Brazoria

The Republic of Brazoria is a located in central, composed of 23 provinces and one territory. Brazoria is bordered to the east by the, to the north by Wabash, to the west by Sierra, to the south by Mexico, and to the southeast by the. Brazoria also maintains the territory of the Lamar Islands in the southern, which are located to the north of and apart of the larger  island chain. Overall, Brazoria has a total land area of about 724,164 square miles, making it the world's 17th largest country by land area. Brazoria also has an estimated population of 42,414,888 as of 2015, making it the 33rd largest country in the world by population.

Brazoria is a with a  and a. There are 23 provinces which have minimal governing power, with most of the governance of the nation extending from the national government based out of the capital city of Austin. The Congress is made up of the Senate and the National Assembly, with the Senate consisting of two representatives from each province and the National Assembly assigning seats based upon the population of each individual province. The Congress has the power to create laws with the approval of the President. Elections for members of congress occur every two years. The President is the and the effective, with the president being elected popularly by a national vote every four years. The President has the power to form a Cabinet with the approval of the Congress, with each minister in the Cabinet being a head of a specific division of the executive power under the President. The Supreme Court is appointed by the President and approved by the Congress, and it has the power to validify congressional and presidential actions according to the Constitution. This system of government was adopted after the passage of the Constitution by the representatives of the people on March 19, 1848.

The earliest inhabitants of Brazoria were various indigenous tribes scattered across the country, with hundreds of different cultures and languages flourishing in the period before European exploration. was the first European nation to enter into and explore Texas, doing so as early as 1526 with the expedition led by along the Gulf Coast of the country. While Spain had de facto claim to the lands, the established the short-lived  in 1685, prompting the Spanish to further settle and explore the region and properly take the land for the, with Spain annexing the territory properly in 1690. Spain would allow light settlement throughout its rule, but with the in 1821, rule of lower Brazoria proper reverted to Mexican sovereignty. With the allowance of the Mexican government, s such as would populate lower Brazoria with -speaking settlers. Discontent with the oppressive policies of Mexico, these settlers would rebel in the in 1835 and create the  in 1836. Texas would remain an independent country without the recognition of its former master, negotiating several deals with foreign powers, including the Treaty of New Orleans in 1841 with the United States. Abysmal relations with Mexico would lead to the instigation of the Mexican-American War in 1845, leading to the recognition of Texan independence by Mexico and the independence of the California Republic as well in 1848. A new constitution was established in 1848, creating the new Brazorian state and its system of government.

Immigration, especially from, would rise to dramatic levels throughout the later half of the nineteenth century, and former Confederate soldiers would help populate the more desolate interior regions following the conclusion of the. The second phase of industrial expansion on a global scale would see the development of a strong, independent Brazorian economy that began to end its reliance upon foreign countries following the economic crisis caused by the. Although industrialism would become prevalent, would rise in response to increasingly monopolistic business practices across the country, and the discovery of oil at  would usher in an era of prosperity and progress that would become characteristic of the turn of the century. While Brazoria remained neutral in the because of its high levels of German immigrants, the nation would align itself more closely with the United States than ever before. The and the  both caused massive economic and societal discord for the country, especially in more rural, agricultural areas. Thousands would migrate to neighboring countries, prompting the government to introduce stricter economic controls that would ultimately see the end of true economics. While initially neutral, Brazoria joined the in 1942 alongside the United States, solidifying the bond between the two countries and causing a unique cultural movement within Brazoria among German immigrants. Brazoria would join in 1949, signalling the nation's opposition to the  during the. Brazoria would largely remain neutral throughout many of the conflicts caused by the war, and economic growth throughout the later half of the twentieth century would lead to a strong economy into the next. Brazoria was only moderately affected by the, and the nation recovered quickly from any economic abnormalities.

The economy of Brazoria is considered to be a  with generally high standard of living and a moderate cost of living. The economy is considered to be very free in terms of small enterprise, while restrictions from the government are slightly more restrictive the larger a company is. As corporate taxes are generally low, many companies are attracted to Brazoria for its central position in North America and its historical access as a railroad and shipping center for the continent as a whole. A resource rich country, Brazoria has a diverse economy that is largely based upon a mixture of services and manufacturing. Agriculture has played a significant role in the history and culture of the country, and continues to do so in the contemporary period, but over time, the importance of agriculture as an economic facet has dwindled with the growth of the urban industrial economy. Standards of education, sanitation, health, and general livability are high, while mortality, disease, and crime rates are generally low. Brazoria is considered to be politically and economically free.

