Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union during the American Civil War.
Tennessee voters rejected secession in February 1861, but the situation changed after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops. On May 7, the state entered a military league with the Confederacy; voters formally approved secession on June 8, 1861, by roughly 69% to 31%.
Tennessee’s decision was deeply divided by region. East Tennessee was strongly Unionist, while Middle and West Tennessee contained more support for secession. Unionists later attempted to create a separate loyal state from East Tennessee, and Confederate authorities imposed martial law in parts of the region.
A common mix-up is confusing Tennessee’s secession date with that of Virginia or other early Confederate states. Tennessee’s strategic location made it especially important: it saw extensive fighting and supplied troops to both the Union and Confederacy.