Provisional Congress of the Confederate States | |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | February 4, 1861 (1861-02-04) |
| Disbanded | February 17, 1862 (1862-02-17) |
| Succeeded by | Confederate States Congress |
| Leadership | |
President | |
| Meeting place | |
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| Alabama State Capitol Montgomery, Alabama Confederate States of America | |
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| Virginia State Capitol Richmond, Virginia Confederate States of America | |
| Constitution | |
| Constitution for the Provisional Government of the Confederate States | |
TheProvisional Congress of the Confederate States, fully theProvisional Congress of the Confederate States of America, was a unicameralcongress ofdeputies anddelegates called together from theSouthern States which became thegoverning body of theProvisional Government of theConfederate States from February 4, 1861, to February 17, 1862. It sat inMontgomery, Alabama, until May 21, 1861, when it adjourned to meet inRichmond, Virginia, on July 20, 1861. In both cities, it met in the existing state capitols which it shared with the respective secessionist state legislatures. It added new members as other separatist statesseceded from theUnion and directed theelection on November 6, 1861, at which a permanent government was elected.[1]
The First Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from February 4, 1861, to March 16, 1861.[3] Members were present fromAlabama,Florida,Georgia,Louisiana,Mississippi,South Carolina,[4] andTexas.[5] It drafted aprovisional constitution and set up a government. Forpresident andvice president, it selectedJefferson Davis of Mississippi andAlexander H. Stephens of Georgia.[1]
The Confederate StatesConstitutional Convention was held at Montgomery from February 28, 1861, to March 11, 1861.[3]
The Second Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Montgomery from April 29, 1861, to May 21, 1861.[3] Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas,Virginia,[6] andArkansas.[7]
The Third Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from July 20, 1861, to August 31, 1861.[3] Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas,North Carolina,[8] andTennessee.[9]
The Fourth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond on September 3, 1861.[3] Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
The Fifth Session of the Provisional Congress was held at Richmond from November 18, 1861, to February 17, 1862.[3] Members were present from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee,Missouri,[10] andKentucky.[11] One non-voting member was present from theArizona Territory.[12]
Deputies from the first seven states to secede formed the first two sessions of the Congress.
Representatives from states that seceded after theBattle of Fort Sumter were referred to as delegates, in contrast to the deputies from the original seven states, even though they all had the same obligations.
Media related toProvisional Congress of the Confederate States at Wikimedia Commons| New constituency | Provisional Congress of the Confederate States February 4, 1861 – February 17, 1862 | Succeeded by |
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