<P> The most famous secession movement was the case of the Southern states of the United States . Secession from the United States was accepted in eleven states ( and failed in two others ) . The seceding states joined together to form the Confederate States of America ( CSA ) . The eleven states of the CSA , in order of secession , were : South Carolina ( seceded December 20 , 1860 ) , Mississippi ( seceded January 9 , 1861 ) , Florida ( seceded January 10 , 1861 ) , Alabama ( seceded January 11 , 1861 ) , Georgia ( seceded January 19 , 1861 ) , Louisiana ( seceded January 26 , 1861 ) , Texas ( seceded February 1 , 1861 ) , Virginia ( seceded April 17 , 1861 ) , Arkansas ( seceded May 6 , 1861 ) , North Carolina ( seceded May 20 , 1861 ) , and Tennessee ( seceded June 8 , 1861 ) . Secession was declared by its supporters in Missouri and Kentucky , but did not become effective as it was opposed by their pro-Union state governments . This secession movement brought about the American Civil War . The position of the Union was that the Confederacy was not a sovereign nation -- and never had been , but that `` the Union '' was always a single nation by intent of the states themselves , from 1776 onward -- and thus that a rebellion had been initiated by individuals . Historian Bruce Catton described President Abraham Lincoln 's April 15 , 1861 , proclamation after the attack on Fort Sumter , which defined the Union 's position on the hostilities : </P>
<P> The most famous secession movement was the case of the Southern states of the United States . Secession from the United States was accepted in eleven states ( and failed in two others ) . The seceding states joined together to form the Confederate States of America ( CSA ) . The eleven states of the CSA , in order of secession , were : South Carolina ( seceded December 20 , 1860 ) , Mississippi ( seceded January 9 , 1861 ) , Florida ( seceded January 10 , 1861 ) , Alabama ( seceded January 11 , 1861 ) , Georgia ( seceded January 19 , 1861 ) , Louisiana ( seceded January 26 , 1861 ) , Texas ( seceded February 1 , 1861 ) , Virginia ( seceded April 17 , 1861 ) , Arkansas ( seceded May 6 , 1861 ) , North Carolina ( seceded May 20 , 1861 ) , and Tennessee ( seceded June 8 , 1861 ) . Secession was declared by its supporters in Missouri and Kentucky , but did not become effective as it was opposed by their pro-Union state governments . This secession movement brought about the American Civil War . The position of the Union was that the Confederacy was not a sovereign nation -- and never had been , but that `` the Union '' was always a single nation by intent of the states themselves , from 1776 onward -- and thus that a rebellion had been initiated by individuals . Historian Bruce Catton described President Abraham Lincoln 's April 15 , 1861 , proclamation after the attack on Fort Sumter , which defined the Union 's position on the hostilities : </P>
when did the first southern state secede from the union
when did the first southern state secede from the union
December 20 , 1860
December 20 , 1860