Editing Freedonia (section)

== Usage ==

=== 19th century ===

==== As a name for the United States ====
[[Samuel Mitchill]] suggested that 'Fredonian' be used by citizens of the United States ("Fredon") after the [[American Revolution]] in place of the [[demonym]] "American", which was then being used as a pejorative term by the metropolitan English to refer to "their inferior and far-removed colonists".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wood |first=Gordon |url=https://archive.org/details/empireoflibertyh00wood/page/41 |title=Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789–1815 |publisher=[[Oxford University Press]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-19-503914-6 |series=[[Oxford History of the United States]] |volume=4 |location=[[United States]] |page=41 |url-access=registration}}</ref> In Vol. VI, Part IV, of the Medical Repository, 1803, pp.&nbsp;449–50, Mitchill, wrote the following under the heading of "Medical and Philosophical News":

{{quote|Proposal to the American literati, and to all the citizens of the United States, to employ the following names and epithets for the country and nation to which they belong; which, at the distance of 27 years from the declaration and of 20 years from the acknowledgment of their independence, are to this day destitute of proper geographical and political denominations, whereby they may be aptly distinguished from the other regions and peoples of the earth:

''Fredon'', the aggregate noun for the whole territory of the United States.

''Fredonia'', a noun of same import, for rhetorical and poetical use.

''Fredonian'', a sonorous name for 'a citizen of the United States'.

''Frede'', a short and colloquial name for 'a citizen of the United States'.

''Fredish'', an adjective to denote the relations and concerns of the United States

''Example''. ''Fredon'' is probably better supplied with the materials of her own history than Britain, France, or any country in the world, and the reason is obvious, for the attention of the ''Fredonians'' was much sooner directed, after their settlement, to the collection and preservations of their facts and records than that of the Dutch and Irish. Hence it will happen that the events of ''Fredish'' history will be more minutely known and better understood than those of Russian, Turkish, or Arabic. And thereby the time will be noted carefully when a native of this land, on being asked who he is and whence he came, began to answer in one word that he is a ''Frede'', instead of using the tedious circumlocution that he was "a citizen of the United States of America." And in the like manner notice will be taken of the association of ''Fredonia'' and ''Macedonia'' and ''Caledonia'' as a word equally potent and melodious in sound.}}

==== As a name for Liberia ====
'Fredonia' was one of the names proposed by the [[American Colonization Society]] for [[Liberia]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Society |first=American Colonization |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1kksAAAAYAAJ&dq=Naming+of+liberia&pg=RA7-PA23 |title=The ... Annual Report of the American Colonization Society ... |date=1850 |publisher=The Society |pages=23 |language=en}}</ref>

==== Republic of Fredonia ====

In December 1826, a group of Anglo-American settlers and [[filibuster (military)|filibusters]] led by [[Empresario]] [[Haden Edwards]] in what is now [[Texas]], declared the "[[Fredonian Rebellion|Republic of Fredonia]]" centered in the town of [[Nacogdoches]]. This was the first attempt by Anglo settlers in Texas to secede from [[First Mexican Republic|Mexico]] and form an independent state. The republic was short-lived however, lasting only from December 21, 1826 – January 23, 1827, when Mexican soldiers and Anglo militia men from [[Stephen F. Austin]]'s colony put the rebellion down.<ref>{{cite web|title=Fredonian Rebellion|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/jcf01|website=Handbook of Texas Online|access-date=October 26, 2016|ref=republic}}</ref>

==== Masonic Lodge ====

From about 1810 to 1834, a Lodge of Freemasons under the jurisdiction of The Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts was in existence in the town of Northborough, Massachusetts.  It was named Fredonia Lodge.

=== 1930s ===

In the Marx Brother's film ''[[Duck Soup (1933 film)|Duck Soup]]'', the tiny fictitious country of Freedonia ("Land of the Brave, and Free") is suffering from severe financial problems; government leaders request a $20 million loan from wealthy Freedonian widow Mrs. Gloria Teasdale ([[Margaret Dumont]]) to keep the nation afloat. Mrs. Teasdale agrees to lend the money only on the condition that Rufus T. Firefly ([[Groucho Marx]]), be appointed leader of  Freedonia. In the musical number that accompanies Firefly's appointment to office, Firefly informs the audience on how the government will be run, singing lyrics such as "The last man nearly ruined this place, he didn't know what to do with it / If you think this country's bad off now, just wait 'til I get through with it." Firefly insults and angers Ambassador Trentino ([[Louis Calhern]]) from the neighboring nation of Sylvania, which leads Freedonia into war.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine
  | title = The New Pictures
  | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]]
  | date = November 20, 1933
  | url = http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929605-2,00.html
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071001004121/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,929605-2,00.html
  | url-status = dead
  | archive-date = October 1, 2007
| access-date = April 9, 2007 }}</ref>

When ''Duck Soup'' was released in 1933, the village of [[Fredonia, New York]], complained about the possible negative impact the film might have on the town. The Marx Brothers replied "Change the name of your town. It is hurting our picture."<ref name="time"/> The satirical depiction of Freedonia is said to have led [[Benito Mussolini]] to ban ''Duck Soup'' in Italy.<ref name="Groucho">{{cite book
  | last = Kanfer.
  | first = Stefan
  | title = Groucho: The Life and Times of Julius Henry Marx
  | publisher = Vintage ([[Random House]])
  | year = 2001|edition=reprint
  | location = New York
  | url = http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780375702075&view=excerpt
  | isbn = 0-375-70207-5}}</ref>