Brazoria enjoys warm relations with most other western country, and the nation has held a strong, lasting alliance with the since its foundation as Texas in 1836. Other nations with which Brazoria holds an amicable relationship with are Sierra, Wabash, Scandinavia, and Germany. Brazoria was a founding member of the League of Nations and the, and it is also a member of the , the , the , and the.

Etymology
The word Brazoria comes from a combination of the word , a river of certain importance to the history of the country, with that of the Latin suffix -ia, meaning land or country. The name for the nation was adopted with the contemporary constitution on March 19th, 1848, to signal the change from the early beginning of the country to that of its current existence. Before 1848, the country was officially referred to as Texas, which stems from a word meaning friendship. The name Texas is still sometimes used to refer to the country in a formal manner, especially when drumming up a love for one's homeland from the audience. In both names, the addendum to the word was Republic of, signifying the unitary solidarity of the country as a single political entity.

Early period
The lands now making up Brazoria were originally inhabited by various bands of peoples who arrived over the  approximately 20000 years ago. While the vast majority of the native peoples in the pre-Columbian period were related to the or the, the  in the far west of the country are believed to have been apart of cultures which existed to the west or even south of contemporary Brazoria. The most eminent tribe in the region shortly before the arrival of Europeans was the, who spread out across a vast part of the plains making up contemporary nation-state. While no certain group of native cultures had an effective hegemony established over the country, the Comanche were the most powerful and the largest inhabiting the greatest area with the arrival of the in 1526.

Colonial period
The first Europeans to explore the lands now making up Brazoria were s, the first being under an expedition originally led by  in 1526. While Narváez did not make it to the end of the journey, among the men was, responsible for the first identifications of the tribes and landscape of the region which was to become known as Texas. This original expedition was followed by that of, who searched across the western and central portions of the contemporary nation of Brazoria in order to find the fabled in 1540. Although these explorers claimed all the lands of the region for Spain, the area was largely ignored, and even the missionaries of the area fled after the in 1680 forced many Catholic priests out of the lands to the west of the Texan heartland.

A group of French settlers led by would settle at  in 1684 near, although they originally intended to settle at the mouth of the. While the fort was destroyed by disease and native attacks by as late as 1689, the Spanish would see the settlement as the sign of encroaching French interests into what they had claimed as Spanish territory, and began to fund further expeditions and missionary settlements throughout the region, also returning to the territory of the Pueblo indians from which they had been ousted. founded the first Spanish mission in the more eastern part of the Texas region, near present day San Antonio in 1690. The mission was at first unsuccessful with the priests leaving after a year, and after twenty years of Spanish disinterest, the country would only establish new settlements when the missionary threatened to ask for French help in building new settlements in 1711. The first Spanish settlement composed of mostly civilians was, serving as a way station between New Spain and the new settlements.

The in 1718 saw brief tensions between the French and the Spanish in what was to become Pinewood, but overall, not blood would be shed because of the conflict in the Texan heartland. The Spanish fought with the because of their alliance with the, but later, in 1749, negotiated a peace with the Apache that angered the larger. While preoccupied with the Comanche in the west, the end of the saw the leave of the French in the east in 1763. While the Spanish government ordered a relocation of some settlers to San Antonio, some remained in the east and founded the town of around an older mission. In 1785, the Comanche agreed to a peace treaty, and soon after formed an alliance with the Spanish. By 1790, native raids on Spanish settlements came to an end with Comanche assistance, and by 1793, the mission at San Antonio was secularized.

In 1799, Spain returned Louisiana to France, but neither properly defined the border between Louisiana and Texas, and as a result the would lead to a border dispute between the  and Spain. The dispute would continue until 1819, with the, which defined the as the Spanish-American border. While Spain retained de jure control of following the 1808 transfer of power to, the colony as a whole would begin to fall into disorder, and following the end of the  in 1821, Texas and associated territories would become apart of  without any major fighting.

Settlement and Revolutionary period
After the independence of Mexico in 1821, the lands of the contemporary country of Brazoria would become apart of that country. In particular, Texas became apart of the state of in 1824, although the region could opt to become its own state when it deemed such an action feasible. New Mexico and the lands to the north of the became the independent territories of New Mexico and the Great Plains respectively. The same year, the new government created the, allowing for foreigners to settle in Mexico without hindrance in order to bolster immigration and population, especially in the more sparsely populated areas of the nation in order to protect from constant comanche raids. The policies were aimed at the, in order to draw immigrants from that area specifically, as many Americans desired to move out into the Great Plains and into Texas.

