Constitution of the Confederate States of America

E58934

The Constitution of the Confederate States of America was the foundational legal document of the secessionist Southern government during the American Civil War, closely modeled on the U.S. Constitution but explicitly protecting slavery and states’ rights.


Statements (49)
Predicate Object
instanceOf foundational legal document
written constitution
adoptedBy Provisional Congress of the Confederate States
adoptedDate 1861-03-11
cameIntoForce 1862-02-22
capitalAtAdoption Montgomery, Alabama
containsBillOfRights yes
containsProvision balanced-budget style restrictions on appropriations
cabinet officers may have seats on the floor of Congress for debate but without vote
prohibition of foreign slave trade with limited exceptions
protection of interstate slave trade
single-subject rule for legislation
country Confederate States of America
createsChamber Confederate House of Representatives
Confederate Senate
draftedBy Constitutional convention at Montgomery, Alabama
draftLocation Montgomery, Alabama
emphasizesPrinciple states’ rights
establishesBody Confederate Congress
Confederate Supreme Court (never fully organized)
establishesOffice President of the Confederate States
Vice President of the Confederate States
explicitlyUsesTerm negro slaves
slaves
governmentTypeRegulated Confederate States federal republic
grantsPowerToStates impose export duties with consent of Confederate Congress
guaranteesRight right of property in slaves
hasPreamble yes
historicalPeriod American Civil War
includesProvision line-item veto for the president on appropriations bills
language English
laterSeatOfGovernment Richmond, Virginia
legalStatus supreme law of the Confederate States of America
legislatureStructure bicameral
limitsPowerOf central (Confederate) government
modeledOn Constitution of the United States
numberOfArticles 7
permitsExpansionOf slavery into Confederate territories
preambleBeginsWith We, the people of the Confederate States
presidentialReelection no immediate reelection allowed
presidentialTermLength 6 years
prohibitsLaw Confederate laws denying or impairing the right of property in negro slaves
protectsInstitution slavery
provisionalConstitutionPrecededBy Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States
requires fugitive slaves to be delivered up on claim of the owner
significance primary constitutional expression of Confederate ideology
statusAfter1865 defunct
supersededBy restoration of United States Constitution in former Confederate states
warContext American Civil War secessionist government


Please wait…