Opdamsland
| Opdamsland | |
|---|---|
| Opdamslandt | |
 | |
 Location of Opdamsland | |
| Established | 1903 |
| Capital | Utrecht |
| Largest City |
|
| Population | 14 million |
| Languages | Amerikaans (lingua franca) Indigenous languages |
| Currency | Opdamslandt Guilder (OLG) |
Opdamsland (Amerikaens: Opdamslandt) is a country in central North America. Created after the Dutch-Mexican War in 1903 as a buffer state, Opdamsland borders Mexico, Tussenland and South Tussenland. It is the only landlocked North American nation and the only majority Amerindian nation on the continent. The capital of the country is Utrecht while the largest city is Etersheym (Burgos).
Etymology
The region of what is now Opdamsland was known by several names throughout history. During its time under the Dutch Tussenland colony, it was simply called the Tussenland Indian Territory (Amerikaens: Indisch Grondgebied van Tussenlandt). After it became part of New Spain after the 2nd Dutch-Spanish War, the Spanish started calling it the Acansa Territory. Opdamsland gained its modern name after the Dutch-Mexican War (1901-1903). It is derieved from the name of the explorer Cornelis Jacobszoon van Duvenvoorde Obdam, who was the primary surveyor of the area during the late 17th century.
There had been multiple attempts to change the country's name, most notably during Jan Wapamiathe's regime, but none were successful.
History
Opdamsland's history includes periods of Dutch, Spanish, and indigenous rule. The 19th century saw the forced relocation of thousands of indigenous peoples by the government of Tussenland, which led to the adoption of the lingua franca, Amerikaens. During the Second Dutch-Spanish War (1850-1855), the region was ceded to the Spanish crown colony of New Spain. Opdamsland gained independence after the Dutch-Mexican War (1901-1903) through the Treaty of Williamsburg (1903).
The newly established Tribal Council government was heavily influenced by Tussenland. However, the rise of the oil industry and Tussenland's economic domination within Opdamsland in the 1920s led to growing anti-Tussenlander sentiment.
The First Republic under Jan Wapamiathe (1937-1959) began with a coup in 1937, as Wapamiathe capitalized on anti-Tussenlander sentiment to seize power. During his rule, Wapamiathe nationalized the oil industry and enacted various cultural reforms. After his death in 1949, the Democratic Opdamsland era (1949-1958) followed, characterized by liberalization and regional integration. However, the new government's policies alienated the military, leading to a military junta in 1958. The Association of North American Nations (ANAN) chose not to intervene, prioritizing regional stability over the restoration of democracy in Opdamsland.
From 1963 to 1966, despite the ruling junta's control, pro-democracy movements resurged in Opdamsland, with activists and students campaigning for democratic governance. This rise in democratic sentiment, highlighted by a major protest and subsequent government crackdown in 1966, garnered international attention and outcry. In response to the junta's human rights abuses, prominent campaigns in countries like New Netherland and Mexico pressured the ANAN community to act. While initially hesitant, fearing a breach of regional cooperation principles, ANAN eventually imposed economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation against Opdamsland from 1969 to 1970, driven by initiatives from New Netherland and Mexico.
Yielding to these pressures, the junta capitulated in 1970, ushering in a new democratic era. The new democratic government that followed initiated reforms, particularly capitalizing on the booming oil industry for economic growth. However, this reliance on oil also tied the nation's economic stability to global market trends. By the mid-1980s, similar to other oil-dependent countries, Opdamsland experienced a currency crisis due to this vulnerability, prompting demands for further economic reforms.
Government and Politics
In Opdamsland, the administrative divisions were initially formed based on parcels of land assigned to various tribes by the Dutch colonial authorities during the relocation of natives in the 19th and early 20th centuries. When Opdamsland gained independence from the Dutch in 1903, these subdivisions were adopted by the new Opdamsland government and served as the foundation for the modern provincial divisions, with the native groups originally assigned to these territories having political and administrative control.
The power dynamics between the tribes and the central government have fluctuated throughout the region's history. During the Tribal Council period, the provinces enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, with each tribe governing its own territory. This era of self-rule reached its peak under the leadership of Jan Wapamiathe (1937-1959), as resources were nationalized and tribal influence was strengthened.
However, the subsequent military junta period (1958-19xx) marked a shift in the relationship between the tribes and the central government. While the tribes still maintained a degree of autonomy, tensions arose as the junta was uneasy with the level of self-governance held by the provinces.
Provinces of Opdamsland
- Caddo
- Kahicksie (Pawnee)
- Kitÿ-Kitisch (Wichita)
- Maskockie (Muscogee)
- Misurie-Oto-Ajoua (Missouri, Oto, Iowa)
- Nieuwkonscka (Osage)
- Ockapa (Quapaw)
- Omoho (Omaha)
- Sjouwanacki (Shawnee)
- Tetüwaen (Lakota)
- Tsjatah (Choctaw)
- Tsjickasja (Chickasaw)
- Union Territory
Demographics
Language
A specific dialect of Amerikaens influenced by indigenous American languages and Spanish is used widely throughout Opdamsland as a lingua franca. This dialect also has miniscule influences from southern Chinese dialects and Dutch creoles such as Kriool, spoken in South Tussenland.
Racial migration
Indigenous Americans
From 1750 to 1850, many native tribes within the Tussenland were displaced by the Iroquois, French Meerenland and Dutch Mississippian settlers. The Ozarks and the surrounding western borderlands with New Spain acted as a convenient place for displaced tribes to settle and congregate. Amongst these were the Tsjickasja (Chickasaw), Tsjatah (Choctaw), Sjouwanacki (Shawnee), Nieuwkonscka (Osage), and Ajoua (Iowa) tribes. At the turn of the 20th century during and immediately after the Tussenland Independence rebellion, thousands of members of the Tetoewaen (Lakota) nations were forced to migrate southward into the newly created Opdamsland.
European settlers
When Opdamsland was under Spanish and Mexican sovereignty from 1850 to 1903, a series of missions and forts were commissioned to solidify control over the region. In addition to this, 30 families of colonists from the Canaries were sent over to settle the region with loyal Catholics. This led to the long lasting presence of Catholicism in Opdamsland as well as other cultural and linguistic effects.
Chinese immigrants
A few thousand Chinese migrants from Mexico arrived in Acansa region in the aftermath of the mid-19th century Gold Rush. After the Second Spanish-Dutch War, the Chinese population became part of the region's commercial class. During the formation of Opdamsland in the late 19th century, a few Tussenlander Chinese emigrated to the area prior to independence in 1903, consolidating the position of the Chinese minority in the new nation. By the time of the Great War, much of the Chinese population had intermarried with indigenous tribes and adopted Western names.
See also
