Rise of the United States Confederacy Research Paper

Introduction

The United States Confederacy refers to the American government that was formed between the year 1861 and 1865, and comprised of the southern eleven states. The states declared their independence from the Union (United States of America). The formation of the confederacy was as a result of seven states declaration of their independence after the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln as the president of the United States, while the other four states joined the confederacy after the American civil war which commenced at the battle of Fort Sumter. The confederacy was never recognized by the United States, and was instead considered illegal¹.

However, the confederacy bought warships and materials from the British and French, even though the European nations failed to recognize it as an independent country. The confederacy collapsed in April 1865 after the surrendering of Robert E. Lee and Joseph Johnson Armies.

The United States of America also referred to as ‘Union’ captured the confederacy president, Jefferson Davis in Georgia, May 10, 1865. The confederacy completely collapsed by the end of June, when all the confederate forces had surrendered to the Union forces. The southern states were then re-admitted back to the Congress representation. There are various events that led to the formation of the United States confederacy. In this paper, these events will be discussed.

Discussion

The secession of the southern eleven states from the United States of America was first fuelled by the 1860 sectional disagreements that were experienced between the Southern and the Northern states. The American Revolution had earlier resulted to industrialization and the use of slaves as a source of labor in the industries and in the agricultural farms. For instance, slaves were used as a source of cheap labor in the cotton growing farms. While the southern states advocated for slavery, the northern states campaigned for the abolishment of the slave trade and slavery. The southerners wanted to maintain and expand slavery.

Due to this disagreement, the southern states sought to become independent in order to practice slavery without the interference of the northern states. The leaders of the secession movement supported slavery which acted as a great motivation to the southern states independence. In addition, the southern and northern states differed in their views about tariffs, agrarianism vs. industrialization as well as the state rights.

In addition to the disputes, the formation of the confederate was sparked off by the election of Abraham Lincoln during the 1860 election and the victory of the Republican Party. The southerners were convinced that the three-quarters of the elected Republican congressmen and the senators would offer great support for antislavery campaigns, and some supporters of the confederate even claimed that the Republican Party was only founded on the principle of hatred of the African slavery. The Republican Party was seen as a revolutionary party that was a threat to the southerner’s right of owning slaves and practicing slavery².

Due to these views, the southern states made decision not to support the Union but instead established their own system of governance. This was followed by the issuing of formal declarations of secession from the by the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas. Georgia in its Federal policy further claimed that the northern states were being favored over the southern states in relation to the economic interests. Since the southerners defined their liberty during the American Revolution as their right to own slaves and to make independent decisions about slavery without outside interference (including that of the northern states), they had enough reasons to pull off from the Union.

Jefferson Davis who was the President of the confederate believed in the superiority of the whites over the blacks, owned slaves and even supported slavery as a moral and social good. In 1861, the seven southern states that seceded from the United States of America are, Southern Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. Four other states that seceded after Abraham Lincoln called for the troops during the civil war are, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. The confederate who had earlier admitted Missouri and Kentucky into it, was unable to control the states.

After the secession the confederacy, the leaders drafted a Constitution that would govern them after their meeting in Montgomery, Alabama. The constitution protected the institution of slavery, maintained the existing ban on slave trading, and even gave great power to the southern states in comparison to the powers that were given by the United States Constitution. The confederacy presidential term was to be six years, and the president was not to be re-elected. The confederacy also printed individual states’ currency in form of bills and stamps which were then put into circulation ³.

An executive system of governance of the confederacy was also developed which consisted of the President, Vice president, Secretary of state, Secretary of treasury, Secretary of war, Secretary of the Navy, Postmaster General and the Attorney General. The legislative branch of governing was the confederate congress, which was made up of two houses. The two houses were the Confederate senate (comprising of two senators from each state) and the Confederate House of Representatives which was made up of popularly elected members by the states’ residents. A judicial system was also provided for in the constitution. Through the constitution, a system of governance for the confederacy was established in order to promote an independent government for the southern states.

