The Confederate government’s “cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition.” He also states that this is a scientific truth that people of the past did not recognize.
Did the Confederacy support slavery in the American Civil War?
The Confederacy went to war against the United States to protect slavery and instead brought about its total and immediate abolition. What ended the civil war? Why did the South succeed from the union?
What was the Union vs the Confederacy?
confederacy and union both are nouns. confederacy is not an adjective while union is an adjective. a union of political organizations an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
What was the difference between the Union and the Confederate?
Union vs Confederacy Fast Facts
- The Union represented 23 Northern States that opposed slavery.
- The Confederacy represents 11 Southern Salve states that were pro slavery.
- The Union armies were led by Abraham Lincoln.
- Southern States required cheap manual labor for their cotton plantations.
What did the Confederacy stand for?
The Confederacy stood for what the founding fathers wanted. It was for the individual state to have more authority than a central federal government. It was for the central government to not be controlled by one section of the country for the detriment of another. This is it in a nutshell.
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What is the cornerstone speech and where and when was it given?
The Cornerstone Speech, also known as the Cornerstone Address, was an oration given by Alexander H. Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America, at the Athenaeum in Savannah, Georgia, on March 21, 1861.
What was the main purpose of the Confederate government?
It is also called the Southern Confederacy and refers to 11 states that renounced their existing agreement with others of the United States in 1860–1861 and attempted to establish a new nation in which the authority of the central government would be strictly limited and the institution of slavery would be protected.
What type of government were the Confederate States?
Confederate States of AmericaDemonym(s)ConfederateGovernmentConfederated presidential herrenvolk non-partisan republicPresident• 1861–1865Jefferson Davis36 more rows
Who governed the Confederate States?
Jefferson DavisThe Confederate States of America was a collection of 11 states that seceded from the United States in 1860 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln. Led by Jefferson Davis and existing from 1861 to 1865, the Confederacy struggled for legitimacy and was never recognized as a sovereign nation.
What is a Confederate government quizlet?
confederate. a system of government where power is located with the independent states and there is little power in the central government. federal. a system of government where power is shared between a central government and states. government.
What is essential for a confederation?
Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with the central government being required to provide support for all its members.
Did the Confederacy have a strong central government?
In many ways, the Confederacy resembled the United States under the Articles of Confederation. As it turned out, though, the Confederacy's weak central government proved to be a major handicap during the war.
What are the characteristics of confederal government?
The characteristics of confederations also are highlighted by distinguishing them from federations.No Authority to Legislate for Individuals. ... No Independent Revenue Sources. ... Sovereignty Retained by the Member States. ... Member-State Citizenship. ... Written Document. ... Expressly Delegated Powers.More items...
What are two benefits for states in a Confederate government?
List of Pros of ConfederacyStrong Units or States. A confederacy is a united body of provincial units or individual states. ... Decentralized Form of Power. ... Having a Sense of Sovereignty. ... Cooperative Power. ... Weak Central Government. ... Financial Power. ... Power Struggle Internally. ... Ability to Sustain.
What is meant by Confederate states?
Confederate-states-of-america definition A nation existing from 1861-1865, consisting of the eleven Southern states who sought independence from the United States of America over the issue of slavery and states' rights. pronoun.
Did the Confederate states have a Constitution?
The Constitution of the Confederate States was the supreme law of the Confederate States of America. It was adopted on March 11, 1861, and was in effect from February 22, 1862, to the conclusion of the American Civil War (May 1865).
What would happen if the Confederacy won the war?
The outcome of a Confederate victory would have been the break up of the United States but not quite as President Jeff Davis wanted. The Confederacy was never a country, which is obvious from its name. The Southern states were allied by expediency but were as disparate among each other as they were with the North.
Why did the Confederate states want to secede?
Southern states seceded from the union in order to protect their states' rights, the institution of slavery, and disagreements over tariffs. Southern states believed that a Republican government would dissolve the institution of slavery, would not honor states' rights, and promote tariff laws.
