North Carolina seceded from the Union on May 20, 1861, becoming the 11th state to join the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The decision to secede followed the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of several Southern states that year. Initially, North Carolina had resisted the idea of secession, with many in the state opposed to leaving the Union. However, after the bombardment of Fort Sumter and Lincoln's call for troops to suppress the rebellion, the pressure to secede increased, leading to a convention that voted in favor of secession.

The secession of North Carolina was a significant moment in the Civil War, as the state had long been a crucial part of the Union, and its entry into the Confederacy meant that the entire Southern region was now aligned against the Union. North Carolina played a key role in the Civil War, contributing troops to the Confederate army and serving as a vital battleground during several significant campaigns.

North Carolina remained part of the Confederacy until the end of the war in 1865. After the Confederacy's defeat, North Carolina was readmitted to the Union on July 4, 1868.