Secession in the United States facts for kids

A man in New Hampshire holds a sign about states leaving the U.S. during the 2012 United States presidential election.

In the United States, secession means when a state tries to leave the country and become independent. It can also mean a part of a state or territory breaking away to form a new state or area. People who support secession are sometimes called disunionists.

The idea of states leaving the U.S. has been around almost since the country began. Some people believed it was a constitutional right, while others saw it as a natural right of revolution. However, in 1869, the Supreme Court ruled in a case called Texas v. White that a state cannot simply leave the Union on its own. The Court said that a state could only leave through a revolution or if all other states agreed.

The most serious attempt at secession happened in 1860 and 1861. Eleven Southern states declared they were leaving the U.S. and formed their own country called the Confederate States of America. The U.S. government did not accept this. This led to the American Civil War, which ended in 1865 when the Confederate forces were defeated by the Union armies.

Historically, only a few areas have left the U.S. These include small parts of the Louisiana Purchase that became part of Canada, and the Commonwealth of the Philippines, which became an independent country in 1946.

Sometimes, a part of an existing state can become a new state, but this is different from secession. This happens when the original state and the U.S. Congress both agree. For example, Kentucky separated from Virginia in 1792, Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820, and West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863.

The American Revolution and the Right to Change Government

The idea of leaving a government is not new in American history. The Declaration of Independence, written in 1776, explains why the American colonies decided to break away from British rule. It states that all people have certain rights, like life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The Declaration says that governments are created to protect these rights. If a government stops protecting these rights and becomes harmful, "it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government." This means people have the right to change or even replace a government that is unfair or oppressive.

Historians like Pauline Maier explain that this idea is about the "right of revolution." This was the right Americans used when they declared independence in 1776. Many thinkers before Thomas Jefferson had written about these ideas, which were important in shaping American beliefs about government.

The Declaration also warns that governments should not be changed for small reasons. But if a government repeatedly abuses its power and tries to take away people's freedoms, then it becomes the people's right and duty to overthrow that government and create a new one that will protect their future safety and happiness.

Early Debates on States Leaving the Union

What is a United Nation?

Before the American Civil War, people in the U.S. often debated whether states had the right to leave the Union. This discussion was closely linked to the idea of states' rights. A big question was: Is the U.S. a single, unified nation where states gave up their independence forever? Or is it a group of independent states that could leave whenever they wanted?

Historians say that the Civil War ultimately settled this question. It showed that states could not simply leave the Union.

The Constitution and Changing the Government

When the U.S. Constitution was created, there were no clear rules about whether the country could be broken up. Many early leaders talked about states having the power to stand up against the federal government. Some even mentioned secession. However, the Constitution was designed to allow for changes without needing a revolution. It provided ways to amend the Constitution peacefully.

Despite this, the idea of states leaving the Union was a constant topic in American politics before the Civil War. Many Americans feared that if states started leaving, it could lead to chaos, violence, and the end of the country the Founders had worked so hard to create.

Replacing the Articles of Confederation

Before the U.S. Constitution, the country was governed by the Articles of Confederation. These Articles created a "perpetual union" among the states. However, the Articles made the central government too weak. It struggled to manage trade and protect property.

In 1787, leaders met at the Philadelphia Convention to fix the Articles. Instead, they wrote a completely new document: the U.S. Constitution. This new Constitution created a stronger federal government. It was approved by only nine states, not all thirteen, which was a big change from the Articles' rules.

Some people argued that replacing the Articles was like states leaving the old union to form a new one. They saw it as proof that states could leave agreements. However, others believed the new Constitution created a truly unified nation, not just a loose agreement of states.

Adopting the U.S. Constitution

When the new U.S. Constitution was being adopted, there was a big debate about how much power states would keep. Patrick Henry strongly opposed the Constitution. He worried it would take away the independence of individual states, including his home state of Virginia. He asked why the Constitution started with "We, the people" instead of "We, the states."

Leaders like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, known as Federalists, argued that the new Constitution created a stronger national government. They said that states would still have important roles, but they would no longer be fully independent nations. They made it clear that under the new Constitution, states would not have the right to leave the United States on their own.

For example, when New York was deciding whether to approve the Constitution, some leaders wanted to add a rule allowing New York to leave the Union later. But Hamilton and Madison said that the Constitution had to be accepted "in toto, and for ever" – meaning completely and permanently. New York eventually approved the Constitution without adding the right to leave.

Revolutionary Right vs. Secession Right

The debate about leaving the Union often looked back to the American Revolution. Was leaving the U.S. like the colonies leaving Britain?

James Madison, often called "The Father of the Constitution," believed there was a big difference. He said people had a right to revolt if they faced "intolerable oppression." This was a right outside the Constitution. But he rejected the idea that a state could just leave the Union whenever it wanted, calling it a "violation, without cause, of a faith solemnly pledged."

President Andrew Jackson agreed. He said that states had given up many powers to form "a single nation." He argued that a state could not simply leave, because that would destroy the unity of the nation. He believed that secession was like a revolutionary act, which might be justified by extreme oppression, but it was not a constitutional right.

