Tussenland
Federation of Tussenland Federasie v'n Tussenland | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Coat of arms
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Motto: "Libertas et Unitas" | |
 | |
| Capital | Daesemus |
| Largest city | Peoria |
| Official languages | Amerikaens |
| Recognised regional languages | French (Meerenland) Irokees (Irokesenland) Corean (Westerzee) |
| Ethnic groups |
|
| Legislature | National Congress |
• Upper house | Council of Provinces |
• Lower house | National Assembly |
| Establishment | 1655 |
Tussenland (Amerikaens: Tussenlandt, French: Toussélande), officially the Federation of Tussenland, is a nation in North America. Tussenland is unique in that the country borders every nation of continental North America except New England. Along with Mexico, Tussenland stretches across the American continent bordering both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
Tussenland is the second largest nation by population in North America and the largest by land area. The nation's capital is the city of Daesemus, while the largest city is the lakeside metropolis of Peoria. Tussenland consists of ten federal provinces, each being autonomous to a certain extent.
Etymology
Tussenland is the English form of the country's name in Amerikaens: Tussenlandt, derived from tussenin (in between) and landt (country). This refers to how Tussenland's initial geographic position in the 18th century was exclusively between the Appalachian and Rocky mountain ranges. Although its territory has expanded since, the country's original name has been preserved.
History
The first Europeans - the French, Dutch, and English - made contact with the various tribal states such as the Sioux, the Kahoeki and the Sjouwanacki in the early 17th century. Multiple Dutch trading posts in the area were consolidated in the 1655 Charter, with several New French and Spanish explorers venturing into the area by the end of the century. The Dutch West India Company allied with the Hoodenoshieöné in the Treaty of 1658 in opposition to the English and their indigenous allies. This lead to the Quiripi Wars and eventually to the Second Anglo-Dutch War in the 1660s.
French explorers like Jacques Marquette founded several settlements in modern Meerenland. The most notable of these include Sault Ste. Marie (1668) and Fort St. Antoine (1686). Dutch settlers from New Netherland and overseas established cities like Daesemus and Fort Maurice at the same time.
After Prince Maurice's War, the Anglo-Dutch coalition sought concessions from New France. The Dutch acquired the Upper Country (French: Pays d'en Haut) and renamed it Meerenland in 1755. In the 1760s, the modern province of Mississippi was opened for settlement under the West India Company in order to consolidate the area against French, British, and indigenous aggression.
During the Augustine period, the Netherlands was subjugated by France, leading to the independence of New Netherland. However, this revolutionary spirit did not spread westwards. Eventually, the Royal Tussenland Company was established in 1815 to administer the Colony of Tussenland.
In the early 19th century, the Onatouwacka and Cajuckonoo nations of the Hoodenoshieöné moved southwards to present-day Irokesenland in order to resist increasing European settlement. The Irokees Grand Council signed a treaty with the Royal Tussenland Company in 1816, establishing the Protectorate of Irokesenland.
From 1810-1840, the western coast of Tussenland became a major trading hub with Asia. Numerous traders and settlers from Corea, Japan, and Soenda arrived in the present-day Westerzee province. On the other side of the continent, Virginia purchased a substantial amount of Appalachian lands from Tussenland in the 1848 Purchase.
In the 1850s, the Second Dutch-Spanish War wrecked havoc across the continent. The Dutch was forced to cede territory to New Spain. Inspired by the Zoekerist message of Abajomie, the slaves of South Tussenland established an independent state and became sovereign in 1855. At the same time, the Tussenland Upheavals began, eventually leading to Tussenland's independence with the Edict of 1861.
Gold rushes occurred in the Black Hills region of colonial Mexico, leading to an influx of Dutch settlers. This resulted in the outbreak of the Dutch-Mexican War of 1903. Tussenland recovered several lost territories and consolidated its position as an American power. The Amerikaens Free State was created shortly after, becoming a cultural and geographical buffer between Mexico and Tussenland. Immigration to Tussenland also began soaring, with Westerzee soon becoming a majority-Asian province by the middle of the century.
Throughout the early 20th century, several armed conflicts with the Netherlands threw the nation into chaos and forced Tussenland to assert its own identity. The creation of the Land Agency eventually led to the establishment of Crÿnssensland and Ruytersland and the expulsion of many indigenous Americans to Opdamsland. Soon, an oil boom swept parts of the country, creating the National Energy Corporation in 1912. In 1927, President Maurits Teysmin proposed a pre-emptive strike against Alyeska to neuter Russian influence. This was vastly unpopular, leading to the election of President Cornelis Laurensz in 1929 & Tussenland's involvement in the Great War. However, the prospect of war with Mexico and New Netherland forced Tussenland to completely withdraw in 1937. Laurensz's blunder was considered a national embarassment, with the National Assembly forcibily removing him from office not long after.
