Jerry Watkins, age 14, of Austell, Ga., for his question:
WHY DID THE 11 CONFEDERATE STATES HAVE A 13 STAR FLAG?
Even though only 11 states actually joined the Confederate States of America back in Civil war times, delegations from 13 different states were sent to a nation forming Confederate Congress. And those attending the meeting approved a 13 star flag for the new country.
Originally six Southern states organized their own government at Montgomery, Ala., in February, 1861. They withdrew from the government of the United States because they feared that the election of Abraham Lincoln might lead to restrictions on their right to do as they chose about the question of slavery.
The original six states were Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and South Carolina. Later in 1861 they were joined by five more states: Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee.
Secessionist groups set up separate state governments in both Kentucky and Missouri and delegates from these states attended the Confederated Congress. These two states represent the extra stars in the flag since both finally decided to stay in the Union.
Also, the western counties of Virginia seceded from the South later in the war and formed the state of West Virginia.
Jefferson Davis of Mississippi was elected the President of the Confederacy and Alexander Stephens of Georgia was chosen Vice President. Both served for one year and then were elected to six year terms.
Leaders of the Confederate States hoped for a peaceful withdrawal from the Union. Many worked hard to avoid war. But their efforts failed and war started with the attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.
The Confederacy suffered great financial disadvantages. The wealth of the nation, before secession, lay mainly in the North and the South lacked adequate taxation resources.
Because of limited money, the Confederate government had to issue paper money early in the war. This money soon became almost valueless.
Although the people gave generously to their new government and willingly bought government bonds, their loyal financial support could not create resources that did not exist within the boundaries of the Confederacy.
In the first months of the Civil War the Confederacy rolled up a number of victories. But then in 1863 the tide began to turn against the South. The Union army was able to get more materials and supplies from the industrial North than the Confederate armies could obtain from the agricultural South.
The Confederate States of America came to an end on April 9, 1865 when the Civil war ended.
The road to reunion in spirit between the North and South was long and hard. But 35 years later, as the 1900s started, much of the resentment and ill will had been largely forgotten.