Weekly Flag Challenge 205 Voting

[Demothenes]

Flag Challenge 205: Balkanized North America
In the future, where the US split into many successor states, create the flag of one of those nations.
Restrictions:
Can't be a current US State flag



Poll Opens: 4/17
Poll Closes 4/24/QUOTE]

Christian States of America (1867 - ?)
In this universe the American Civil War causes much more casualties leading to the already divided nation being plagued by new sentiments of separatism fueled by various extremist ideologies. Though the Civil War ends with the independence of the South from the Union, the wave of wartime horrors, the lack of relief from the government causes the south to split between the east and west. Similiar would happen between the Union states of the east and California later. However the Christian States of America, also simply known as the Christendom seceded, comprised of Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. As the people lost faith in a secularized society they turned back to the church, which gladly took over the power and orchestrated a coup and the eventual secession. The secession inspired separatist factions across the Union which began to crack in the coming decades. To ensure popularity, all christian religiouns were unified under the Southern Church, which didn't actually mean anything in practice as people still saw themselves as part of their own faith (e.g. a catholic and a protestant would be seen by the state as members of the Southern Church, though neither would see the other as having the same faith). Although the nation did become less of a theocracy and more secularized in latter decades, religion was still regarded as important by it's citizens. The position closest to a president, the High Pontiff, would keep it's name even after the church lost most of it's power.
The flag features 5 stars for the 5 member states and a cross protected by 4 lines symbolizing the christian religion which needs to be protected. The red, blue white colors are derrived from both the USA and CSA flags

Republic of California - Brief history​

After the confederated victory in Antietam, Thomas Starr King fails in its attempt to avoid the secession of California and in 1864, with the inevitable defeat of the Union, a referendum realized in California approves the secession.

This movement quickly expands to neighboring states of Nevada and Oregon, and the territories of Washington, Utah and west New Mexico, which, under the influence of Osborne Russel, join California.

The United States, exhausted by the struggle against the Confederation, was powerless to prevent this new secession, which, due to the distance and the abolitionist War, occurs in a peaceful manner, and recognizing the new independent country, on condition that it does not adhere to the Confederacy and remain free of slavery.

This bloodless birth contrasts with its first years of existence, during which it had to fight in the War of the Four Fronts, against the Republic of Texas, the Mexican Empire and, later, the Republic of Mexico. This conflict involved the newly born republics of California and Texas for control of the territories of Utah and New Mexico, but later they united against the expansionism of Maximilian of Mexico, and supported the struggle of Benito Juarez. However, after the triumph of the Republican leader, territorial tensions continued for the claim of lands belonging to Mexico prior to the Treaty of Guadalupe, until the Benito's death.

From the last quarter of the 19th century, California has a policy of rapprochement both with its Texan and Mexican neighbors and with the Union, while promoting its expansion through the Pacific Ocean (colonization of Alaska, occupation of Hawaii, intervention in the Philippines, etc).

In 1916, during the Great World War, the Republic of California supported the Central Empires against the Entente, obtaining significant profits at the expense of Great Britain and France in Southeast Asia, and intervened in favor of the White Movement in the Russian Civil War. However, in 1942 it became involved with the Empire of Japan for control of trade in China and, in general, throughout the Pacific. The war was long and bloody, in which the technological superiority of California prevailed, and it only ended in 1955 with an Armistice by virtue of which the maintenance of the status ante belum was agreed upon.

The Republic of California is a federal State, headed by a President of the Republic in charge of the executive branch and a bicameral Congress in charge of the legislative branch. It is a founding member of several international cooperation agencies, such as the League of Nations, the Organization of American States, the North Pacific and Southeast Asia Treaty, and the Antarthic Treaty.

 

[BelfastBrawler]

is this thing still alive ?

 

[FriendlyGhost]

I hope so - but I don't know when the poll closes.
@Demothenes - when will the poll close?