Deo Vindice (Latin) ("With God As Our Protector") | |||||
Anthem | "God Save the South" | ||||
Capital | Richmond | ||||
Largest city | Houston | ||||
Other cities | Austin, Charlotte, Birmingham | ||||
Language | English | ||||
Religion | Protestantism | ||||
Demonym | Confederate | ||||
Government | Confederal Presidential Republic | ||||
President | Huey Long | ||||
Established | 22 February 1862 | ||||
Currency | Confederate States Dollar |
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederacy, is a country in North America formally established in 1862, originally formed by seven states which had seceded from the United States. The original states were Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and South Carolina (later merged with North Carolina to form Carolina); later, the states of Arkansas, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Virginia were established or joined the Confederacy, bringing the total number of states to thirteen. The Confederacy is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to its east, Philadelphia and Pennsylvania to its northeast, the United Tribes to its north, Deseret to its west, Mexico to its southwest, the Gulf of Mexico and the French colony of Louisiana to its south, and the Spanish colony of Miami to its southeast.
The original seven states seceded from the United States at the onset of the American Civil War in 1848; fourteen years later, the Confederacy was officially founded when representatives of all seven states signed the Confederate States Constitution, thus officially giving birth to the country. In this document, the Confederacy claims to be spiritual heir to the ideals of liberty which inspired the creation of the United States, but were later renounced by the northern states which today form New England and the New Netherlands.
The Confederacy is the largest and most populous state in the North American region, with an economy predominantly based on agriculture, particularly that of cotton, and to a system of plantations based on indentured labor which replaced the old slave-based economy: slavery was abolished toward the turn of the century, to make way for a modernization of the agriculture and development of more modern industry.
Recent History[]
The Confederacy was officially born in 1862 with the signing of its constitution: however, the Confederate States of America appeared in 1848, at the onset of the American Civil War, as the southern states seceded in protest against the heavy taxation imposed on them and the abolition of slavery by the federal government. The dire economic situation following the disastrous Tecumseh's War prompted these extreme measures: however, this move plunged the Union into another war. After a violent conflict which lasted almost 15 years, a new ideology (which would later be called the "Baltimore Spirit", after the signing of the Treaty of Baltimore) gradually affirmed itself, proposing that the idea of an united American country was harmful and detrimental to the freedom of its constituent states and its people.
In 1862, after Washington D.C. was captured and the federal government was forced to retreat to Philadelphia, the United States formally capitulated as the northern states seceded, becoming the newborn countries of the New Netherlands and New England. With the end of the American Civil War, delegates from all states of America (as well as Great Britain and France) met in Baltimore to draw up the new maps of the continent: the result was the Treaty of Baltimore. Drawing inspiration from the "Congress system" which had guaranteed peace and stability in Europe for almost five decades, the Treaty (strongly proposed by the more isolationist and protectionist politicians of the Confederacy, which were predominant in the country's government at the time) aimed to divide up North America into a few different countries, while also functioning as a peace treaty between them. The treaty inaugurated a long-lasting peace in the region, which has endured until this day. Meanwhile, the Confederate constitution was ratified, officially giving birth to the country.
Slavery remained one of the most controversial topics in the country for much of its early history: it was finally abolished in 1902, the last country in the world to do so. Reasons behind the abolition were several: the cultivation of cotton, for which slavery was chiefly used, became less profitable because of the growing cotton production in Africa, China, and British India; at the same time, other sectors of the economy, including coal mining and the naval industry, were starting to develop, which were not well suited for such a system, overall reducing the need for slaves. Also because of international pressure, the Confederacy began a long and gradual process to abolish slavery in 1878, during which freed slaves were given several options to continue working as indentured laborers, move to the industrial cities or to coal mining towns to receive a job with minimal pay, or move to Liberia.
Since its creation, the country has never participated directly in a war, but did send troops as auxiliaries on several occasions (supporting the Liberian government against rebels in several occasions, among others). During the War, the Confederacy remained neutral, providing all factions with cotton products, food products and in the later stages of the war, military equipment and supplies: the devastation of the war meant that, toward the end of the conflict, the Confederacy was one of the few states with an intact industrial complex and a strong agriculture. This helped to foster a great development in heavy industries all across the country, which was further helped by the fact that the Confederate government feared to be involved in the hostilities at some point, thus beginning a project to modernize and reform the Confederate army and navy. Today, the Confederation stands as arguably the most powerful country in the Americas, with a strong industry and a numerous military which has been involved in several peace interventions across the world.
Government and Politics[]
Constitution and Laws[]
The Confederate Constitution is mostly a verbatim copy of the old United States Constitution, however, with some important changes. In general, it grants many more rights to the individual states, while curtailing the power of the central government.
The country is a bicameral confederation; its government consists of a Congress (divided into a Senate and a House of Representatives), which functions as the legislative branch, and the President of the Confederacy, elected by an Electoral College composed of delegates from each state, who embodies, with his cabinet, the executive branch.
States[]
The Confederate States of America is composed of the following states: