The Constitution's Birthplace: Where The Csa First Met

On March 11, 1861, delegates from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas adopted the Permanent Constitution of the Confederate States of America. The Confederate Constitution was drafted and adopted in Montgomery, Alabama, and it superseded the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States in 1862. The Confederate Constitution resembled the US Constitution, but it also had some crucial differences, particularly in its protection of slavery and its recognition of the sovereignty and independence of each state.

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The Confederate Constitution was written in Montgomery, Alabama

The Confederate Constitution, also known as the Constitution of the Confederate States, was written in Montgomery, Alabama, and adopted on March 11, 1861. It superseded the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States, which was the Confederate States of America's first constitution.

The Confederate Constitution was drafted by delegates from South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. These delegates assembled at the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, to ratify the constitution. The Confederate Constitution closely resembled the United States Constitution, with much of the same language and structure. However, there were crucial differences in tone and legal content, primarily concerning slavery.

The Confederate Constitution included explicit references to slavery, recognising and protecting the practice in slave states and territories. It also prohibited the foreign slave trade, in line with U.S. policy at the time. The Confederate Constitution also provided for six-year terms for the president and vice president, with the president ineligible for successive terms.

In terms of structure, the Confederate Constitution included a preamble that referenced God, a perpetual government, and the sovereignty and independence of each state. It also differed from the U.S. Constitution in granting new authorities to individual states. For example, constitutional amendments could be made through a two-thirds majority in two-thirds of the state legislatures, rather than requiring a three-quarters vote in Congress.

The Confederate Constitution remained in effect until the end of the American Civil War in 1865.

The US Constitution was written in Philadelphia

The convention was held in the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. It lasted from May to September 1787, with delegates from 12 states attending (all but Rhode Island). The final report of the committee became the first draft of the Constitution, which was the first workable constitutional plan.

The Virginia Plan, presented by Edmund Randolph, the governor of Virginia, was selected as the basis for the new government. It called for a supreme national government and was a radical departure from the Articles of Confederation. The plan was modelled on state governments and was written in the form of fifteen resolutions outlining basic principles. It lacked the system of checks and balances that would become central to the US Constitution.

Several prominent figures were absent from the convention, including Thomas Jefferson, who was serving as the minister to France, and John Adams, who was the minister to Britain. Patrick Henry also refused to participate, claiming he "smelt a rat in Philadelphia, tending toward the monarchy." Despite this, the convention successfully produced a draft constitution that would become the foundation of the United States government.

The Confederate Constitution was ratified on March 11, 1861

On March 11, 1861, the Confederate Constitution was ratified by delegates from seven states: South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. The meeting took place in Montgomery, Alabama, and the resulting document served as the supreme law of the Confederate States of America.

The Confederate Constitution closely resembled the United States Constitution, with much of the same language and structure. However, there were some crucial differences in tone and legal content, primarily regarding slavery. The Confederate Constitution explicitly recognised and protected slavery in states and territories, with three-fifths of all slaves being counted in each state's population total. Additionally, it included references to God, a perpetual government, and the sovereignty and independence of each state.

The Confederate Constitution also differed from its US counterpart in the powers it delegated to the states. It provided for six-year terms for the president and vice president, with the president being ineligible for successive terms. While the central Confederate government had some powers, such as a presidential item veto, its authority was limited by its dependence on state consent for the use of funds and resources.

The Confederate Constitution could be modified through a two-thirds majority in two-thirds of the state legislatures, and states could impeach federal officials acting locally through super-majorities in state assemblies. However, the president could also fire state officials at will, blurring the separation of powers.

The Confederate Constitution remained in effect until the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The original document can be found at the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia.

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The US Constitution was the result of the Constitutional Convention

The convention was attended by delegates from various states, including Virginia and Pennsylvania, who supported James Madison's plan, which became the predominant coalition within the convention. Madison's plan was modelled on state governments and consisted of fifteen resolutions outlining basic principles. It called for a supreme national government and was a significant departure from the Articles of Confederation. Another notable plan presented at the convention was Charles Pinckney's South Carolina Plan, which also proposed a significant increase in the power of the national government.

The convention resulted in the creation of a new constitutional plan, with the delegates agreeing on a general blueprint for a federal government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. An important aspect of the final version of the Constitution was the agreement between northern and southern delegates to empower Congress to end the slave trade starting in 1808. The final report of the committee, which became the first draft of the Constitution, served as the foundation for the constitutional plan that would shape the future of the United States.

While the Constitutional Convention played a crucial role in drafting the US Constitution, it is worth noting that several prominent founders did not participate directly in the convention. Thomas Jefferson, serving as the minister to France, and John Adams, serving as the minister to Britain, were absent but encouraged the delegates. Patrick Henry refused to participate, expressing his scepticism about the convention's intentions.

The Confederate Constitution was superseded by the US Constitution in 1865

The Confederate Constitution was the supreme law of the Confederate States of America. It superseded the Provisional Constitution of the Confederate States, the Confederate State's first constitution, in 1862. It remained in force until the end of the American Civil War in 1865. The Confederate Constitution was drafted and approved on March 11, 1861, just a week after Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States. At the time, seven southern states had seceded, and a total of 11 would eventually secede and join the Confederacy.

The Confederate Constitution was written by delegates from the newly formed Confederate States of America. It was adopted unanimously by the Congress of the Confederate States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas, who met in convention at the capitol in Montgomery, Alabama. The Confederate Constitution closely mirrored the US Constitution, with some crucial differences in tone and legal content, primarily regarding slavery and states' rights.

The US Constitution, which came into effect in 1789, was drafted by a committee of 13 representatives, one from each colony. This committee was formed after the Second Continental Congress appointed three committees on June 11, 1776, following the Lee Resolution, which proposed independence for the American colonies. John Dickinson, a delegate from Delaware, was the principal writer of the US Constitution.

The Confederate Constitution, like the US Constitution, begins with the familiar phrase, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union." However, the Confederate Constitution's preamble includes references to God, a perpetual government, and the sovereignty and independence of each state. It also differs in that it invokes the "right of property in negro slaves."

While the US Constitution did not use the word "slavery," the Confederate Constitution explicitly mentioned "slaves." It banned any Confederate state from making slavery illegal and allowed slaveowners to travel between Confederate states with their slaves. The Confederate Constitution also required that any new territory acquired by the nation allow slavery. Additionally, it gave Confederate states the ability to impeach federal officials, collect more taxes, and make treaties with each other under certain circumstances.

With the end of the American Civil War in 1865, the Confederate Constitution was superseded by the US Constitution, and the United States was once again governed by a single constitution.

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