Which of the following was a goal of the Confederacy in the Civil War?
Confederacy - Its goal was to secure independence from the North and to establish an independent nation free from Northern political oppression and the repression of slavery.
Why did the Founders establish a Confederate system?
The founders established a confederate system upon declaring independence because they wanted to create a government that would free them from being under the rule of England and would not be as controlling and centralized as England government's had been.
Who was the Vice President of the Confederate States of America?
Stephens, Vice President of the Confederate States of America, describes improvements of governance under the Confederate States of America (CSA) constitution and provides reasons for the Southern states’ secession.
What were the prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the?
The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically.
How to secure peace in the United States?
The surest way to secure peace, is to show your ability to maintain your rights. The principles and position of the present administration of the United States the republican party present some puzzling questions. While it is a fixed principle with them never to allow the increase of a foot of slave territory, they seem to be equally determined not to part with an inch “of the accursed soil.” Notwithstanding their clamor against the institution, they seemed to be equally opposed to getting more, or letting go what they have got. They were ready to fight on the accession of Texas, and are equally ready to fight now on her secession. Why is this? How can this strange paradox be accounted for? There seems to be but one rational solution and that is, notwithstanding their professions of humanity, they are disinclined to give up the benefits they derive from slave labor. Their philanthropy yields to their interest. The idea of enforcing the laws, has but one object, and that is a collection of the taxes, raised by slave labor to swell the fund necessary to meet their heavy appropriations. The spoils is what they are after though they come from the labor of the slave
What did Stephens say about slavery?
Stephens says directly that slavery and a racially stratified society is the central component of the Confederate State of America’s government . As Stephens is the Vice President of the CSA, this is strong evidence of not only his perception of the reason for the Civil War, but also of the official governmental stance.
What is the object of enforcing the laws?
The idea of enforcing the laws, has but one object, and that is a collection of the taxes, raised by slave labor to swell the fund necessary to meet their heavy appropriations. The spoils is what they are after though they come from the labor of the slave.
Did Jefferson believe slavery would split the Union?
Though Jefferson did correctly believe slavery would split the union, Stephens says the founding fathers were wrong in believing that slavery was a “violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle,” “it was an evil,” it would naturally weaken and/or disappear, and that there was an “equality of races.”.
Is the Constitution true?
The constitution, it is true, secured every essential guarantee to the institution while it should last, and hence no argument can be justly urged against the constitutional guarantees thus secured, because of the common sentiment of the day. Those ideas, however, were fundamentally wrong.
Who was the president of the Confederacy?
The Confederacy, operating under a structure similar to that of the United States, was headed by Pres. Jefferson Davis and Vice Pres. Alexander H. Stephens. (The president and the vice president of the Confederacy were to serve six-year terms, and the president could not be reelected.)
What is the Confederacy in encyclopedia?
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. ... Confederate States of America, also called Confederacy, in the American Civil War, the government of 11 Southern states ...
How many Confederate soldiers were there in 1862?
The total number of Confederate soldiers is estimated at 750,000, as opposed to twice that many Federal troops. (Confederate population stood at about 5,500,000 whites and 3,500,000 Black slaves, ...
How many states were in secession?
For many years, some Southerners had dreamed of a distinct Southern polity, and, with six states in secession, they decided to bind these states into a new country. It was necessary to make haste without waiting for the Upper South to follow, as Lincoln would be inaugurated on March 4, 1861, and it was feared that he might take action against the rebelling states immediately. So it was arranged for delegates from these six states (to be joined later by those from Texas) to meet in Montgomery, Alabama, on February 4. This convention, presided over by Howell Cobb of Georgia, immediately began to frame a document setting up the new government. Four days later it unanimously adopted the provisional constitution of the Confederate States of America, which was to serve until a permanent constitution could be written.
Why were railroads important in the Civil War?
