Central Prestonia

The Federal Havenic Republic of Central Prestonia

Motto: United We Shall Triumph
Spoken Languages  - Official	English, Russian, Volscian
Capital	Hudson
President	Justin M. Gannon
Area  - Total  - % water	km²
Population  - Total (2007)	approximately 600 million
Establishment  - Current Form	June 18th, 1759
Government Type	American System
Constitutional Form	Federal republic
GDP (2005)   - Total (USD)   - GDP/capita (USD)	$33,605
GDP Growth Rate:	4.38%
Unemployment:	3.81%
Currency	1 Prestonian Dollar (P$) = 100 cents (c))
International Abbreviations	FHRCP, FHRP
Naval Craft Classification   - Prestonian Navy   - Prestonian Merchant Marines   - Prestonian Coast Guard	RPS PMMS PCGS
National Anthem	Rise, O Voices of Prestonia
Internet TLD	.cp
Calling Code	+27

The Federal Havenic Republic of Central Prestonia occupies a large peninsula on the south-central continent of Haven. The landmass is comprised of the peninsula, two major islands, and a chain of several smaller ones. It borders the Aralonian Channel and Ambrose Sea on the south and east, and Kashmire on the west. The nation also borders unclaimed land to the northwest, which it once attempted to annex.

History

Ancient Prestonia

The land known as Prestonia first shows up in text circa 500 BC, where it is mentioned in an epic poem of unknown origin. Recent evidence suggests that around this time, several samll city-states had formed in the valley of the Freedom River. By 100 BC these city-states had unified into a powerful empire, called Salusia, and controlled most of the peninsula. However, the empire's reign would be short-lived. In 61 AD, Romans under the command of Marcus Prestonius landed at the mouth of the Freedom, and claimed the land for Rome. Naming the land Prestonium in honor of the expedition's leader, the Emperor gave Prestonius the governorship of his new-found province. This did not sit well with the Salusians, and the two groups warred several times. In AD 117, the Romans defeated the Salusians, under the command of Olrean the Destroyer, and finally asserted control of the area. According to legend, Olrean's head was mounted and put on display by governor Titus Prestonius.

Establishing an Empire

With the fall of the Roman Empire, Prestonium was in effect given independence. The newly independent Prestonian Empire wasted little time in flexing it's muscle, setting out to conquer the rest of the peninsula. Under Emperor Marcus IV, this goal was nearly realized. However, Marcus' sudden death, possibly by assassination, prevented this plan from being carried out. His successor, Titus III, was a man of peace and under him the first alliances were formed with other states. Most notably under his reign was the introduction of Chrisitanity and the adoption of the English Language. It is fitting then that he is remembered in history as Titus the Great. All told, the Prestonian Empire lasted until 1725, when, weakened by a series of ineffectual rulers and bad harvests, it was deposed.

The Dark Ages

In the wake of the Prestonian Empire's overthrow, chaos reigned like never before. Ignorant of self-rule, Prestonia was run by a series of cruel dictators, each seemingly more so than his predecessor. This time period was fittingly known as "The Troubled Period" and lasted until 1763. Little history exists from this period, and as a result we know none of the names of the dictators. One name stands out, however: Preston.

The Revolution

In 1759, a man appeared in the Imperial Palace who would forever change the history of the nation. Believed to be named Matthew Morris, he took the name Olrean, in honor of Olrean the Destroyer, and issued a challenge to the dictator of the time, a cruel man named Henry Kennedy: a duel to the death for the control of the land. Kennedy accepted, and the fight was set for June 18th at exactly noon. According to all reliable texts, the battle was fought for three hours and finally ended when Olrean impaled Kennedy through a gap in the breastplate of his armor. He then, according to legend, beheaded Kennedy in the manner that Prestonius had done Olrean, and buried him on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. Upon his victory, he declared himself President for Life, but gave the people suffrage in all other offices. For this reason he is commonly known as Olrean the Liberator. With Olrean's death, the President-for-Life system was abolished and Prestonia lived in relative isolationism, a period known to history as Italic textPax PrestoniumItalic text.

