Confederate States of America (Our America)

Introduction and History
The Confederate States of America (also referred to as the Confederacy, Confederate States, and CSA) is the government formed by seven southern states of the United States of America in 1861, with 4 mores states joining after the attack on Fort Sumter. These seven states declared their secession from the United States. The United States of America ("The Union") held that secession was illegal, and refused to recognize the Confederacy.

The American Civil War broke out when Confederate batteries fired on the United States Army's Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina, in April 1861. Prior to 1863 No European powers officially recognized the CSA, but British commercial interests sold it warships and operated blockade runners to help supply it. In 1863, the Confederate Congress passed the Emancipation Act which provided for the gradual emancipation of all slaves by 1870 and compensation to all slave owners. The passage of this act paved the way for Great Britain and France to grant formal recognition to the Confederacy. Britain even provided military aid, which was instrumental in defeating the blockade.

Secession (Dec. 1860-May 1861)
Seven states seceded by March 1861: After Fort Sumter surrendered four more states seceded: Pro-Secession Factions in two states formed Confederate governments and seceded, though these states were also claimed by Union governments:
 * 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)
 * Missouri (October 31 1861 by the Neosho Legislature)
 * Kentucky (November 20, 1861 by the Russellville Convention)

A Beginning
Following Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860 on a platform that among other things sought to raise import taxes to benefit northern manufacturers and opposed the extension of slavery, seven slave southern states chose to secede from the United States and declared that the Confederate States of America was formed on February 4, 1861. Jefferson Davis was selected as the first President with Alexander Stephens becoming the first Vice President on February 9 and both inaugurated on February 18.

In what later came to be known as the Cornerstone Speech Vice President Alexander Stephens, declared that the “cornerstone” of the new government "rest[ed] upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery—subordination to the superior race—is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth." By contrast, President Jefferson Davis made no explicit reference to slavery at all in his inaugural address.

Texas joined the Confederate States of America on March 2 and then replaced its governor, Sam Houston, when he refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Confederate States of America. These seven states seceded from the United States and took control of military/naval installations, ports, and custom houses within their boundaries, triggering the American Civil War.

A month after the Confederate States of America was formed, on March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was sworn in as President of the United States. In his inaugural address, he argued that the Constitution had made the United States a more perfect union than under the earlier Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union -- and likewise that "the Union is much older than the Constitution," being, he claimed, 1) formed by the Articles of Association in 1774, 2) made a nation via the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and 3) "declared to be perpetual" under the Articles of Confederation in 1778 (which were actually ratified by the states in 1781). As such, he claimed that the Constitution was a binding contract supremely bestowing national authority to the Union over the states, and that therefore "no state by its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the Union," calling the secession "legally void". Lincoln stated that he had no intent to invade Southern states -- except that which was "necessary" to maintain possession of federal property and collection of various federal taxes, duties and imposts. His speech closed with a plea for acceptance of the bonds of union.