State of Virginia
Taken from
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System of Government: Directly Appointed Federal-State (Feudal Viceroyalty)
Head of state: Vice-Governor, appointed by President of USA
Population: 650,000
Religion: Nondenominational Christianity
Totemic Symbol: None
In the early days of the Great Emergency, Washington DC was exposed. Federal Authority had degraded to such a point where states openly warred against the federal government. The states surrounded DC each conspired to take the city and seize the church and old seat of federal power for themselves. Virginia was one of these states. However, when President George Washington II took power and drafted the Articles of Emergency, the anarchy around DC ended.
One of the first victims of the new Federal Government was the State of Virginia. Continual pressure from Federal Mercenaries and a blockade by the Navy brought the local warlord down. A federal army crossed the Potomac at the break of spring and made great haste to reach Richmond within 2 months. Rather than living off the land, this besieging force was supplied by the Navy, which was simultaneously blockading the Virginian coast. After 3 months of siege, then Virginian Governor George Dinwiddie tried to escape across the James River but was killed in his attempt by an arrow to his back. The remainder of his family was not spared. His sons were exiled to Newfoundland and his daughters given to the church.
Since then, the State of Virginia has been a vassal of the USA, the first line of defense and front line in the long-term federal project of reforging the union. Several ambitious vice-governors have attempted to declare themselves independent but usually insurrections are swiftly put down by armies from DC. These armies are composed of professional soldiers hardened by the constant skirmishes against DC's many enemies. Many of these soldiers are Hillbilly pikemen from the Pennsylvanian Appalachians who travel to DC to earn a wage. Others are Gullah, who have chosen to serve on land rather than on the ships of the Navy.
Not all vice-governors are content on taking orders from Baltimore but some are more successful than others in their bid for sovereignty. In times when the various merchant houses of Baltimore squabble with each other an ambitious vice-governor might take power and declare himself independent. This is generally supported by the various enemies of the USA who always like to see the US taken down a peg or so. The longest lasting period of Virginian independence happened in from 2612-2725 when General Adam Greencastle was also made Vice-Governor of Virginia. This was a grave mistake. After only 2 years, he declared himself independent and took much of the army with him. He was supported by the local nobility who had been denied representation in the House and could not become presidential electors. Greencastle won several battles and Baltimore eventually sued for peace. This peace would last until Greencastle's death in 2654. Afterwards, the USA and Virginia would continue to struggle with Virginian knights reaching the Potomac several times but never being able to cross it.
It was not until the presidency of President Grover Cleveland II in 2723 that an opportunity for the USA to reclaim Virginia emerged. Capturing Shenandoah County, a 3rd path into Virginia opened up. With his son and nephew, they led a 3-pronged campaign against Greencastle's great-grandson Peter. His son marching down the Shenandoah Valley, himself straight towards Richmond and his nephew leading a blockade, President Cleveland trapped the Virginian army at Gordonsville and inflicted a decisive defeat. The defeat then allowed the American army to capture Richmond and eventually the whole state.
Since that time, the sovereignty and symbols of Virginian independence have been eroded. No longer are military men allowed to become Governors. The original Virginian flag has been erased, replaced with the Coat of Arms of Thomas Jefferson. A similar process has also occurred to Delaware and Pennsylvania where the symbols of the Patriot-Saints have replaced the local state symbols. Maryland is the lone exception because the President in Baltimore simultaneously holds the title of Governor of Maryland. Furthermore, in states under direct federal control, Vice-Governors have no jurisdiction to appoint representatives to the Senate. Rather, these representatives are appointed by the President, generally with the approval of the Supreme Court. To prevent future insurrections, land owners in Federal States are able to send representatives to the House and join the Electoral College, having the same rights as any other land owner under Federal Jurisdiction.