However, just before the Civil War, President James Buchanan had a different view. He said that if the federal government was just a "voluntary association of States," then any state could leave whenever it wanted. But he warned that this would break the country into many small, warring republics.

Early Challenges to Federal Power

In the late 1700s, the Alien and Sedition Acts caused a lot of anger. These laws made it harder for immigrants to become citizens and allowed the government to punish people who criticized it. Some leaders, like John Taylor of Caroline, suggested that Virginia should leave the U.S.

Thomas Jefferson, who was Vice President at the time, secretly wrote some of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. These documents argued that states could declare federal laws unconstitutional or even leave the Union if the federal government overstepped its bounds. Historians say that if Jefferson's secret actions had been known, he might have faced serious consequences.

Later, during the War of 1812, some Federalists in New England were unhappy with the war and the federal government. They held the Hartford Convention in 1814. While some talked about creating a separate New England country, most delegates wanted more moderate changes to the Constitution. The war ended soon after, and the convention became known as a symbol of disloyalty.

Abolitionists and Northern Secession

As tensions grew over slavery in the 1830s, some Northerners also considered secession. Many abolitionists, who wanted to end slavery, felt that slave owners had too much power in the government.

William Lloyd Garrison believed in "NO UNION WITH SLAVEHOLDERS" to end slavery.

William Lloyd Garrison, a famous abolitionist and newspaper editor, called for Northern states to leave the Union in 1844. He argued that the Constitution protected slavery and that the North should separate from the South to free enslaved people. Conventions were even held in Northern states in 1856 and 1857 to discuss forming a non-slave-holding confederacy.

The Shift to Southern Secession

The idea of secession began to focus more on the Southern states after 1846. This was when the Wilmot Proviso was proposed, which would have banned slavery in new territories gained from Mexico. Southern leaders felt that the federal government was attacking their way of life and their interests, especially slavery.

In 1850, delegates from nine slave states met at the Nashville Convention. They discussed leaving the Union if Congress tried to ban slavery in new territories. The agreements made at this convention helped create the Compromise of 1850, which included the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This compromise temporarily kept the country together.

South Carolina had a long history of threatening to secede. In the 1830s, it threatened to leave over a high tariff that hurt its economy. President Andrew Jackson strongly opposed this and threatened to use federal troops. John C. Calhoun, Jackson's Vice President, resigned because he supported South Carolina's position. Jackson believed that the real goal was to break up the Union over slavery. South Carolina eventually became the first state to declare its secession on December 20, 1860.

The Civil War and the Confederate States of America

States under CSA control States and territories represented in the governments of the USA and CSA

The most well-known secession movement in U.S. history led to the American Civil War. Eleven Southern states, where slavery was legal, voted to leave the United States. They formed their own government called the Confederate States of America (CSA).

The states that seceded were:

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)

Some pro-Confederate governments also declared secession in Missouri and Kentucky. However, pro-Union groups in those states eventually regained control. In Virginia, Union supporters in the western part of the state formed their own government. They convinced Congress to admit 50 Virginia counties as the new state of West Virginia in 1863.

This secession movement started the American Civil War. The Union government, led by President Abraham Lincoln, believed that the U.S. was a single nation from its beginning. Therefore, the Confederate states were not a separate country but were in rebellion. Lincoln called for troops to put down this rebellion and enforce federal laws.

Changes in Government After Secession

When Southern representatives and senators left Congress, the U.S. government changed a lot. Many important leadership positions in the Senate became open.

With the Southern states gone, Congress was able to pass laws that had been blocked before. For example, Kansas was admitted as a free state. Soon after, Colorado, Nevada, and Dakota Territory also became territories. Congress also passed laws like the District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act (ending slavery in Washington D.C.), the Homestead Act of 1862 (giving land to settlers), and the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862 (supporting colleges). These laws had been opposed by the slave states.

Legality of States Leaving the Union

The U.S. Constitution does not directly mention whether states can secede. This question was a major debate in the 1800s. While some Federalists in New England briefly thought about secession during the War of 1812, the idea became mostly linked to Southern states as the North grew stronger.

The Articles of Confederation had called the Union "perpetual." The U.S. Constitution aimed to create a "more perfect union." Many scholars believe that the question of whether states could legally secede was finally settled by the Civil War. The Union's victory showed that states could not unilaterally leave the country.

Supreme Court Decisions

The Supreme Court of the United States addressed secession in the 1869 case Texas v. White. Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase wrote the Court's decision. He ruled that Texas had never legally left the United States. He stated that when Texas joined the U.S. in 1845, it became part of "an indestructible Union, composed of indestructible States."

However, Chase also noted that a state could stop being part of the Union through a "revolution, or through consent of the States." This meant that while a state couldn't just decide to leave on its own, a successful revolution or an agreement by all states could lead to separation.

Later, in the 1877 case Williams v. Bruffy, the Court said that if a group tries to form an independent government and fails, its actions are not valid. But if it succeeds and is recognized as an independent nation, its actions are then considered legal.

Other Historical Examples of Separation

Texas's Independence from Mexico

Before joining the U.S., the Republic of Texas successfully broke away from Mexico in 1836. This was an outright rebellion, not a constitutional secession. Mexico did not recognize Texas as an independent country. When the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845, Mexico warned that it would lead to war, which it did in 1846.

