Confederate Congress

(noun)

The legislative body of the Confederate States of America, which existed between 1861 and 1865 during the American Civil War.

Related Terms

Examples of Confederate Congress in the following topics:

  • Congress of the Confederation

    • The Congress of the Confederation was the governing body of the United States from 1781 to 1789.
    • The Congress of the Confederation was the governing body of the United States of America, in force from March 1, 1781, to March 4, 1789.
    • The Congress of the Confederation opened in the final stages of the American Revolution.
    • The membership of the Second Continental Congress automatically carried over to the Congress of the Confederation when the latter was created through the ratification of the Articles of Confederation.
    • The Congress of the Confederation was succeeded by the Congress of the United States, as provided for in the Constitution, proposed September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia at the Constitutional Convention.

  • Financial Chaos and Paper Money

    • Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government's power to regulate financial matters was kept quite limited.
    • Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government's power was kept quite limited: the Confederation Congress could make decisions, but lacked the power to enforce them.
    • Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was denied any powers of taxation and could only request money from the state legislatures.
    • Jay and the Congress responded in May by requesting $45 million from State legislatures.
    • The states and the Confederation Congress both incurred large debts during the Revolutionary War, and how to repay those debts became a major issue of debate (some states paid off their war debts and others did not).

  • Government During the War

    • Much of the Confederate Constitution replicated the U.S.
    • For the first year of the war, a provisional Confederate Congress functioned as the Confederacy's legislative branch.
    • The permanent Confederate Congress began its first session on February 18, 1862.
    • The significance of individual votes and the independence of each voter was a unique feature of the Confederate Congress due to the absence of guiding political parties.
    • Compare and contrast the Confederate governance and constitution with that of the United States, and discuss bills passed in Congress after the secession of the South

  • Finance

    • Discord between the states and the federal government over taxation and trade further weakened the legitimacy of the Articles of Confederation.
    • Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress was denied any powers of taxation: it could only request money from the states.
    • As more money was printed by Congress, the continental dollars depreciated.
    • John Jay, president of the Continental Congress, and the Congress responded in May by requesting $45 million from the States.
    • The states and the Confederation Congress both incurred large debts during the Revolutionary War, and how to repay those debts became a major issue of debate following the war.

  • Land Policy under the Confederation

    • The Confederation Congress' Land Ordinance and Northwest Ordinance had a lasting impact on US history.
    • Under the Articles of Confederation, Congress lacked the power to raise revenue through direct taxation of US inhabitants.
    • The US Congress adopted the Land Ordinance of 1785 to facilitate that sale.
    • The Congress of the Confederation enacted the Northwest Ordinance in 1787 to provide for administration of the territories and set rules for admission as a state.
    • On August 7, 1789, the new US Congress affirmed this ordinance with slight modifications under the Constitution.

  • Diplomacy

    • The Articles allowed the Continental Congress to direct the American Revolutionary War and conduct domestic and international diplomacy.
    • The formal ratification of the Articles of Confederation by all 13 states was completed in early 1781.
    • Even when not yet ratified, the Articles provided domestic and international legitimacy for the Continental Congress to direct the American Revolutionary War, conduct diplomacy with Europe, and deal with territorial issues and Indian relations.
    • Unfortunately, after the war ended in 1783, the weakness of the Confederation government frustrated the ability of the government to conduct foreign policy.
    • Examine how the Articles of Confederation supported Congress during the American Revolution

  • The Confederation's Problems

    • The Confederation faced several difficulties in its early years related to taxation, debt, political unrest and limitations on trade.
    • The Confederation faced several difficulties in its early years.
    • The Articles of Confederation envisioned a permanent confederation of states, but granted its Congress—the only federal institution—little power to finance itself or to ensure that its resolutions were enforced.
    • Congress had already failed to attain power over navigation laws.
    • The outcry for a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation grew louder.

  • The Articles of Confederation

    • The Articles of Confederation were the United States' first governing document, and had many weaknesses.
    • The Articles of Confederation were an agreement among the 13 founding states, legally establishing the United States of America as a confederation of sovereign states and serving as its first constitution.
    • The Articles envisioned a permanent confederation of states, but granted its Congress—the only federal institution—little power to finance itself or ensure that its resolutions were enforced.
    • By 1787, Congress had become unable to protect manufacturing and shipping.
    • In May 1786, Continental Congress member Charles Pinckney of South Carolina proposed that Congress revise the Articles.

  • McClellan's Peninsular Campaign

    • McClellan, was an amphibious turning movement against the Confederate States Army in northern Virginia intended to capture the Confederate capital of Richmond.
    • McClellan was initially successful against Confederate General Joseph E.
    • McClellan altered his plan so that his forces would land at Fort Monroe and move northwest up the Virginia Peninsula, but Congress and the press were highly critical of what was perceived as a missed opportunity to catch the Confederates in their previous positions near Washington.
    • Confederate Brigadier General John B.
    • Even though they were victorious, many Confederates were stunned by the enormous losses they suffered.

  • Nationalists of the 1780s

    • Long dissatisfied with the weak Articles of Confederation, nationalists drafted a resolution to form the Annapolis Convention.
    • As the Articles of Confederation could only be amended by unanimous vote of the states, any state had effective veto power over any proposed change .
    • Long dissatisfied with the weak Articles of Confederation, Alexander Hamilton of New York played a major leadership role.
    • Despite under-representation they produced a report that was sent to the Congress and to the States.
    • The Articles of Confederation were ratified in 1781; the Articles were the governing document of the United States until the Constitution.