Secession of the Southern States

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South Carolina Starts it All

On December 24, 1860, the state of South Carolina issued its "Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union." In the declaration, South Carolina claimed the U.S. Constitution gave a state the right to secede if the Federal Government failed to uphold its "obligations" to a state. More specifically, South Carolina asserted that the Government failed to enforce the Fugitive Slave Law in all states, and the election of Abraham Lincoln signaled the end of slavery, an institution on which South Carolina ’s economy was dependent upon.

Two Waves of Secession

Georgia, Texas, and Mississippi soon followed South Carolina's lead and issued Declarations of Secession. Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and Virginia would also secede. Together, the seceding states formed the Confederate States of America, though it would never be recognized as a sovereign nation by other world powers. Nevertheless, the Confederate States wrote a constitution, elected Jefferson Davis as President, built a military, and placed their original capital in Montgomery, Alabama before moving it to Richmond, Virginia.

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did South Carolina believe it had the right to leave the United States?
  2. How did the election of Abraham Lincoln affect Southern states' decision to secede?
  3. What actions did the Confederate States take to form their own government?
  4. Do you think the federal government could have done anything to prevent the Southern states from leaving? Why or why not?

South Carolina Starts It All

On December 24, 1860, South Carolina said it was leaving the United States. In its official statement, the state said the U.S. government had not followed the rules of the Constitution. South Carolina believed the federal government was not protecting its rights, especially by not enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law and by electing Abraham Lincoln, who was against slavery. Slavery was very important to South Carolina’s economy.

Two Waves of Secession

After South Carolina, states like Georgia, Texas, and Mississippi also left the Union. Then Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, and Virginia followed. These states formed a new group called the Confederate States of America. They made their own government, elected Jefferson Davis as president, and started building an army. Their first capital was in Montgomery, Alabama, but later it moved to Richmond, Virginia.
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