Counterculture/The Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA, also known as the Confederacy) is a confederacy of twleve states in Southeastern North America. It was formed when they seceded from the United States in the Confederate Revolution of 1861-1864. The confederacy has twelve states, stretching from Florida in the Southwest to Virginia in the North, and ending in the West with Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana. It is bordered in the North by the United States of America, and in the West by the Lone Star Republic and the Lone Star Indian Territories. Citizens of the CSA are often called confederates, although most prefer to identify by the name of the state the live in. The CSA is formed as a confederacy of distinct states under a loose central government.
Contents
History
The CSA was founded in 1861, when 11 states seceded from the USA. The original 11 states of the Confederacy were Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. Missouri and Kentucky each had two separate governments, one Union, one Confederate. As such, they were claimed by both sides as members. West Virginia seceded from Virginia and later rejoined the United States.
After the secession of the Northwest Confederacy, the USA settled with the CSA. Missouri became part of the of the Northwest Confederacy, and Kentucky was split between the USA and the CSA. In 1866, Texas seceeded to form the Lone Star Republic. In 187? Missouri seceeded from the Northwest Confederacy and split into two parts, with the Southern half becoming part of the CSA, and the Northern half part of the USA.
At the foundation of the Confederacy, the official flag was the "Stars and Bars." However, it was sometimes hard to distinguish from the Union flag under battle conditions, so the Confederate battle flag, the "Southern Cross", became the one more commonly used. In 1864, after the end of the Confederate Revolutionary War, the "Southern Cross" was made the official flag of the CSA, in honor of its place in the war. The Stars and Bars had seven stars, for the seven states that had seceded from the Union by the time it was adopted; the Southern Cross had thirteen stars originally, for the states that considered themselves part of the confederacy at the time. The current flag has twelve, since Texas seceded.
The first countries to recognize the Confederacy were England and France, in July, 1864, while the Confederate Army was approaching Washington, D.C. after the Northwest Confederacy seceded. Both these nations retained favored status in trade with the CSA until the formation of the European Union.
Both England an France held significant sway in the CSA, and both were strongly opposed to the continuation of slavery. In the early 1880s, they began to put more pressure on the Confederacy to do away with its "peculiar institution". This created a backlash, and in 1885, General Jeb Stuart was elected president on a strongly pro-slavery isolationist platform. England began placing tariffs on cotton and tobacco, and refusing to export commercially important goods to the CSA. France soon followed in England's footsteps, as did several other Western European countries, Canada and the USA. After six years of economic hardship caused by these boycotts, the CSA elected Custis Lee (the son of General Robert E. Lee) President. He ran on a much more moderate platform, with promises to sort things out with Europe, and find an equitable way to handle the tapering off of slavery. He started the Staggered Release Program, which, amongst other items, prohibited anyone from being born a slave after January, 1895. This caused great controversy in the CSA, and Mississippi actually seceded from the confederacy, although it had serious economic difficulties and was readmitted in November of 1896.
Despite nearly constant border skirmishes, there were no true wars between the USA and the CSA. However, many battles were fought amongst the four nations early on over Kansas. Kansas had been part of the Northwest Confederacy, but, during the Western American War, the USA tried to take it back. This made the CSA fear for its own territory, so it too tried to fight with the USA and the Northwest Confederacy over Kansas. Over the next several decades, Kansas was divided and redivided amongst the four countries.
The CSA took only a minimal part in World War I. It sent over some troops to help its allies, however, between border skirmishes with the US and slave problems within its borders, the CSA could not afford to send over much help. By the time World War II came around, however, most of the slaves had been freed, and the CSA was in a much more stable position. All six countries in North America made a pact that they would not attack each other until the global threat had been handled.
After the end of the war, and the foundation of the European Union, the United States, the Lone Star Republic, and Canada formed the American Union. The Confederacy was reluctant to join, however, after the Free American Republic and Mexico joined, the CSA voted to join also.
In very recent years, trade and tourism have been increasing between the CSA and its neighbors. This is also beginning to bring about a gradual cultural change in the CSA as ideas from the other countries flow in.
CSA History timeline
1861 (January): The Confederate States of America secede from the United States of America.
1861 (February): The Confederate Constitution is ratified.
1861 (April/May): Virginia, Arkansas, Tennesse and North Carolina secede and join the Confederate States.
1862 (July): The Battle of Gettysburg is fought.
