Alabama is a state in the Southern United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, the Gulf of America to the south, Florida to the southeast, Georgia to the east, and Mississippi to the west. As of 2025, Alabama has a population of 5,157,699, making it the 24th largest state by population.
History
In 1817, the Alabama Territory was formed after Mississippi was granted statehood. It remained a territory until 1819, when Alabama was granted statehood.
The initial capital of Alabama was Huntsville. The capital would move to Tuscaloosa by 1826. Montgomery wouldn’t become the capital until 1846.
Civil War
On January 11, 1861, Alabama seceded from the United States. A few days later, it would join the Confederate States. The first capital of the CSA was in Montgomery, but later moved to Richmond, Virginia. After the end of the Civil War in 1865, Alabama was under Union military occupation.
In 1868, Alabama was restored back into the United States.
Post Civil War
In 1874, Reconstruction ended in Alabama after the Radical Democrats returned to power. Afterwards, racist policies against the state’s African-American population were enacted. These policies would remain in place until 1964.
In 1968, George C. Wallace, the then-governor of Alabama, ran for president with the Dixiecrat Party, a political party that consisted of Democrats from the South. Wallace lost the election, but was able to carry Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Georgia
On April 27, 2011, Alabama and Mississippi were affected by a major outbreak of tornadoes. As a result, 238 people were dead, 62 tornadoes were spawned in the state, and many towns and cities were devastated. This tornado outbreak was one of the worst natural disaster in human history.