In 1861, the state of Georgia seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America, leading to the American Civil War. The decision to secede was primarily motivated by the state's defense of slavery and its opposition to the growing abolitionist movement in the Northern states. Georgia delegates voted overwhelmingly in favor of secession at a state convention held in January 1861. The state's secession declaration emphasized the preservation of slavery and the rights of Southern states to self-government. After seceding, Georgia played a significant role in the Confederate war effort, providing troops, supplies, and rail transportation. However, by the end of the war, Georgia had suffered significant economic devastation and widespread destruction. After the defeat of the Confederacy, Georgia was readmitted to the Union in 1870 as part of the Reconstruction process.