1863 (June): West Virginia admitted to USA.
1864 (July): Confederate troops approach and are beaten back from Washington DC.
1864: (July): England and France recognize the CSA.
1864 (September): The end of the Confederate Revolutionary War.
1864 (December): Confederate Government officially adopts the "Southern Cross" as its national flag.
1866 (February): The Lone Star Republic breaks away from the Confederate States.
1869 (March): Confederate government starts issuing national currency.
1894 (June): The Confederate States of America begins the Staggered Release Program for its slaves.
1894 (July): Mississippi secedes to found the Republic of Mississippi.
1896 (November): Mississippi readmitted to the CSA.
1952 (November): The Confederate States join the American Union.
Law and Government
The Confederate Constitution was based on the Articles of Confederation and not on that of the United States, and it reflects a stronger philosophy of states' rights, and it also contains an explicit protection of the institution of slavery. For instance, the federal government is prohibited from issuing protective tariffs, or funding internal improvements, but is mandated to protect the institution of slavery in the territories. At the drafting of the Confederate Constitution, many radical proposals such as allowing only slave states to join and to reinstate the Atlantic slave trade were turned down. The Constitution specifically does not include a provision allowing states to secede, since the founders believed this to be a right inherent in the U.S. Constitution, and thus including it as such would have weakened their original argument for secession.
The President of the Confederacy is elected to a six-year term and can not be reelected. The first president was Jefferson Davis, followed by military hero General Robert E. Lee. One unique power granted to the Confederate president is the ability to subject a bill to a line item veto. Printing currency in bills and stamps was authorized and put into circulation, although by the individual states in the Confederacy's name. In 1869, the federal government began issuing Confederate currency to remedy the terrible inflation caused by excessive printing of currency during the Confederate Revolutionary War. The Confederate Congress could overturn either the general or the line item vetoes with the same two thirds majorities that are required in the U.S. Congress.
Although the preamble refers to "each State acting in its sovereign and independent character," it also refers to the formation of a "permanent federal government." Also, although slavery is enshrined in the constitution, it prohibits the importation of new slaves from outside the Confederacy.
The capital of the Confederacy was Montgomery, Alabama, from February 4, 1861, until May 29, 1861, when it was moved to Richmond, Virginia.
Politics
The CSA has two major political parties, both of which are fairly socially conservative in comparison to the rest of North America. The major parties are the Constitution Party and the Confederate Party. The Constitution Party is very socially restrictive. It opposes the racial integration that is beginning to occur in many social institutions, and is concerened about the increasing political power of women and minorities. They opposed giving women and blacks the right to vote. Many of the more extreme members of the party would actually favor a return to traditional slavery. The Confederate Party is fairly socially liberal for the CSA, but would be fairly extreme for anywhere else in North America, with the possible exception of Mexico. They mostly favor a slow and careful integration of blacks into society. Both parties are fairly economically permissive.
Political Divisions
The CSA is divided into twelve distinct states. These states have far more autonomy than those in the USA, but are still held under a fairly powerful central government. These states are Florida, Virginia, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Geography
Physical Geography
Physiogeographically, the CSA can be divided into the Atlantic Plains and the Appalachian Highlands. The Atlantic Plains are made up of the area which runs the length of the coast, including part of all of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. The Appalachian Highlands contain the interior part of the country, including parts of the larger coastal states, and include much of the Appalachian Mountins, as well as hilly areas around them.
Climate
The climate is mostly warm temperate, with much of Florida being subtropical. the Atlantic Plains tend to be warm and humid. The highlands are cooler and drier.
Natural Resources
Most of the Atlantic Plains states have large areas of fertile crop land. Tobacco and cotton, along with other crops make up over 70% of the Confederacy's exports. The Appalachian Highlands have some good pasture land, and have many rich deposits of minerals.
Economy
The ecconomy of the CSA is mostly agricultural. There are factories in many of the larger cities in the South. However, most are textile or tobacco processing factories that prepare the agricultural products for sale.
The government is generally quite economically permissive, and labor restrictions are few and simplistic. In the past few decades, companies from other AU countries have begun moving plants to the CSA to take advantage of this, leading to increased pressure from the LSR to improve their labor conditions.