The first  grant was made to, whose son, , commonly considered to be the Father of Brazoria, followed through on his father's plans and led the  to settle in Texas, with Mexican permission, along the. Twenty-three other empresarios brought settlers to the state, the majority from the United States. A great number of these settlers owned slaves, and the Mexican government gave the Texans a one year exemption from an edict in 1829 outlawing slavery. In 1830, however, ordered that all slaves be immediately freed. The colonists circumvented the law by making all slaves s indefinitely, but contention still persisted between the Mexican federal government the American colonists. Bustamante outlawed immigration from the United States in 1830, and he also ordered the construction of new s in the region to oversee immigration and federal taxation and customs. As no efficient land routes existed with Mexico, the easiest form of trade was by sea and river with the United States. The move to enforce federal customs on citizens of the region angered many, leading to revolts such as the in 1832. After the in 1832, which broke out when federal troops attempted to take the firearms of all colonists, Mexican troops fled Texas entirely. At the, the colonists demanded that Texas become its own state. The following year, Stephen F. Austin was sent to to negotiate with the federal government, where he was jailed for two years on suspicion of treason. The centralist reforms of caused the colonists to revolt entirely, signalling the beginning of the  in 1835.

The unrest against Mexican authorities became full-scale armed conflict with the, considered to be the first real battle of the revolution. On March 2nd, 1836, representatives at signed the, effectively establishing the Republic of Texas. The declaration was justified in that the Mexican government had gone back on its promise in preserving the republican values that the colonists enjoyed in their homeland, and that the Mexican government had annulled the federal pact preserving the rights of the individual states of Mexico that existed during the time of the initial settlement of Texas. After the declaration, many colonists believed the war to be over and left the to return to their homes. Many remaining soldiers were from the United States, and because of this, the Mexican congress declared that any foreigner fighting against the federal government was to be executed, signifying that it would not take prisoners of war.

President Antonio López de Santa Anna personally led 6,000 troops north to quell the revolutionaries, leading the bulk to besiege the in San Antonio. General would lead a contingent of soldiers up the coastline, a move which would culminate in the, where 300 revolutionaries would be executed. After a, Santa Ana was victorious in overwhelming and annihilating nearly 200 defenders, all of which were either killed in the fighting or executed afterwards. News of Mexican brutality and revolutionary defeats influenced the, in which many settlers fled to the east, with most rejoining the Texian Army and some returning to the United States. After several weeks of maneuvering, the revolutionaries were able to catch the Mexican Army off guard in the, capturing Santa Ana and forcing him to sign the , ending the war. The Mexican government, however, would continue to refuse to recognize the independence of Texas, and thus, never formally ratified the treaties itself.

Old Republic period
The newly created Republic of Texas was first based out of the capital city of, and the capital would later be moved to Houston and eventually to Austin. The first president was, who at first pursued a policy which aimed to have the republic annexed by the neighbouring United States as soon as was possible. Fearing the addition of new territory would mean an expansion of the opposing side, both pro-slavery and anti-slavery legislators in the Congress denied the request of the Republic to be annexed. In 1838, with the election of the nationalist, the offer of annexation was rescinded by the Republic, and instead, negotiations were opened to form a political and military alliance between the two countries. Lamar also expanded the government to include state-operated education, formed a standing army to oppose a hostile Mexico, and signed a treaty with the United Kingdom which vowed to outlaw slavery by 1840 entirely in exchange for monetary support. Lamar sent the in 1841, aimed at taking the territory claimed for proper Texan governance.

Also in 1841, Lamar signed the Sabine Pact with the United States, a military and political agreement which allowed the United States to formalized the boundaries of the Republic which that of American claims west of the Mississippi River in exchange for the unrestricted crossing of either nation's border and the creation of several American military garrisons in key locations. This would heighten tensions with Mexico, of which raiding parties were frequently attacking Texan towns on the border. Lamar used the money from the United Kingdom to pay off American defensive positions, and, because of the in 1846, Mexico and the United States would declare war upon each other, beginning the Mexican-American War. Although no battles would be fought in Texas proper, the nation would be used as a staging point to invade Mexico from, and two years later, after intensive fighting in the Mexican homeland, Mexico would surrender with the. The treaty saw the formal recognition of Texan borders, the establishment of American military installations in Mexico, and the independence of the neighbouring California Republic, which would later become Sierra.

Following the surrender of Mexico and the formal installation of Texan governance in the newly acquired territories to the east, the government of the Republic called for a convention to be held to reorganize the governing structure of the nation. The Convention of 1848, held in the capital city of Austin, lasted for about a month after the ratification of the treaty. In the convention, a new constitution was created, along with the adoption of a new name and new regional governing structure. As the Republic had expanded to its desired boundaries and no longer was contested with Mexico, a new government was created to signify the creation of a new and lasting nation-state. The name Brazoria was adopted with the new constitution, and the days of Old Texas had largely come to an end.