The Aaron Preston Era

In 1973, a man was born who would, as so many before him, alter the course of Prestonia. This man was Aaron Preston, a descendant of the House of Prestonius of Roman times. Preston was a student in the renowned Hudson University, where he acheived a Master's Degree in Engineering before joining the Navy, where he acheived the rank of Admiral before retiring in 1990. Upon retirement, he went back to school, acheiving degrees in Law and Medicine before staging a run for Senate in 1995. After serving in Senate, he ran and was elected President in the elections of 2000. Preston, a socialist by party, was in actuality a moderate who encouraged freedom economically, stating that "a slow transition to Capitalism" was necessary if Prestonia were to advance economically. To that end he kick-started several industries, such as shipbuilding, that were to lay the framework for Prestonian economy. More importantly, he put Prestonia on the world arena, joining the United Federation of Allied Nations, of which Prestonia is still a member. In 2007, after an attempt on his life, Preston stepped down from the Presidency, turning the reigns over to his Vice President, Justin Gannon.

Present-Day Prestonia

In the 2009 Special Elections, Justin M. Gannon, the former Vice President, won in a nailbiter versus Democratic Party candidate Matt Quinlan and Republican Steven Propper. Shortly thereafter, the Prestonian Revolutionary Party merged with the Democrats, and Quinlan was made Vice President. Gannon was seen as a stronger and more levelheaded presence of Prestonia internationally, and has guided Prestonia to normalized relations with former enemies. On the home front, Gannon has slashed income tax rates, stimulating the economy. President Gannon comes up for election in 2015, and looks to win a second term and stay the course on making Prestonia a powerful nation internationally. However, critics of the Gannon administration point to his overzealousness as a fault, most notably Operation Lebensraum. This was a military annexation of not one but two strategically important buffer zones between Prestonia and Generia, in an attempt to seize more land and resources. Following widespread condemnation and military tensions with No Endorse, he eventually backed down. However, the incident still hangs over his career and may factor heavily in the election of 2015.

Government

The basic government of Prestonia is a republic, and has been for centuries. The government is made up of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. These are discussed in greater detail below.

Constitution

The Constitution of the Prestonian Republic was originally penned between March and May of 2007, while The Great Revolution was ongoing. It established the nation as a republic, and laid out the framework for the government. At the heart of the document are The Universal Rights of Mankind, the bill of rights of Prestonia. They are as follows: I. All men are created equal and born free. As such, no person may ever be held as a slave. II. All men have the right to life, liberty and happiness. III. All men have the right to live in a society which protects their best interests IV. All men have the right to basic food, water and necessities of life.

The constitution also contains the federal laws and is held to be the highest authority within Prestonia.

Executive Branch

The executive Branch is made up of The President and his cabinet. The President is elected by popular vote and (effective as of the 1st Amendment) can serve up to two terms of five years each. The cabinet is composed of the heads of the various departments of Prestonian government and is appointed by the President and confirmed by congress. If the Senate does not approve of the President's choice, they must within 30 days submit, in writing, their reasoning and recommendations for a replacement. If after this period the President still fails to pass the cabinet member through congress, then the High Court appoints an individual to fill the seat.

Legislative Branch

The Legislative Branch of the Prestonian government is made up on one house, known as the Congress. Congress contains at present 1,000 members, or 100 per state. Any person of Prestonian citizenship and at least 25 years old may run for a seat in Congress. Congress arguably holds the most power of any of the branches; their duties include passing laws, approving budgets, and impeachment and confirmation of Executive and High Court officials. The Congress also has the authority to declare war upon a nation, freeing up the Homeland Defense Forces for use by the President. This power has yet to be used as of 2014.

Judicial Branch

The Judicial Branch on a Federal level is comprised of the High Court. High Court consists of 9 Justices who are appointed by the President and confirmed by Congress. These Justices may legally serve for life, though tradition dictates they retire at the age of 80. The court system is further divided into state and local courts, each run by one judge. These are decided by local election.

Culture

Economy

Military

Prestonian Army

Prestonian Navy

Prestonian Air Force

Prestonian Marines