United States
On February 8, 1861, six seceded southern states signed the Confederate States Constitution in Montgomery, Alabama, formally establishing the Confederate States of America. This constitution closely mirrored the U.S. Constitution but with explicit protections for slavery and stronger state sovereignty. The signing marked the transition from loose confederation to a separate political entity. All elements of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—were organized under this new polity. This foundational act deepened the division that precipitated the Civil War.
