Confederacy

Confederacy, name commonly given to the Confederate States of America (1861–65), the government established by the Southern states of the United States after their secession from the Union. (For the events leading up to secession and for the military operations of the Confederacy in the conflict between North and South which followed, see Civil War.)

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• The Collapse of the “Lost Cause”
• Financial Difficulties
• Conscription and States' Rights Extremists
• Search for Recognition and Support
• Formation of the Government
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2025, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. History