Montgomery,Alabama served as the capital of the Confederate States of America from February 4 until May 29, 1861. Six states created the Confederate States of America there on February 8, 1861. The Texas delegation was seated at the time, so it is counted in the "original seven" states of the Confederacy. But it had no roll call vote until after its referendum made secession "operative". Two sessions of the Provisional Congress were held in Montgomery, adjourning May 21. The Permanent Constitution was adopted there on March 12, 1861.

"The Starting Point of the Great War Between the States," in reference to the outbreak of the American Civil War (1861–1865) that same year. While historians debate the exact moment that the war began, Davis' inauguration—signaling the formation of a Confederate government—was certainly a critical event in the buildup to military combat.