Absaroka (proposed state)

Absaroka (əbˈsɔərkə or əbzɔər'kə) was a proposed state in the United States that would have comprised parts of the states of Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming, which contemplated secession in 1939. The movement began in 1935, during the Great Depression, as a form of protest against their respective state governments, who were criticized for failing to provide New Deal federal aid to rural ranchers and farmers. A. R. Swickard, a local street commissioner, served as a leader of the movement and later declared himself governor. Swickard hosted a series of public hearings regarding grievances levied against the Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming state governments, receiving substantial media coverage and prompting the respective governments to act. This led to broader distribution of federal aid to rural regions, resulting in the secessionist movement dying out by the start of World War II. It has been debated whether the movement was a serious attempt to form a new state. New Deal and 1934 Wyoming state elections In 1933, the New Deal was signed into law during the Franklin D. Roosevelt presidency. This legislation was designed to alleviate the economic downturn resultant from the Great Depression. This legislation was generally considered favorable amongst the citizens of southern Wyoming, resulting in Joseph C. O'Mahoney and other Democrats winning elections in the State and Federal elections, ultimately resulting in Wyoming's legislature being controlled by the Democratic Party. Residents of rural Northern Wyoming, as well as Southern Montana and Western South Dakota, felt discontent with the lack of federal aid they were receiving, believing that the more urban parts of their respective states were being prioritized by the New Deal. While the exact date of origin for the Absaroka movement is not known, individuals formally began organizing behind it in 1935. This began following a series of chamber of commerce hearings in which, primarily, ranchers and independent farmers in rural parts of northern Wyoming, southern Montana, and western South Dakota levied their complainants with the state and organized a secessionist movement.