Government and Politics
Tussenland is a bicameral federal republic consisting of ten semi-autonomous provinces and a federal district. The country operates under a president-parliamentary system and a fusion of powers. The powers of the government are defined and regulated by an uncodified constitution, the National Canon.
| Federal republic | |
| |
| Formation | 1861 |
|---|---|
| Uncodified constitution | National Canon |
| Country | Tussenland |
| Legislative branch | |
| Legislature | National Congress |
| Assembly members | 280 |
| Executive branch | |
| Leader | President |
| Main body | National Cabinet |
| Headquarters | Daesemus |
| Judicial branch | |
| Seat | Daesemus |
The Federal Government
The Federal Government of Tussenland (Amerikaens: De Staetsoverhed v'n Tussenlandt) is the central government of Tussenland based in the federal district of Daesemus, sharing power with subnational provincial administrations.
Executive and legislature
Tussenland's government possesses a certain fusion of powers (a concept known as Fusiemag), with the leader of the Cabinet, the Prime Minister, being accountable to both the President and the National Congress.
The President is popularly elected via majoritarian vote, exercising their authority using powers granted by the National Canon. Each presidential term is six years, with a two-term limit. The President is also responsible for appointing the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. The Cabinet, traditionally, focuses on economic and domestic policy, with diplomacy and foreign affairs being mainly handled by the chief executive. Both must have the confidence of the legislature to remain in power.
The National Congress is the bicameral legislature of the nation, divided into the National Assembly and the Council of Provinces. The National Assembly consists of elected representatives, twenty from province and the federal district for a total of 220 members. They are elected by majoritarian vote through an open-list proportional election from provincial constituencies.
A weaker institution, the Council of Provinces is the 60-member upper house. 1/3 of members are appointed by provincial legislatures every six years with with a limit of two terms. The remaining 2/3 are elected for six-year staggered terms with seats given proportionally to provincial populations based on the most recent census data. The Council has the authority to veto legislation with a simple majority, admit new member provinces and territories to the Federation, and can advise the executive on the appointment or dismissal of ministers.
Judiciary
The judiciary of Tussenland is divided into three categories and one special court. The Special Federal Tribunal is used almost exclusively for matters considered of 'grave national importance'.
| Court name | Jurisdiction | |
|---|---|---|
| Supreme Court | Höchraed v'n Tussenland | Tussenland |
| Special Federal Tribunal | Speciael Federael Tribunael | |
| Provincial Courts | Provinciale Rechtbancs | Respective provinces |
| Magistrate Courts | Hîmraeds | Respective districts |
Provincial Governments of Tussenland
Each of the eleven provinces in Tussenland has its own semi-autonomous government, which includes an executive branch led by a Governor, a legislative assembly, and a provincial court system. The provinces have the power to create and enforce laws relating to areas that are not explicitly assigned to the federal government by Tussenland's National Canon. This includes areas like education, health care, and local infrastructure. Provinces also have the power to levy taxes, manage natural resources within their boundaries, and establish municipal governments. However, any laws or regulations created by the provincial governments must not contradict the Natinal Canon or laws of the federal government.
The provincial governments are further divided into three more layers of local governance to effectively manage their territories. These sub-divisions are known as Districts (Districktens), Municipalities (Gemîntes), and Communes (Dorps).
| Name | Cities | Creation | Type | Map | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital | Largest | |||||
| Meerenland | ML | Saint-Alexis | Peoria | 1861 | Province | 
|
| Irokesenland | IK | Bloemendael | 1861 | |||
| Mississippi | MI | Groenveld | Kruysdorp | 1861 | ||
| North Mizürie | ZM | New Amsterdam | 1905 | |||
| South Mizürie | NM | Zweerstad | ||||
| Crÿnssensland | CY | Nackota | Batavia | 1910 | ||
| Ruytersland | RU | Melckstad | 1911 | |||
| Westerzee | WZ | Melenssel | 1861 | |||
| West Vorstland | WV | Slavensmîr | Fort Lowland | 1871 | Territory | |
| East Vorstland | OV | Edgarville | ||||
| Daesemus | GL | Daesemus | 1861 | Federal district | ||
Demographics
Gallery
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Before and After the Dutch-Mexican War (1901-1903) (Reddit Post)
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Territorial Evolution of Dutch America (1800-1850) (Reddit post)
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Territorial Evolution of Dutch America (1850-1890) (Reddit post)
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19th century migrations into Irokesenlandt (Reddit post)
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Claims in America before and after the war (Reddit post)
List of flags
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
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1855 - 1861 | Ensign of the Royal Tussenland Company
Flag of the Dominion of Tussenland |
A white field with a canton bearing the Dutch flag |
|
1861 - present | Flag of the Federation of Tussenland | Five horizontal stripes of red, white, blue, white, and yellow, the white stripes being smaller than the others |
