Free state facts for kids
A Free State is a term that can mean different things, often related to a place that is independent or has special rules. It has been used for countries, parts of countries, and even nicknames for certain areas.
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Places Called Free State
Free State in South Africa
The Free State is one of the nine provinces in South Africa. It's located in the middle of the country.
Before it became a province, this area had a long history:
- The Orange Free State was a country founded by Dutch settlers (called Boers) from 1854 to 1902.
- After a war, it became the Orange Free State (province) within South Africa from 1910 to 1994.
- In 1994, when South Africa became a democracy, it was renamed simply the Free State province.
Free States Around the World
Sometimes, the term "free state" is part of a country's official name. It means that the state is independent and governs itself. For example, some parts of Germany were historically called "free states."
Free States in U.S. History
In the United States, before the American Civil War (1861-1865), states were divided into two main types:
- Free states were places where slavery was against the law.
- Slave states were places where slavery was allowed.
This difference led to many disagreements and eventually to the war.
Nicknames for Free State
Some U.S. states have been nicknamed "Free State" for different reasons:
- Maryland is sometimes called the Free State because it resisted the ban on alcohol during a time called Prohibition in the 1920s.
- Kansas was nicknamed the Free State because many people there fought against slavery before the Civil War.
Other Historic Free States
- The Free State of Galveston was a fun, unofficial name for Galveston, Texas, in the early 1900s. It was known for being a bit wild and independent.
- The Irish Free State was the name of Ireland from 1922 to 1937. It was the first step towards Ireland becoming a fully independent country.
Other Uses of Free State
- The Free State (cricket team) is a sports team that plays cricket in the Free State province of South Africa.
- Lawrence Free State High School is a school for teenagers in Lawrence, Kansas, in the U.S.
- The University of the Free State is a large university located in Bloemfontein, South Africa.
See also
In Spanish: Estado Libre para niños
- All pages with titles beginning with Free state
- All pages with titles containing Free state
- Free city (disambiguation)
- Free Stater (disambiguation)
- Freedom State, a film from 2006.
- In a Free State, a book written in 1971 by V.S. Naipaul.