Learn why railroads were so important during the American Civil War. Both Union and Confeder ate forces needed trains to move and supply troops during the American Civil War, which meant that railroads determined the outcomes of some battles. The main concern of the Confederate States was raising and equipping an army.
What was the significance of the compromise of 1850?
The compromise maintained the numerical balance between slave and free states and perhaps delayed the American Civil War by a decade.
When did the Confederacy secede from the Union?
Confederate States of America, also called Confederacy, in the American Civil War, the government of 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union in 1860–61, carrying on all the affairs of a separate government and conducting a major war until defeated in the spring of 1865.
Who led the Confederacy?
Led by Jefferson Davis and existing from 1861 to 1865, the Confederacy struggled for legitimacy and was never recognized as a sovereign nation. After suffering a crushing defeat in the Civil War, the Confederate States of America ceased to exist.
Which states joined the Confederacy?
In rapid succession, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas joined the Confederacy.
How many states were in the Confederate States of America?
ARMING THE SLAVES. CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA COLLAPSES. SOURCES. The Confederate States of America was a collection of 11 states that seceded from the United States in 1860 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln. Led by Jefferson Davis and existing from 1861 to 1865, the Confederacy struggled for legitimacy ...
How many states were there in the Confederacy?
Contents. The Confederate States of America was a collection of 11 states that seceded from the United States in 1860 following the election of President Abraham Lincoln. Led by Jefferson Davis and existing from 1861 to 1865, the Confederacy struggled for legitimacy and was never recognized as a sovereign nation.
How long did the Confederacy serve?
The Confederate president would serve for six years with no reelection possibility, but was considered more powerful than his Union counterpart.
What states seceded in 1861?
SECESSION. By February 1861, seven Southern states had seceded. On February 4 of that year, representatives from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana met in Montgomery, Alabama, with representatives from Texas arriving later, to form the Confederate States of America. Former secretary of war, military man and ...
What territory did the Confederate forces split into?
Several battles took place within the territory, and in 1863, Confederate forces were vanquished from the Arizona Territory, which was claimed as Union and then split into two territories, the second being the New Mexico Territory .
Who was the Confederate vice president who gave the Cornerstone Speech?
Author Thomas E. Schott talks about the speech by Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, being cited Wednesday in the debate over the Confederate battle flag. Confederate Vice President Alexander Stephens drifted into obscurity ...
Where did the Confederate leaders meet with Lincoln?
Stephens and two other Confederate officials met with Lincoln and William Seward, the secretary of state, on a ship at Hampton Roads, Virginia. This was in February of 1865, and it’s obvious that the South is on its last legs.
What did Alexander Stephens do to keep his home state of Georgia from abandoning ship?
Alexander Stephens didn’t want the South to leave the United States, and he tried to keep his home state of Georgia from abandoning ship. Once the war began, he disagreed mightily with the Confederate president and despised wartime measures like mandatory service. He even pushed for peace.
Why didn't Jefferson Davis like the Confederacy?
Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, didn’t particularly like it because it focused on things he didn’t want focused on at the time. But Stephens wasn’t saying anything that was out of school or out of the ordinary. This was typical white, slaveholding, ruling-class thought.
Did the North have a major anti-war movement?
People think in terms of total unity on both sides of the Civil War. But the North had a significant anti-war movement, and there were pro-slavery Democrats who were against Lincoln’s war.
What was the cornerstone speech of the Civil War?
In his March 21, 1861, Cornerstone Speech, Confederate Vice President Alexander H. Stephens presents what he believes are the reasons for what he termed was a "revolution.". This revolution resulted in the American Civil War. Stephens's speech is remembered by many for its defense of slavery, its outlining of the perceived differences between ...
How much property was taxable in the Confederate States?
