The primary objective of the Confederate States of America during the Civil War was to preserve the institution of slavery in the Southern states. The Confederacy was formed in 1861 after several Southern states seceded from the Union in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. The Confederate constitution enshrined the protection of slavery, declaring that "the institution of negro slavery, as it now exists in the Confederate States, shall be recognized and protected by this Constitution."
The Confederacy fought to maintain its independence from the Union and its control over the territories where slavery was legal. The war ultimately resulted in the defeat of the Confederacy and the abolition of slavery in the United States.