CONFEDERATE STATES OF

AMERICA, title a umed by Southern States of America—Alabama, Arkansas, N. Carolina and 8. Carolina, Florida, Tenne ee, Virginia (excluding W. Virginia)—- when seceding from U.S., 1860-1. The sece ion was not regarded in South as revolution, but exercise of right of individual states to withdraw from compact of Union, the great doctrine of Southern party being ‘state rights.’ Chief reasons of sece ion were: (1) legislation of Congre against slavery, which Southern States could not afford to abandon; (2) superiority of North in population, and, as a result, (3) superiority in house of representatives and consequent Northern control of politics and commerce of South. On election of President Lincoln, the Northern nominee, 1860, S. Carolina declared for sece ion. U.S. refused to acknowledge Confederate States, 1861, and after four years of war recovered seceded States for the Union. The constitution of Confederate States, though allowing large amount of state rights, was, like that of U.S., government by central Congre (held at Richmond, in Virginia) composed of president, executive council and house of representatives. Anti-slavery legislation was forbidden. See Unirrep Status (History).