Did the CSA exist as an independent republic during the American civil war?

Question

Any info is most welcome.

Answer 1

I see the "know nothings" have spoken.....

To answer your question, yes and no.

Yes, because they had their own government, their own army, and their own currency. No, because they were not formally recognized by another nation. They also weren't a "republic" but a "confederacy;" it's a play on words, but an important one.

One of the things I find most confusing about the Yankee point of view on the war is that they say that secession was illegal and the Southern states never stopped being a part of the Union, yet all of the former Confederate states had to be "re-admitted to the Union" after the war was over.

Re-admitted to something that you never left? Someone is confused, and it ain't us.

Answer 2

Despite the attempt of the Confederate States of America to establish themselves as an independent republic, they were not recognized as a nation by the rest of the world, probably because to do so would incur the objections of the United States, which always regarded the secession states as part of the U.S. in rebellion against the central government. Great Britain especially tried to walk a fine line between dealing economically with the Confederacy and still maintaining trade and diplomatic ties to the United States (the Union). The Prime Minister of England at the time felt he would wait out the war, and be in a position to broker a peace treaty between the Union and the Confederacy that would allow Britain to trade openly with both.

Answer 3

They were independant--but the CSA was not "a republic"--it was a confederation of states each of which viewed themselves as an autonomous state, although in some respects they acted as a single political unit--militarily, obviously, but also in having a common currency and open internal borders, etc. The individual states had republican forms of government, though.

Answer 4

No, they were never independent. They were not recognized by any sovereign state, and the United States never recognized the Confederate government as anything beyond a gathering of rebels, which is what the Confederate government was.

Answer 5

No, the CSA was never recognized by anyone but itself as "an independent confederation of states." Do you admire the slaveowners? They said they were "tolerant" and "positive" too.