Confederate States Constitution The Constitution of the Confederate States of America was the supreme law of the Confederate States of America , as adopted on March 11 , 1861 , and in effect de facto through the conclusion of the American Civil War . The Confederacy also operated under a Provisional Constitution from February 8 , 1861 to March 11 , 1861 . The original Provisional Constitution is currently located at the Museum of the Confederacy in Richmond , Virginia , and differs slightly from the version later adopted . The final , hand - written document is currently located in the University of Georgia archives at Athens , Georgia . In regard to most articles of the Constitution , the document is a word - for - word duplicate of the United States Constitution . However , there are crucial differences between the two documents , in tone and legal content . Changes from U . S . Constitution . The Confederate Constitution followed the U . S . Constitution for the most part in the main body of the text with some changes . Article I differences : Article I Section 8 ( 3 ) adds quite a bit to the U . S . Constitution in an attempt to block the Confederate Congress from passing law to " facilitate commerce " with some exceptions allowing for safety and improvement to waterways . In addition to these there are three altogether new clauses in the Confederate Constitution for Article I Section 9 . Then in Section 10 : Changes to Article II : Changes to Article III Changes to Article IV " Other states may be admitted into this Confederacy by a vote of two - thirds of the whole House of Representatives , and two - thirds of the Senate , the Senate voting by states ; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state ; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states , or parts of states , without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress . " Changes to Article V Changes to Article VI Article VI Section 1 ( 1 ) Changes to Article VII " When five states shall have ratified this Constitution , in the manner before specified , the Congress under the Provisional Constitution , shall prescribe the time for holding the election of President and Vice President ; and , for the meeting of the Electoral College ; and , for counting the votes , and inaugurating the President . They shall , also , prescribe the time for holding the first election of members of Congress under this Constitution , and the time for assembling the same . Until the assembling of such Congress , the Congress under the Provisional Constitution shall continue to exercise the legislative powers granted them ; not extending beyond the time limited by the Constitution of the Provisional Government . " Slavery . There are several major differences in the two constitutions in the area concerning slavery . States ' rights . Some today feel that the Confederate Constitution ' s Preamble including the phrase " each State acting in its sovereign and independent character " focuses the new Constitution on the rights of the individual States . The Confederate States gain several rights that the U . S . States did not have . The Confederate States lose a few rights that the U . S . States retained . Interpretation by Confederate State Courts . Although the Confederate State Supreme Court was never constituted , the supreme courts of the Confederate States issued numerous decisions interpreting the Confederate Constitution . Unsurprisingly , given that the Confederate Constitution was based on the United States Constitution , the Confederate State Supreme Courts often used United States Supreme Court precedents . The jurisprudence of the Marshall Court , thus , influenced the interpretation of the Confederate Constitution . The state courts repeatedly upheld robust powers of the Confederate Congress , especially on matters of military necessity . Signatories . The signatories of the constitution were :