Confederate States of America

The **Confederate States of America** (CSA) was a short-lived government that existed in the southern United States during the American Civil War. It was established (made) in 1861 by seven southern states in which slavery was legal, after Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the U.S., but before he took office. South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas declared their secession (independence) from the United States. After war began, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina joined them.  The first capital of the Confederacy was Montgomery, Alabama, but for most of the war the capital was Richmond, Virginia.

The government of the Confederacy was much like the United States government. The Confederate States Constitution was similar to that of the United States; however, it emphasized states' rights and clearly protected the enslavement of black Americans. Jefferson Davis was chosen as president and Alexander Stephens as vice-president.  As in the United States, the CSA president had a cabinet of advisors. The armed forces of CSA were Confederate States Army, Navy, and Marine Corps.

The United States government (also known as the Union) did not agree that the states could leave and start a new government. Thus, the Union government refused to abandon all its forts in the states that wanted to secede. War began when the CSA attacked one of those forts, Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina. This war is known as the American Civil War, and it lasted from 1861 to 1865. After some of the deadliest battles in U.S. history, Union forces gradually regained control of southern states. As Confederate forces surrendered, the Confederacy fell apart and the Civil War came to a close in 1865. Following the war, slavery was outlawed everywhere in the United States. The process of restoring the states of the CSA to the Union, called the Reconstruction of the United States, continued until 1877.

It is still undecided if the Confederate States of America was ever a country. The Union never said that the Confederacy was really a country. Although British and French companies sold ships and materials to the Confederacy, no nation officially recognized the CSA as an independent country.

The CSA was also called "the South," "the Confederacy," and "Dixie."

## Other websites

- Confederate States of America -Citizendium

## Infobox (country)

- **conventional long name**: Confederate States of America
- **common name**: Confederate States of America
- **status**: List of historical unrecognized states, Unrecognized state
- **year start**: 1861
- **year end**: 1865
- **flag**: Flags of the Confederate States of America
- **flag type article**: Flags of the Confederate States of America
- **flag type**: Flags of the Confederate States of America, Flag

- **image flag**: Flag of the Confederate States of America (1861-1863).svg
- **symbol type article**: Seal of the Confederate States
- **symbol type**: Seal of the Confederate States, Seal

- **image coat**: Seal of the Confederate States of America.svg
- **national motto**: _Deo vindice_
("Under God, our Vindicator")
- **anthems**:  "God Save the South" (_de facto_)

"Dixie (song), Dixie" (unofficial, popular)
- **march**: "The Bonnie Blue Flag"
- **image map**: Confederate States of America (orthographic projection).svg
- **alt map**: Map of northern hemisphere with Confederate States of America highlighted
- **largest city**: New Orleans (until Capture of New Orleans, May 1, 1862)
- **common languages**:
minor languages : French language, French (Louisiana), Spanish language, Spanish (Confederate Arizona, Arizona), Indigenous languages of the Americas, Indigenous languages (Indian territory)
- **government type**: Confederation, Confederated Presidential system, presidential Non-partisan democracy, non-partisan Herrenvolk democracy, herrenvolk republic
- **title leader**: President of the Confederate States of America, President
- **leader1**: Jefferson Davis
- **year leader1**: 1861–1865
- **title deputy**: Vice President of the Confederate States of America, Vice President
- **deputy1**: Alexander H. Stephens
- **year deputy1**: 1861–1865
- **legislature**: Congress of the Confederate States, Congress
- **house1**: Senate of the Confederate States, Senate
- **house2**: House of Representatives of the Confederate States, House of Representatives
- **era**: American Civil War / International relations of the Great Powers (1814–1919)
- **event start**: Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States, Provisional constitution
- **date start**: February 8,
- **date event2**: April 12, 1861
- **event3**: Constitution of the Confederate States, Permanent constitution
- **date event3**: February 22, 1862
- **event4**: Conclusion of the American Civil War#Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia (April 9), Surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia
- **date event4**: April 9, 1865
- **event5**: Conclusion of the American Civil War#Surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston and his various armies (April 26), Military Collapse
- **date event5**: April 26, 1865
- **event end**: Conclusion of the American Civil War, Debellation and Dissolution
- **date end**: May 9,
- **stat year1**: 1860
- **stat pop1**: 9,103,332
- **stat year2**: Slaves
- **stat pop2**: 3,521,110
- **p1**: South Carolina in the American Civil War
- **flag p1**: Flag of South Carolina (1861).svg
- **p2**: Mississippi in the American Civil WarMississippi
- **flag p2**: Flag of Mississippi (1861–1865).gif
- **p3**: Florida in the American Civil WarFlorida
- **flag p3**: Flag of Florida (1861-1865).svg
- **p4**: Alabama in the American Civil WarAlabama
- **flag p4**: Flag of the Alabama Secession Convention (reproduction, obverse).svg
- **p5**: Georgia in the American Civil WarGeorgia
- **flag p5**: Flag of the State of Georgia (1861, red).svg
- **p6**: Louisiana in the American Civil WarLouisiana
- **flag p6**: Louisiana Feb 11 1861.svg
- **p7**: Texas in the American Civil WarTexas
- **flag p7**: Flag of Texas.svg
- **p8**: Virginia in the American Civil WarVirginia
- **flag p8**: Flag of Virginia (1861–1865).svg
- **p9**: Arkansas in the American Civil WarArkansas
- **p10**: North Carolina in the American Civil War
- **flag p10**: Flag of North Carolina (1861).svg
- **p11**: Tennessee in the American Civil WarTennessee
- **flag p11**: Tennessee 1861 proposed.svg
- **p12**: Confederate ArizonaArizona Territory
- **s1**: West Virginia
- **s2**: Tennessee
- **s3**: Arkansas
- **s4**: Florida
- **flag s4**: Flag of Florida (1868–1900).svg
- **s5**: Alabama
- **flag s5**: Flag of the Alabama Secession Convention (reproduction, obverse).svg
- **s6**: Louisiana
- **flag s6**: Louisiana Feb 11 1861.svg
- **s7**: North Carolina
- **flag s7**: Flag of North Carolina (1861).svg
- **s8**: South Carolina
- **flag s8**: Flag of South Carolina (1861).svg
- **s9**: Virginia
- **flag s9**: Flag of Virginia (1861–1865).svg
- **s10**: Mississippi
- **flag s10**: Flag of Mississippi (1861–1865).gif
- **s11**: Texas
- **flag s11**: Flag of Texas.svg
- **s12**: Georgia (U.S. state)Georgia
- **flag s12**: Flag of the State of Georgia (1861, red).svg
- **s13**: Arizona Territory
- **today**: United States
- **demonym**: Confederate