Golden period
The new government inherited a vast amount of unsettled lands and untapped resources following the adoption of the new constitution. The post-war nation grew rapidly as immigrants from Europe, especially the, poured into the nation to establish new settlements. Through organizations such as the, thousands of German immigrants came to Brazoria, settling across the plains in the central portion of the Republic. The acted as a catalyst for increased German settlement, with many of the new arrivals being educated business men and artisans. The Germans would continue to arrive in greater numbers than any other European migrants until 1890. Czechs also made up a considerable amount of immigrants to Brazoria, and would make up a large number of the migrants settling in the provinces of Hillstead and Bexar. As slavery was illegal, plantation agriculture became much less popular in the province of Pinewood. As a result, logging and forestry grew much more widespread among inhabitants, and most former slaveholders relocated east back to the.

Following the beginning of the in 1860, Brazoria vehemently opposed the  and swore its absolute loyalty to the Union forces. Troops and supplies were sent to bolster the Union, many of which were German volunteers, and the small elements which made up the Texan Navy assisted in the Anaconda Plan of the Union. Trade with Mexico was blocked, and essentially, the Confederacy was completely surrounded by the end of the war. Following the end of the war, many former soldiers and citizens of the Confederacy migrated to the Brazorian plains in order to found a new life for themselves. Both freedmen and former soldiers sought to establish homesteads granted by the national government, and many institutions were funded by the government to further bolster settlers into the region. With the completion of many rail links to the United States, the cattle industry boom, and along with it, the ideas of the and the  which would represent a major part of Brazorian culture and history.

As migrants and industries began to enter boom periods in the later half of the 19th century, large companies would emerge through the creation of various monopolies in enterprises which had experienced positive economic growth because of the earlier national growth in population and manpower. Such business as Foreman Steel Company and Pine-Bayou Rail would become the center of political tensions, as corruption ran rampant into the late decades of the century. Following the, which demonstrated a clear economic reliance upon the United States and the monopoly of certain businesses over certain industries, took hold in the country with rapid speed. The Progressive Party, the first formal political party in the country, took power in the national government and began a process of stamping out corruption and popularizing the idea of under the reforms of then-President James Hogg. With the beginning of the following the discovery at  in 1901, the effects of interventionism had allowed for s to prosper and growth the wealth of the country in such a way that more than a single class of people were affected by the massive economic boom with the discovery of oil.

The oil boom represented an economic rebirth for Brazoria, as the formerly monopolized industries had taken time to recuperate from massive changes in management. The port city of had also been hit with a major  the previous year, paving the way towards the growth of Houston as a major city in the nation. The was constructed in the aftermath of the hurricane, and upon its completion, Houston grew rapidly to become the largest city in the nation. With migrants flooding into the nation to settle in both the lower and upper portions of the country, the stability of the economic booms of the early 20th century would be abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of the in 1914.

Interwar period
The beginning of the First World War would put Brazoria into an awkward position in terms of international relations. While until this point the nation had maintained excellent relations with the neighboring United States, the outbreak of a war with the posed a risk to the Brazorian people because of the strong German ethnicity and identity of many Brazorians. As a result, many Brazorians opposed going to war, and as such, when the United States requested military aid following their own declaration in 1917, the Brazorian government refused because of outspoken popular demand. This move angered the United States federal government, although the largely accepting nature of President would not cause any major diplomatic severances between the two countries. Nonetheless, the long alliance that had been held with the United States would temporarily break down. Following the war, Brazoria received many destitute German migrants, and the nation joined the early League of Nations in 1920.

The boom in following the war was largely the result of spillover economic growth from the United States, and overall, economic conditions allowed for massive growth in domestic business as a result of a  in Europe. Many industries in Brazoria grew because of goods shortages overseas, and for the most part, the growth in domestic income saw the development of an avant garde cultural movement that captivated younger citizens. A great amount of disposable wealth, a high spread of wealth, and a boom in consumer economics would see the rise of middle and upper classes in popular cultural movements and the beginning of modern cultural standards in terms of wealth and acceptable norms. The, beginning in 1929, would largely end this movement, however, as many lost their businesses and wealth because of a global collapse in enterprise. Compounded by the, the economic depression severely limited the ability of farmers to produce goods because of massive inflation of prices. While less directly effected than rural citizens, people in urban areas also saw a change in lifestyle because of goods shortages and loss of overall capital. Many economic institutions were reformed and the national government assumed control over most businesses which had defaulted. The depression ended in Brazoria by the beginning of 1936, after intensive economic reform undertaken by the government.

