Historical1861
Confederate States of America Formed
Delegates from six seceding Southern states met in Montgomery, Alabama, and established the Confederate States of America, electing Jefferson Davis as provisional president. The formation of a rival government based on the preservation of slavery precipitated the Civil War.
Why It Matters
The formation of the Confederacy represented the most serious challenge to the Union and to the constitutional principle that the United States was an indivisible republic governed by democratic elections.