10, 1861)
• Alabama (January 11, 1861)
• Georgia (January 19, 1861)
• Louisiana (January 26, 1861)
• Texas (February 1, 1861)
• Virginia (April 17, 1861)
• Arkansas (May 6, 1861)
• Tennessee (May 7, 1861)
• North Carolina (May 20, 1861)

History of the Confederacy

Starting in late 1860, the southern states decided that they wanted to secede from the rest of the United States, meaning that they wanted to separate and form their own country operating under its own form of government, laws, and so forth. Therefore, the Confederacy was born because they believed that secession was their right. The Confederacy was also known as the Confederate States of America, Confederate States, and the CSA.

However, the Union did not believe that secession was legal, and they refused to recognize the Confederacy as its own entity. Furthermore, no foreign nations recognized the Confederacy as its own country either, although some did engage in trade with them.

Although they were not recognized by other countries as their own country, they believed that they were, and they still acted like one. In fact, they even formed their own Presidential Cabinet. However, the group only lasted for a few years, and they never reached a second election since the Confederacy was abolished at the end of the Civil War.

Serving as the first and only president of the Confederacy was Jefferson Davis, and his vice president was Alexander Stephens. Other members of the cabinet included:

• Robert Toombs (Secretary of the State)
• James Seddon (Secretary of War)
• Stephen Mallory (Secretary of the Navy)

They also instituted their own constitution, legislative and judicial branches of government, system of money, definition of civil liberties, and international relations policies. Furthermore, they had their own capital at Montgomery, Alabama.

Kentucky and Missouri

Kentucky and Missouri were on the border between the northern and southern states, and they stated that they were neutral early on in the Civil War. However, Kentucky eventually sided with the Union. The story with Missouri is quite complicated; however, in short, their government declared secession, but not until after they had already been taken over by federal troops and their government was declared invalid. However, eventually the Confederacy did lay claim to the state of Missouri.

Fate of the Confederacy

Once the Civil War ended, the Confederacy ceased to exist, at least in legal and political terms. As many know, changes were made in the country after the Civil War. Slavery was abolished, and ex-slaves were finally given the right to vote after a long and tedious battle. Confederate leaders were taken out of office, and they had to go through a process to be readmitted into the Union. They were economically hurt by the post-Civil War conditions, and they did not totally recover until the middle of the 20th century.