Comments on: 8 Secessionist Movements in American History

By: JM

JM — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:08:05 +0000

I’d check out the Burr Conspiracy. Aaron Burr, Vice President under Jefferson (in his first term) and shooter of Alexander Hamilton also tried to instigate a war between the U.S., Spain, and England in 1804-06.

He was attempting to trick the U.S. into declaring war which would make it technically legal for him to take military action on American soil, which would allow him to seize land in what is now Texas and part of Oklahoma and create his own monarchy.

He also got the commander of the U.S. Army, James Wilkinson, to help as well as future war hero and president Andrew Jackson to build flotilla rafts that were going to be used to lay siege to New Orleans.

By: Reddkatz

Reddkatz — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:44:00 +0000

The native Hawaiians have been trying to secede from the U.S. for years. Their biggest attempt was in the 90’s from what I remembered, when they tried to make Hawaii a sovereign nation.

By: RH

RH — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:02:00 +0000

There was also a movement for 14 counties in western Illinois to form the state of Forgottonia in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Wikipedia has an article.

By: nikki

nikki — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 01:15:00 +0000

there’s some people out in west texas who still believe that the state was illegally annexed by the US and is therefore still an independent nation. they have their own radio stations and newspapers and stuff.

and to answer nutmeag, the constituition of texas holds no such provision that it can secede, although it is “a free and independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United States.”

reCaptcha: valiantly watched

By: Florida

Florida — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:51:00 +0000

In regards to the Conch Republic, citizens who owned sea planes “attacked” Fort Jefferson by bombing it with stale cuban bread. However, the National Park service requested the “bombings” stop because it was increasing the rat population on the island.

By: David

David — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:11:00 +0000

Don’t forget the “Free State of Winston”.
During the Civil War, most of the citizens of Winston County in northwest Alabama refused to recognize the Confederacy. It all started when the county’s representative to the state secession convention landed himself in jail for refusing to sign Alabama’s ordinance of secession. Throughout the war, Winston County managed to avoid the yolk of Confederate control due to it’s isolated nature. This shunning of the Confederacy became the inspiration for “The Incident at Looney’s Tavern”, the state of Alabama’s official outdoor musical drama.

By: Claudia

Claudia — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:06:00 +0000

The Maritime Republic of Eastport has been trying to secede from the city of Annapolis forever…self admittedly a pub inspired movement. They have a tug of war over the river each year to prove their point….

By: Emilly S. S.

Emilly S. S. — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:31:00 +0000

Besides people don’t quite get wear we live. They don’t understand that it snows here. Not all of Jefferson, but in some towns it sure does.

By: nutmeag

nutmeag — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 12:18:00 +0000

The Act of Admission of Texas into the Union allows my home state to divide itself. If things had gone as planned in 1915, I would not be from the state of Texas, but rather the state of Jefferson (currently the Texas Panhandle). That could have been kind of confusing if the other State of Jefferson had also truly seceded.

By: Pointy-Hatted Geek

Pointy-Hatted Geek — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:10:00 +0000

Being a Jeffersonian myself, I think we should absolutely be allowed to secede. California’s too big anyway.

And then we would have half a sales tax…