The+Confederacy

=** The Confederate States of America **=

**__Why Did the States Decide to Secede?__**
People seem to think that the only reason the Southern states seceded withdrew from the Union is because they wanted slaves. This did play a major role, since slave plantations played a vital role in their economy. However, it seems that this division went much deeper than that. Whenever Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, the Southerners felt like the federal government was becoming more and more powerful, while their states were being left high and dry. They felt that the "Yankees" wanted to run their lives because they knew that the South had such a self-sustaining economy. So, when they felt that enough was enough, they took matters into their own hands and decided to secede from the Union. ==
 * [|Why Did States Secede?]**

==

__Timeline__

 * February 4, 1861 -** Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas met in Montgomery, Alabama to create a new republic and officially secede from the Union.
 * February 8, 1861 -** The Confederate States of America were formed and representatives from the aforementioned states named themselves the Congress. Jefferson Davis was chosen as President and Alexander Stephens as Vice President.
 * March 1, 1861 -** The Confederate Congress passed their Constitution, which was almost identical to the United States Constitution, but eliminated talk about equal rights and guaranteed domestic slave trade.
 * April 12, 1861 -** An attack on Fort Sumter eliminated any thoughts of a peaceful split. As a result, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee seceded and joined the Confederacy.
 * April 2, 1865 -** The Confederate capitol, Richmond, fell to the Union, which led to the collapse of the Confederate government. Jefferson Davis and others flee, in hopes of setting up a new government west of the Mississippi River.
 * April 9, 1865 -** Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrenders at the Appomatox Courthouse.
 * May 10, 1865 -** Jefferson David is captured in Irwinville, Georgia. This officially ends the Confederate States of America.



__The Confederate Military__
The military of the Confederacy was similar to that of the United States. It consisted of three branches: -Army -Navy -Marine Corps Many of those who were involved were veterans of the United States Military. These people normally held senior positions in the new military. However, as the war continued, many young, untrained people were incorporated and advanced through the military. The Confederate Military eventually got so desperate for soldiers that they offered freedom to any slave who voluntarily served.

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__The Confederate Economy__
The economy of the South, at this time, was very much agrarian. Cash flow was dependent upon crops, most importantly cotton, tobacco, and sugar cane. Their food production also included things such as grains, hogs, and cattle. The Confederate States weren't really known for their manufactured goods, just as the Northern states weren't really known for their agriculture. The downfall of the Confederate economy ended up being the way that they paid for the war. Since they didn't really have the funds to pay for their expenditures, they kept printing money, which resulted in high inflation.

__Kansas Involvement__
Even though Kansas was a member of the Union, not the Confederacy, they still played a major role in the Civil War. Kansas had only been a state for a little over three months when the War Between the States broke out. 20,000 Kansas fought for the Union, and about 8500 died for the cause. Kansas was also the battleground of a heated "border war" of pro-slavery Missourians and abolitionist Kansans. Two key situations, The Raid on Lawrence, Kansas and The Pottawatomie Creek Massacre, are regarded as the opening shots of the Civil War. [|Bleeding Kansas]

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__Activity__
Why did the Confederate States secede from the Union? Do you think the Southern states were justified in seceding from the Union? How big of a role do you think the federal government should play in the states? How would your life be different if the Confederacy had won the Civil War?

__Works Cited__
"Confederate States of America." // New World Encyclopedia //. 02 Apr. 2008. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. . "The Confederate States of America." // The American Civil War Home Page //. 21 Nov. 2006. Web. 17 Nov. 2010. .