Republic of Ohio

The Republic of Ohio was a former state of the North American Confederation. A successor state to the Ohio Empire, the Republic had a series of governments over a period of five years, ranging from periods of complete anarchy to absolute monarchy. The state was a major player during the Meek government and pre-Interregnum Confederation, containing the headquarters of the North American Liberty Party. Upon the abdication of Emperor William, the collapse of the Meek government, and the beginning of the interregnum, the transitional government of the Republic failed and the state fell into a four year period of anarchy, wherein no official government body was in charge. The Republic remained in a period of lawlessness until 2015. With the appointment of Joseph Marx as the new Prime Minister of the North American Confederation, Ohio was restored as a monarchy before being replaced by the democratic Commonwealth of Greene on the 19 September 2015, with the passage of the Land Claims Act.

History
The history of the Republic of Ohio can be divided into three distinct periods; the Transitional period, the Anarchic period, and the Restoration period.

Transitional Period
The transitional period is marked by the efforts of the early Confederation to establish a more permanent governing body for Ohio. Efforts were slow-going however, as many of the issues which had plagued earlier Ohioan nations continued to affect the fledgling republic. Chief among these was a lack of active citizenry which made a representative democracy impractical. The Republic might have recovered from these issues had the transitional government not been caught up in the chaos which resulted with the collapse of the Meek government. The transitional government soon followed suit, with efforts to possibly restore the Imperial throne failing soon after with the refusal of Governor Marx, who quietly entered retirement. With the lack of any official or recognized government, the Republic entered a period of inactivity and anarchy.

Anarchic Period
The period of time between 2011 and 2015 saw numerous nations, both inside Ohio and outside attempt to regain control. Following the secession of the Eniarku, the newly formed Eniarkian Confederation attempted to claim the Republic for themselves. This effort was not recognized by any Ohioan citizen and the Eniarkian Confederation soon collapsed. The Eniarkians were just one of many attempts to restore order to the crippled nation. At least four recorded Ohioan nations rose and fell during the Anarchic period, with none able to maintain any permanent order. It wasn't until May 2015 that a new provisional Confederate government could be established, under Joseph Marx, who used his right as Emperor of Ohio to restore order and propose the establishment of a new republic.

Restoration Period
The restored monarchy of Ohio lasted only four months before the passage of the Land Claims Act reorganized the nation into the Commonwealth of Greene in September 2015. Preceding the reorganization, Joseph Marx signed the Unification Agreement of 2015, relinquishing his powers as Emperor to Emperor William's son, becoming the first Prince of Ohio, a title he took as heir to the North American throne.

Geography and Demography
The territorial claims of the Republic were often contradictory and changing based upon the government in question, often ranging from the entire state of Ohio to Greene County alone. Due to the chaos of the Anarchic period, many record for the demographics of Ohio are based on conjecture or outright nonexistent. The population of the state during the Transitional period is generally agreed to be around 2-3 citizens at its height, each with varying levels of activity. The population during the anarchic period is completely unknown, as there were no records kept during this time. Upon the restoration of the Republic, a new batch of citizens and increased participation led to a population of eight active citizens.

Legacy
The Republic of Ohio was one of the founding states of the North American Confederation and was the one most deeply tied to the nation's survival. When the Confederate government collapsed, it brought the Ohioan government with it. This connection continues to this day, with most Ohioan citizens playing some role in national politics. Many of the issues which had plagued early Ohioan nations continued to affect the Republic during the Transitional period and this has had a profound effect upon the Ohioan approach to micronational politics, with many Ohioans now advocating social, cultural, and economic initiatives over military ones.