The taxable property of the Confederate States cannot be less than twenty-two hundred millions of dollars! This, I think I venture but little in saying, may be considered as five times more than the colonies possessed at the time they achieved their independence. Georgia, alone, possessed last year, according to the report of our comptroller-general, six hundred and seventy-two millions of taxable property. The debts of the seven confederate States sum up in the aggregate less than eighteen millions, while the existing debts of the other of the late United States sum up in the aggregate the enormous amount of one hundred and seventy-four millions of dollars. This is without taking into account the heavy city debts, corporation debts, and railroad debts, which press, and will continue to press, as a heavy incubus upon the resources of those States. These debts, added to others, make a sum total not much under five hundred millions of dollars. With such an area of territory as we have-with such an amount of population-with a climate and soil unsurpassed by any on the face of the earth-with such resources already at our command-with productions which control the commerce of the world-who can entertain any apprehensions as to our ability to succeed, whether others join us or not?
What was the significance of Stephens' speech?
Stephens's speech is remembered by many for its defense of slavery, its outlining of the perceived differences between the North and the South, and the racial rhetoric used to show the inferiority of African Americans. A few weeks after the speech, on April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, ...
What were the prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the?
The prevailing ideas entertained by him and most of the leading statesmen at the time of the formation of the old constitution, were that the enslavement of the African was in violation of the laws of nature; that it was wrong in principle, socially, morally, and politically.
How much did the debt of the seven Confederate States total?
The debts of the seven confederate States sum up in the aggregate less than eighteen millions, while the existing debts of the other of the late United States sum up in the aggregate the enormous amount of one hundred and seventy-four millions of dollars.
What are the incentives to that higher ambition which should move and actuate one holding such high trusts in his hands?
The only incentive to that higher ambition which should move and actuate one holding such high trusts in his hands, will be the good of the people, the advancement, prosperity, happiness, safety, honor, and true glory of the confederacy.
What are the principles of Magna Charta?
No citizen is deprived of life, liberty, or property, but by the judgment of his peers under the laws of the land. The great principle of religious liberty , which was the honor and pride of the old constitution , is still maintained and secured.
Who said the Confederacy has the right of property in man as its cornerstone?
When war broke out and the Confederacy refused to release captured black U.S. soldiers in exchange for imprisoned Confederates in U.S. custody, Union official Benjamin Butler alluded to all this, telling the Confederates that "your fabric of opposition to the Government of the United States has the right of property in man as its corner-stone". Abolitionist Frederick Douglass, in an 1863 speech in Pennsylvania encouraging black men to fight for the U.S. cause, also alluded to the speech, stating that: "Stephens has stated, with the utmost clearness and precision, the difference between the fundamental ideas of the Confederate Government and those of the Federal Government. One is based on the idea that colored men are an inferior race who may be enslaved and plundered forever and to the hearts content of any men of different complexion..."
What did Stephens say about the Confederate Constitution?
In the speech, Stephens also outlined how the Confederate constitution eliminated the tariff and prohibited the central government from spending on internal improvements. The reasoning was on a states' rights argument, with the Georgia Railroad as a first example:
Why is the Cornerstone Speech called the Cornerstone Speech?
The Cornerstone Speech is so called because Stephens used the word "cornerstone" to describe the "great truth" of white supremacy and black subordination upon which secession and the Confederacy were based:
What was the purpose of the Cornerstone Speech?
The speech, delivered extemporaneously a few weeks before the Civil War began with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, defended slavery as a fundamental and just result of the supposed inferiority of the black race, explained the fundamental differences between the constitutions of the Confederate States and that of the United States, enumerated contrasts between Union and Confederate ideologies, and laid out the Confederacy's rationale for seceding from the U.S.
What did Stephens say about the new government?
Using biblical imagery ( Psalm 118, v.22), Stephens argued that divine laws consigned African Americans to slavery as the "substratum of our society" by saying:
What did Stephens do after the Civil War?
in the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, Stephens attempted to retroactively deny and retract the opinions he had made in the speech. Denying his earlier statements that slavery was the Confederacy's cause for leaving the Union, he contended to the contrary that he thought that the war was rooted in constitutional differences as detailed below.
