Border States

Border States are states located along the boundary between two larger regions, such as the U.S.-Mexico border or the border between different countries. In U.S. history, particularly during the Civil War, Border States referred specifically to Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, and later West Virginia, which were slave states that did not secede from the Union. These states held strategic importance because they were geographically situated on critical borders and could influence the outcome of conflicts due to their location, resources, and political influence within the country.