The confederacy used intimidation to garner the support of the people. People were forced to pledge allegiance to the confederacy and anyone who was suspected to offer loyalty to the United States was arrested by the military and punished. The citizens within the confederacy were denied freedom and an opportunity to exercise their rights, as compared to the citizens who belonged to the Union. For instance, the confederate citizens were denied the freedom to travel within the confederate states freely by the established domestic passport system which limited them to travel freely.

The Confederacy established international trade networks through diplomacy with the other countries, which enabled it to trade with the other nations. For instance, the confederacy bought warships and materials from the British and the French while the cotton growing industry in the southern states provided great economic gains to the states through exports.

For example, textile-producing areas of England such as Lancashire depended heavily on the cotton imports from confederate states which boosted economic gains from the products. Furthermore, the appointment of diplomatic agents abroad by the confederate states was done to promote trade and economic-related deals between the southern states and the outside nations. The Confederate flags were also created as sign of the confederacy’s independence from the Union ⁴.

Industrialization and great economic growth in the confederate states was encouraged by increased agricultural production, which was catalyzed by the availability of free or cheap labor provided by the slaves. The financial ability of the confederacy was able to grow, a situation that enabled the states to undertake business activities with great success. A good illustration of how agricultural growth boosted the confederacy economic gains is that of the cotton production in 1830s, which exceeded the overall cotton production of all other countries combined together ⁵.

The confederacy recruitment of a military force was very vital in providing military support for the confederate states when the need arose. The confederacy appointed to very senior positions the veteran military leaders who had resigned from the United States army, who were able to mobilize the military officers to carry out their military duties effectively and accurately. The leaders had good leadership skills and knowledge since they had prior experience that they had acquired when they had earlier worked in the United States Army. The army soldiers were usually white males who were aged between 16 and 28.

Due to the strong military ability of the confederacy, the forces were able to claim by force some of the areas that earlier belonged to the Union, after the civil war broke out in 1861. The capture of the Fort Sumter, other forts and the customs-houses was done by the confederate army. During the war, Abraham Lincoln’s move to call for more troops was very advantageous to the confederacy because four more states of Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee joined the confederacy, which made it stronger. All these events in one way or another led to the formation and rise of the Unites States Confederacy ⁶.

The confederacy collapsed in April 9,1865 after the surrendering of the General Lee at the Appomattox Court House. This was followed by the surrendering of the confederate forces and the capture of the confederacy President, Jefferson Davis. The southern states that had formed the confederacy were then re-admitted into the Congress.

Conclusion

The United States of America has a rich history which involved the creation of an American nation and society through events that have shaped the modern society. The formation of the American Confederacy is an example of how the American history brought changes in the ancient society, to form a stronger nation that respects the civil liberty of the its citizens and their rights regardless of their race, or color.

Bibliography

Albert, Burton. Conscription and Conflict in the Confederacy. P. 295. 1924.

Faust, Drew. The Creation of Confederate Nationalism: Ideology and Identity in the Civil War South. 1988.

Frank, Owsley. State Rights in the Confederacy.Chicago University Press. 1925.

Heidler, David. Encyclopedia of the American Civil War : A Political, Social, and Military History. 2002.

Rubin, Sarah. A Shattered Nation: The Rise & Fall of the Confederacy 1861-1868. 2005.

Stanley, Lebergott. Why the South Lost: Commercial Purpose in the Confederacy, 1861-1865 The Journal of American History, Vol. 70, No. 1. ), pp. 61. 1983.

Footnotes

1. Faust, Drew. The Creation of Confederate Nationalism: Ideology and Identity in the Civil War South. 1988.
2. Albert, Burton. Conscription and Conflict in the Confederacy. P. 295. 1924.
3. Heidler, David. Encyclopedia of the American Civil War : A Political, Social, and Military History. 2002.
4. Frank, Owsley. State Rights in the Confederacy.Chicago University Press. 1925.
5. Rubin, Sarah. A Shattered Nation: The Rise & Fall of the Confederacy 1861-1868. 2005.
6. Stanley, Lebergott. Why the South Lost: Commercial Purpose in the Confederacy, 1861-1865 The Journal of American History, Vol. 70, No. 1. ), pp. 61. 1983.