The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was the final straw for many southerners. In all 11 states
seceded from the Union. Four of these (Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee) did not secede until after the
Battle of Fort Sumter that occurred on April 12, 1861. Five additional states were Border Slave States that did not secede from the Union: Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
Order of Secession During the American Civil War
| State | Date of Secession |
| South Carolina | December 20, 1860 |
| Mississippi | January 9, 1861 |
| Florida | January 10, 1861 |
| Alabama | January 11, 1861 |
| Georgia | January 19, 1861 |
| Louisiana | January 26, 1861 |
| Texas | February 1, 1861 |
| Virginia | April 17, 1861 |
| Arkansas | May 6, 1861 |
| North Carolina | May 20, 1861 |
| Tennessee | June 8, 1861 |