Traditionally, the economy of the CSA has been depressed compared to the other AU nations. Ten years ago, all the member countries of the American Union coupled their currency. The AU dollar is now second only to the EU euro on the global market. This caused economic difficulties for the CSA during the buy in. However, over the past five years, the CSA has seen a slow building of its economy from the positive pressure of the AU.
Transportation
Very few people in the CSA own cars. Even the very wealthy agribusiness owners are unlikely to, because the road systems are so terrible as to make them nearly useless. In the past few years, some of the very rich have purchased private helicopters. However, those are quite expensive and extremely rare. Most citizens use bicycles and trains for transportation. The train system is fairly broad reaching, but it is known throughout North America for always being subject to delay.
Demographics
Ethnicity and Race
The CSA is overwhelmingly white (76.4%), with most of the remainder being blacks (20.3%) (often called negros, coloreds, or derogitorially "niggers"), almost all descended from slaves. Some Hispanics have come into the country, mostly from the LSR (1.2%), and a few Asians have settled in the CSA (1.1%). The remainder include a few Native Americans who have not migrated to the LSIT, and a few people of Middle Eastern descent. The CSA does not keep track of the national ethnic origins of citizens of European descent.
Religion
The CSA is overwhelmingly protestant (91.4%), with the Southern Baptist church being by far the most powerful single group, with 82.8% of the total population. Roman Catholics make up most of the remainder (7.1%), with only about 1% having no religion, and the remainder being a mix of Jews, Agnostics, and a few Muslims and Atheists.
The CSA is approximately tied with Mexico as the most religiously observant nation in North America. 74.6% say that they attend services regularly, and 68.4% are members of a church.
Class
The CSA has only begun to have a middle class in the latter half of the 20th century. For most of its history, there was only a gap between the wealthy landowners and the very poor field workers or sharecroppers. The emerging middle class comes out of the city factories and the need for trained workers to repair agricultural machinary. Still, the gap is huge, with 35.6% living below the poverty level. The poverty rate is far higher amongst blacks (84.3%). The modern wealthy are mostly descended from plantation owners. Many of the richest families have had their money since before the founding of the United States.
Culture
The CSA has long embraced the chivalric notions from England. In the past half century, they have slowly migrated away from that, with influences from modern England and Canada, as well as a growing influence from their other North American neighbors. There is a movie capital in Orlando, Florida. However, it does not compare to those in the USA or LSR, much less those in FAR or Canada. Their movies are known for being done on a shoestring budget, and being overly moralistic. Movies are often imported from the other movie capitols, with the risque movies from FAR garnering huge protests.
One thing that the CSA does have is a rich musical tradition. The Appalachian mountains have a deep and complicated musical history, with fiddle tunes ad huge dances popular throughout. This tradition has also spread to the lower classes in other parts of the country and changed there. The amazingly rich black musical traditions include gospel, blues, and their own version of jazz, drastically changed from the one started in New York. Nashville, Tennessee has become something of a musical haven, breeding new variations on all the traditional musics. Racial mixing is more common in Nashville than anywhere else in the CSA, as people from different traditions blend their music in amazing fusions.
Social Issues
The major political issues in the CSA today are racial integration of social institutions, women's rights, and the American Union. The other countries in the AU have been placing demands on the CSA to integrate and become more inclusive in order to remain a full member. Another important issue is public education, which lags far behind all the other AU countries except Mexico. In the CSA, most of the wealthy landowners hire private tutors for their children, leaving only the poor and the relatively small middle class in the public schools. The slow integration of blacks is by far the biggest issue of the day, and has caused several violent riots, started by either side, or both.
Legal holidays
| Date | Name | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Beginning of year, marks traditional end of "holiday season" |
| January 19 | Robert E. Lee's Birthday | Celebrates the birthday of the favorite military hero of the Confederate Revolution. |
| February 22 | Washington's Birthday | Honors former U.S. President and founder George Washington |
| May, last Monday | Memorial Day | Honors servicemen and women who died in service, marks traditional beginning of summer |
| September 14 | Independence Day | Celebrates the independence of the CSA from the USA |
| October, second Monday | Columbus Day | Honors Christopher Columbus, traditional discoverer of the Americas |
| November 11 | Veterans' Day | Traditional observation of a moment of silence at 11 a.m. remembering those who fought for peace |
| November, fourth Thursday | Thanksgiving | Day of thanks which marks the traditional beginning of the "holiday season" |
| December 25 | Christmas | Celebrates the nativity of Jesus |
