Jefferson Davis
Born June 3, 1808
Southwestern Kentucky

Died December 6, 1889
New Orleans, Louisiana

President

Robert E. Lee
Born January 19, 1807
Westmoreland County,
Virginia

Died October 13, 1870
Lexington, Virginia

General

Alexander H. Stephens
Born February 11, 1812
Crawfordsville, Georgia

Died March 4, 1883
Atlanta, Georgia

Vice president

Robert A. Toombs
Born July 2, 1810
Wilkes County,
Georgia

Died December 15, 1885
Washington, Georgia

Secretary of state

Confederate leaders (seated, from left): Jefferson Davis, John Reagan, and Alexander Stephens; (standing, from left) Robert E. Lee, Christopher Memminger, and Robert A. Toombs. Photo by MPI/Getty Images.

"[I favor] the maintenance of the honor, the rights, the equality, the security, and the glory of my native state … but if these cannot be maintained in the Union, then I am for their maintenance, at all hazards, out of it."

The Confederate States of America (CSA) was founded in 1861 after years of often angry debate over slavery and whether the federal government or...