>>16809900As the 20th century drew to a close, tensions between the Pacific Northwest and the federal government in Washington D.C. had reached a boiling point. The region, comprising the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho, had long felt neglected by the rest of the country, and resentment had been growing for decades.
Finally, in the late 1990s, a group of influential politicians and business leaders in the region banded together to form the Cascadia Independence Movement. They argued that the Pacific Northwest, with its unique culture and abundant natural resources, would be better off as a sovereign nation rather than being tied to the rest of the United States.
At first, the movement was met with widespread skepticism and derision. Many people believed it was nothing more than a pipe dream, and that the region would never be able to survive on its own. But as the years went on, the movement gained momentum, and soon it had the support of a significant portion of the population.
In the early 2000s, the leaders of the movement decided it was time to make a formal declaration of independence. On July 4th, 2005, they held a large rally in the capital city of Olympia, Washington, where they formally declared the creation of the Republic of Cascadia.
The federal government was initially hesitant to recognize the new nation, but as it became clear that the people of Cascadia were serious about their independence, they eventually relented. In 2007, the United States and Cascadia signed a treaty recognizing the new country's sovereignty.