Forming New States from Existing Ones

The U.S. Constitution allows new states to join the Union. It also says that new states cannot be formed from parts of existing states without the agreement of the state's legislature and Congress. This process is called partition, not secession.

Three states were created this way:

Kentucky separated from Virginia in 1792 with Virginia's consent.
Maine separated from Massachusetts in 1820 with Massachusetts's consent.
West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863. This was during the Civil War, and the Union-supporting government of Virginia agreed to the separation. The Supreme Court later confirmed this was legal.

Proposed State of Jefferson

Many other ideas for dividing states have been proposed but have not happened.

Modern Secession Movements

In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, there have been various movements for local and state secession. None of these movements to create new states have succeeded. The Libertarian Party, formed in 1971, supports the right of states to secede under certain conditions.

As of 2026, several states have groups that advocate for secession. These include Alaska, California, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and New Hampshire. These movements often grow during times of strong political disagreement in the country.

City Secession Efforts

Sometimes, parts of cities or counties try to break away.

The island of Nantucket tried to leave Massachusetts three times in the 20th century over issues like utility rates and ferry services.
Staten Island tried to separate from New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 1993 vote showed 65% in favor, but the state legislature blocked it.
The San Fernando Valley voted in 2002 to separate from Los Angeles, but the city council blocked the move.
The town of Rough and Ready, California, briefly declared independence in 1850 to avoid mining taxes but rejoined the Union less than three months later.
Residents of the Northwest Angle in Minnesota, a small area cut off by the Canadian border, suggested joining Canada in 1997 due to fishing regulations.

State Secession Movements

Some groups want their entire state to leave the U.S. and form an independent nation.

Alaska: The Alaskan Independence Party has been a factor in state politics. In 2006, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that secession was illegal.
California: The "Calexit" movement gained attention after the 2016 presidential election. Groups like Yes California Independence Committee and the California National Party advocate for California's independence.
Florida: The "Conch Republic" in the Florida Keys held a mock secession protest in 1982, which is now a local tradition.
Georgia: In 2009, the Georgia State Senate passed a resolution asserting states' rights to nullify federal laws and suggesting the Union could dissolve under certain federal actions.
Hawaii: The Hawaiian sovereignty movement seeks greater independence or self-governance for Native Hawaiians.
New Hampshire: The Free State Project and the New Hampshire Independence Movement advocate for greater liberty and have considered secession.
Texas: The Texas Nationalist Movement seeks Texas's independence. The Republican Party of Texas platform has called for a statewide vote on secession. In 2023, a state representative introduced a bill for a referendum on independence.
Vermont: The Second Vermont Republic, founded in 2003, is a group that wants Vermont to become an independent republic again.

After the 2012 United States presidential election, many individual citizens created online petitions for their states to secede. While these petitions had no legal power, they showed public interest. The White House officially responded, stating that secession was against the Constitution and that the Founders created a "perpetual union."

Regional Secession Movements

Some movements aim to create new nations from multiple states or regions.

American Redoubt: This movement suggests that Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, along with parts of Oregon and Washington, could be a safe haven for conservative Christians.
Independent Oglala Nation / Republic of Lakotah: Some members of the Lakota people have declared independence, arguing their nations were always sovereign and did not willingly join the U.S.
Cascadia: This movement proposes forming a new nation in the Pacific Northwest from Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia (Canada), and sometimes parts of California, Alaska, Idaho, and Montana.
League of the South: This group seeks an independent Southern republic made up of the former Confederate states.
Northwest Territorial Imperative: This idea proposes creating a white ethnostate in the Pacific Northwest.
Aztlán: Some Chicano nationalist groups advocate for self-determination for the Chicano nation in the Southwestern U.S., including the right to secession.
Republic of New Afrika: This black nationalist organization, founded in 1968, advocates for a separate black nation in the U.S.

National Divorce

"National divorce" is a recent idea that suggests the U.S. should peacefully split into separate countries based on political differences, such as "blue states" (Democratic-leaning) and "red states" (Republican-leaning). Supporters argue this could reduce political conflict and allow different regions to pursue their own policies. Former U.S. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has openly supported this idea.

Public Opinion on Secession

Polls have shown varying levels of support for secession among Americans.

A 2014 poll found that 24% of Americans supported their state leaving the Union if necessary, while 53% opposed it.
A 2017 poll indicated that 68% of Americans were open to states seceding.
In 2021, one poll found that 52% of voters who supported Donald Trump and 41% of voters who supported Joe Biden favored dividing the U.S. into multiple countries based on political lines.
Another 2021 poll grouped the U.S. into five regions and found that 37% of Americans favored their own region seceding. Support was highest in the South (44%) and among Democrats in the Pacific states (47%).
A 2022 poll found that 60% of Texans and 50% of Louisianans supported their state peacefully becoming an independent country with other conservative states.
Polls from 2024 to 2026 showed that while overall support for a state's sole secession decreased after a change in presidential control, it rose in some states like Minnesota, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, and Washington.