Why did Jefferson Davis believe slavery was the reason for the slave states' secession?
There is a misconception that Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy's leader, was outraged by Stephens's admission that slavery was the reason behind the slave states' secession as the former was attempting to garner foreign support for the nascent regime from countries that were not very accepting of slavery.
Who was the president of the Confederacy?
Jefferson Davis was selected as the president of the Confederacy, with Alexander H. Stephens acting as vice president. Montgomery, Alabama was named the capital of the CSA until it was moved to Richmond, Virginia on May 20, 1861, after Virginia seceded from the Union.
How many states were there in the Confederacy?
There were 11 states that made up the Confederacy. The states were: South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Arkansas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee.
Why were the southern states called border states?
These states became known as border states because they lay between the Confederate States of America and the Union to the north. While several of these border states (Maryland, Missouri, and Kentucky) were slave-holding states, their state governments remained part of the Union rather than vote to secede. Border states became a primary focus for Lincoln during the war. Lincoln feared that if the border states should fall to the Confederacy then any hope to reunite the country would be lost. Within the border states, support for both the Confederacy and the Union could be found; families and neighbors were frequently divided over which side to support. In order to maintain the border states, Lincoln suspended the writ of habeas corpus, or the ability to detain an individual without disclosing why they are being imprisoned. By suspending habeas corpus, Lincoln's government was able to prevent the spread of pro-secessionist views within the border states.
How did the Confederacy build its economy?
The Confederate economy was built by the institution of slavery. Prior to 1861, only 32% of the southern population owned an enslaved person. However, in many states, the enslaved population outnumbered the free. While the Union would allow freedmen to fight in the war after Lincoln's delivery of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, the Confederacy did not openly allow enslaved people to fight in the war. It wasn't until the last weeks of the war that Jefferson Davis allowed enslaved people to enlist in exchange for earning their freedom at the end of the war. However, the war ended before any enslaved people could fight in the war.
When did the Confederacy stop fighting?
By May 13, 1865, the Confederate States of America no longer existed. Jefferson Davis and many of the other leaders of the Confederacy were imprisoned and indicted for treason. From 1861 to 1865 the Confederate States of America fought for their independence from the United States.
Why did the Confederacy lack land?
As a result, when war erupted in 1861, the Confederacy lacked land for growing agricultural crops needed to feed soldiers, as well as the industry needed to produce war goods. It also lacked a useful railroad system.
What was the final straw for the southern states?
Abraham Lincoln's presidential victory in 1860 was the final straw for southern states. One of the primary arguments between northern and southern states was over the extension of slavery into western states.
How many times is slavery mentioned in the Cornerstone speech?
Slavery is mentioned five times in the Cornerstone speech, but the word “revolution” is also mentioned five times. When the speech is really broken down, the word Constitution is mentioned thirty times, States are mentioned over twenty times, and the speech even explicitly mentions “Our object is peace, not only with the North, but with the world.”.
What did Stephens say in his Cornerstone speech?
In his recollections that were written during his prison term, Stephens reflected on his slavery commentary in the Cornerstone speech and wrote: “The status of the African race in the new Constitution was left just where it was in the old; I affirmed and meant to affirm nothing else in this Savannah speech.” Basically, he had stated the status of African Americans was not changing under the Confederate Constitution.
What was the corestone speech?
Most mainstream historians point to the “Cornerstone” speech by Alexander Stephens as the clearest piece of evidence that slavery and white supremacy alone were the reasons for Southern secession. After all, most transcriptions show Stephens having stated that the Confederate government was founded on ...
Why did Stephens change the length of the president's tenure to six years?
He also detailed some of the ways the Confederate Constitution would be more efficient than the old: It changed the length of the president’s tenure to six years in order to “remove from the incumbent all temptation to use his office or exert the powers confided to him for any objects of personal ambition.” It also allowed cabinet ministers and heads of departments to have the privilege of seats upon the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives for debates and discussions.
