Confederate

Confederate refers to a member of the Confederate States of America or to anything associated with the Confederacy, the government and armed forces that formed in the Southern states during the American Civil War. The Confederate States of America, commonly called the Confederacy, was established by states that had seceded from the United States in the lead-up to and during the war, largely over issues of slavery and states’ rights. Eleven states ultimately joined: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The Confederacy proclaimed a new government with its capital initially in Montgomery, Alabama, and later in Richmond, Virginia. Its president was Jefferson Davis; its constitution affirmed protections for slavery and limited central authority. The Confederate Congress had two houses, and the military included the Confederate Army and Navy.

The Confederacy fought the Union in the Civil War, beginning with the attack on Fort Sumter in April 1861 and ending with the defeat of Confederate forces in 1865. The war produced massive casualties and culminated in the collapse of the Confederate government and the abolition of slavery in the United States.

After surrender and Union victory, the Confederate states were gradually readmitted to the United States during Reconstruction. In contemporary discourse, Confederate can describe people who supported the Confederacy or things associated with it, such as historical artifacts or monuments. Such symbols remain controversial, reflecting ongoing debates over memory, heritage, and the legacy of slavery in American history.