Which state was the first to secede from the Union?

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union on December 20, 1860. This significant historical event marked the beginning of the secessionist movement that ultimately led to the Civil War. The state took this drastic step in response to the election of Abraham Lincoln, whose anti-slavery platform alarmed many Southern states that viewed the preservation of slavery as essential to their societal and economic structures. As a result, South Carolina's secession was a pivotal moment that set the stage for the subsequent secession of other Southern states, accumulating until 11 states formed the Confederate States of America.