Where did Stephens borrow the metaphor of a cornerstone?
The metaphor of a cornerstone was also unoriginal. Stephens borrowed it from Justice Henry Baldwin’s decision in the 1833 Johnson v. Tompkins case over the retrieval of a fugitive slave. Baldwin wrote:
What were the changes to the Montgomery Constitution?
The Montgomery Constitution made essential changes to the Old Constitution to protect “all our ancient rights, franchises, and liberties,” Stephens asserted, and in so doing “it is decidedly better than the old.” Many of these changes involved government revenue and expenditures, particularly the tariff. The tariff regimes of the 1820s and 1830s, perceived by many Southerners as biased toward Northern interests, almost caused “a rupture of the Old Union, under the lead of the gallant Palmetto State,” but the new constitution’s language provided for a revenue tariff. There would be no more “building up class interests, or fostering one branch of industry to the prejudice of another under the exercise of the revenue power.” In other words, as he expressed days earlier in Augusta, “the merchant, the mechanic, the businessman, and the laborer, are all placed upon the same footing in that respect—one interest has no more claim to the protection of the Government than another.” In consequence, tariff rates would fall and the new republic would therefore embrace free trade “as far as practicable,” a qualification a former Whig like Stephens was happy to insert.
What did Stephens say about the executive branch?
Stephens also mentioned executive branch power in the new Southern Republic and its contrast with that of the Philadelphia Constitution. He and fellow Georgian Robert Toombs admired the British system of filling the cabinet with parliamentary members, who sat in the Commons and defended their policies directly. Stephens called it “one of the wisest provisions of the British Constitution.” Had they succeeded in altering the Constitution to these ends, it would have modified the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.
What did Stephens believe about the South?
In a dangerous world of a hostile Northern republic and European empires, Stephens believed the South had the makings of a “high national career.” It represented a sizeable extent of territory stretching from the Atlantic to the western frontier beyond the Mississippi, more than double the size of the original thirteen colonies when they declared their independence. It comprised five million people of both races, although Stephens jumped over the question of citizenship and rights for black Southerners. The South encompassed enormous wealth, income, and land (and slaves), with collective state debts a fraction of the Northern states. Such heralds, he hoped, would attract upper South states to the Confederate cause, and perhaps even beyond into amenable Northern states. “Should they do so, our doors are wide enough to receive them, but not until they are ready to assimilate with us in principle… this process will be upon no such principles of reconstruction as now spoken of, but upon reorganization and new assimilation.” If that occurred, reunion would be consummated under the Montgomery Constitution. Days earlier in Augusta, he explained:
What did Stephens say about the Southern Republic?
Stephens warned that the foundations of the new Southern Republic were only as solid as the virtues and unity of the Southern people (“a people possessing the most conservative character,” he observed in Augusta). The Revolution of 1860 was not like the French Revolution: “France was a nation of philosophers. These philosophers become Jacobins. They lacked that virtue, that devotion to moral principle, and that patriotism which is essential to good government.” If divisions, partisanship, and selfishness emerged, however, “I have no good prophesy for you.”
What was Stephens's greatest virtue?
One of the great virtues of this, Stephens believed, was that it allowed cabinet secretaries to trumpet their policies directly to Congress and the country, rather than indirectly through the newspapers. This brought one of the biggest ovations in his speech, as it alluded to the deep-seated corruption involved in the party press system, where lucrative government printing contracts purchased newspaper influence and the monies spread liberally to create a network of loyal papers in every state. In addition, the presidency would be limited to a six-year term with no allowance for reelection, which Stephens called “a decidedly conservative change.” As DeRosa describes it:
What was Stephens's change in the interest of good government?
“It will remove from the incumbent all temptation to use his office or exert the powers confided to him for any objects of personal ambition.” [8]
