The Confederate States of America was founded in 1861 when seven states broke from the United States. War never developed from the break but several more states joined the CSA after the United States outlawed slavery. While there was no open warfare the USA continually led raids to free slaves in border regions and skirmishes resulted.
As the end of the 19th century approached the CSA became an economic backwater. Larger US entities more likely to establish relations with Mexico than with the Confederates. By 1876 Texas was the first state to leave the CSA.
Texas didn't last long as an independent nation. Mexico, with the USA looking the other way, invaded and annexed the territory. The CSA fought a brief war with Mexico as a result but the United States acted as a mediator.
As the 20th century dawned the CSA got involved in a war with Spain which led to coastal settlements in Florida and South Carolina being bombarded and Spain retaining hold over its colonies. Within a decade Cuba and Puerto Rico would become the Caribbean Commonwealth, a semi-autonomous part of the Spanish Empire.
During the Great War the German Empire sent the Zimmerman Telegraph to the Confederate States trying to bring them into the conflict. In no condition to invade the United States the CSA remained neutral.
Florida eventually left the CSA and joined the Caribbean Commonwealth. Virginia, for years economically outpaced by West Virginia, leaves the CSA and asks for re-admittance to the United States in 1927, bringing the CSA back down to 7 states.
While slavery was on a decline over the decades it wasn't until a Constitutional amendment in 1936 did the CSA officially end slavery. They would remain a economic disaster area for decades with the more powerful USA and Mexico dominating and exploiting their economy.