The broke out in 1939 with the invasion of  by. At first, the Brazorian government remained alongside the American government to the east and remained neutral in the conflict. However, at the request of the in 1942, the United States entered the war, and Brazoria joined its American allies certain that the nation stood for the values of democracy rather than the lines of entho-centric nation states. Victory in the Second World War elevated the status of Brazoria in terms of economic power, as once again Europe was left without proper manufacturing and an overflow existed in Brazoria. This time, however, the national government set limits on exports and managed the outflow of goods by its own terms, largely restricting exploitive trade with a devastated Europe. The prosperity following the war would see an era of conservatism and anti-communism surge within the nation, as many saw the as the primary threat to the interests of the people following the end of the Second World War.

Conservative period
Immediately following the end of the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union would begin vying for influence around the world, with Brazoria quickly falling into the sphere of the United States. Politically and military aligned with the United States for decades, Brazoria was a close friend of the country, and military relations had been expanded because of their coordination in the Second World War. Fearing the rise of as a revolutionary and dangerous ideology to the preservation of Brazorian prosperity, many begun to fear the spread of Soviet influence as subversive and threatening to the Brazorian way of life. The quickly came to Brazoria from the United States, and hundreds of individuals would be tried as threats to the Brazorian nation during the period.

Brazoria would aid American forces in various attacks on foreign nations during the in an attempt to prevent the spread of communism. Brazoria participated in both the and the  in assistance to the Americans, with a great deal of personnel and equipment sent to aid American troops in the regions and prevent the fall of the countries to communism. A substantial would develop as a result of an oppressively conservative psyche during the early phases of the Cold War, and as a result of the liberal notions of the counterculture, the  would spread into Brazoria. The political ideas of, , and would become major topics in Brazorian politics, although to a lesser degree than that of the United States because of Brazoria's history of progressive politics and acceptance of diverse viewpoints. While conservatism would still make a major impression in neighboring America with the notion of, Brazoria would remain fairly interventionist in its political views and easily shed the shun of liberalism and socialism with the end of the Cold War in 1991.

Contemporary period
Brazoria would join alongside the United States in the in 1990. In doing so, Brazoria would become implicit in Middle Eastern affairs and foreign policy would continue to remain a prominent subject in the nation following the end of the Cold War. Socialism also grew to a considerable extent than it had before, with the Socialist Party taking more seats than it ever had before to become the largest third party. With a coalition between the Progressives and the Socialists, new economic reforms were passed under the successive presidencies of various leaders, in which projects such as and  were expanded by the government. Brazoria also took a hard-line stance against the emergence of following the beginning of the  in 2001. The country partook in the and oversaw the management of military aid to the United States in the coordinated strikes of terrorist outposts throughout the Middle East. The had a mild effect on the Brazorian economy, but all impacts were resolved by the end of 2009. The country has remained relatively stable overall since the withdrawal of troops from Iraq in 2004.

Geography
Brazoria as a whole is largely divided into four large, distinct geographical regions that are defined mostly by a combination of their topography and climate. The largest region in the country is the, which make up the majority of the interior of the nation. Across the entirety of the region it is flat without much for elevation change or rise, though such persists in the southern of the Texan heartland. The next largest of the regions is the region that is largely unevenly elevated and made up of extensive deserts. A variety of mountain ranges are separated by vast tracts of desert in this region, and the ecology largely reflects this. The third largest region of Brazoria is the plains which border the. These plains are extensively covered with and tall grasses, with virtually no differentiation in elevation throughout the entirety of the geographic region. The smallest of the four regions is the region, which covers a great deal of the province of Pinewood. Unique for being largely gentle hills and low, flat lands covered by pine forests, the Piney Woods are a larger part of the huge forest groups which cover the. Brazoria also has a great deal of mountain ranges, especially in the far northwestern portion of the country. The highest peak in the nation is, which rises 14,440 feet above sea level.

The climate of the country largely varies by the regions which make up specific areas. The Great Plains have a continental climate with cold winters and hot summers, with a moderate amount of rainfall compared to most other continental climates around the world. The Western Approach has a desert climate with mild winters and very hot summers, with a very low amount of rainfall year-round. The Gulf Coast has a humid continental climate with mild winters and hot, moist summers, and rainfall is particularly heavy in the region all year. The Piney Woods have a humid continental climate similar to that of the Gulf Coast, although extremes are not as well moderated as they are in the coastal Gulf Plains region.