=== 1960s ===
In the 1960s, [[Woody Allen]], working on ''[[Candid Camera]]'', used Freedonia as a practical joke by asking passersby what they thought of the bid for independence for Freedonia.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

=== 1970s ===
In the film ''[[Jabberwocky (film)|Jabberwocky]]'' (1977), Freedonia is one of the kingdoms conquered by the King Bruno the Questionable.<ref>{{cite web
 |last         = Tobias |first=Scott
 |url          = https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5131-jabberwocky-through-the-looking-glass-and-what-terry-found-there
 |title        = Jabberwocky: Through the Looking Glass and What Terry Found There
 |work         = Criterion Collection Current
 |access-date  = May 8, 2023
 |url-status   = live
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20221127112143/https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/5131-jabberwocky-through-the-looking-glass-and-what-terry-found-there
 |archive-date = November 27, 2022
}}</ref>

=== 1980s ===
The American game publisher [[FASA Corporation|FASA]]'s name was originally supposed to stand for "Freedonian Aeronautics and Space Administration".  In their first publication (a set of starship deck plans for the game [[Traveller (role-playing game)|''Traveller'']]), the accompanying introduction was signed "Rufus T Firefly, Director".{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

=== 1990s ===
In the [[Sierra Entertainment]] PC game [[Quest for Glory II: Trial by Fire]] (1990), the character ''Ali Chica'' is a parody of Chico Marx. If a [[non-player character]] is asked about ''Ali Chica'' after his disappearance, the player is told that he went to ''Fredonia''.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

In the 1990s, the satirical magazine ''[[Spy (magazine)|Spy]]'' pulled a [[practical joke]] on several members of the [[United States Congress]]. Impersonating a New York radio host (Henry Rose), the magazine successfully convinced several newcomers to Congress to comment on the "[[ethnic cleansing]]" in Freedonia, without their realizing that Freedonia was a fictional country.<ref name="spy">[https://books.google.com/books?id=dInX4BRTlQ8C&pg=PA69 "Parliament of suckers: ''Spy'' says 'Welcome' to freshman Congress class"]. ''Spy'', July–August 1994. (The dating is obscure. The story itself is dated February 1992. There is commentary on it dated early 1993.)</ref> [[Nick Smith (U.S. politician)|Nick Smith]] urged caution; [[Jim Talent|James Talent]] supported action; [[Jay Inslee]] warned that inaction would be unacceptable.<ref name="spy" /> The story drew commentary elsewhere.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120707000058/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1993-01-27/news/9301050954_1_ethnic-cleansing-freedonia-spy "Brisk wind of change looks more like faint breeze after magazine's hoax"] ''Sun Sentinel'', January 27, 1993.</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/13/us/isn-t-freedonia-next-to-oz.html "Isn't Freedonia Next to Oz?"], ''The New York Times'', January 13, 1993. Retrieved January 12, 2011.</ref>

====Principality of Freedonia====
{{main|Principality of Freedonia}}
The Principality of Freedonia was a [[micronation]] based on [[Libertarianism|libertarian]] principles. It was created as a "hypothetical project" by a group of teenagers in the United States in 1992. The project was formalized as a new country project in 1997, which included attempts in 2001 to lease territory in [[Somaliland]]. The attempt to lease land was rejected.

=== 2000s ===
''Duck Soup'' is used as an in-joke amongst characters portrayed as knowledgeable about the film in a Season 3 (2001–2002) episode of ''[[The West Wing (TV series)|The West Wing]]'', while another episode in Season 6 (2004–2005) recalls the general plot details of ''Duck Soup''. In "[[Enemies Foreign and Domestic]]", [[C.J. Cregg]], [[Sam Seaborn]], and [[Toby Ziegler]] are discussing the relevancy of the [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO) in a post-[[Soviet Union|Soviet]] world. C.J., being briefed by Sam on a number of countries she has to mention as possible new candidates for NATO membership, wonders why Freedonia is being left out of the mix. She goes on to reference Groucho Marx by singing "Hooray for [[Captain Spaulding (Groucho Marx)|Captain Spaulding]]" (which was his character in ''Animal Crackers'') under her breath. When upbraided by Toby for not taking the briefing seriously, she asks why her attempt at humor is less valid than Sam's or his. Toby responds that he's heard her joke before, implying that he has seen ''Duck Soup''. Determined that her [[Marx Brothers]] references be respected, she ends the sequences of references by offering to pay Toby $500 if he will sing "[[Lydia the Tattooed Lady]]" (a song sung by J. Cheever Loophole (Groucho) in ''[[At the Circus]]''). During Season 6 the question of the "situation in Freedonia" was asked of a candidate in a Senate debate, and after the candidate said he was studying it, there was no allowed time for the other candidates to challenge him about the existence of the country.

United Kingdom games "[[Democracy (video game)|Democracy]]" (2005) and "Democracy 2" (2007) featured Freedonia as a playable country.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}}

In the game ''[[Nancy Drew: The White Wolf of Icicle Creek]]'' (2007), the character Yanni Volkstaia is an Olympic skier from Fredonia.

In the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' episode "[[The Shakespeare Code]]" (2007), [[Doctor (Doctor Who)|the Doctor]] claims his companion [[Martha Jones]] is from Freedonia. He also claims this in the ''Doctor Who'' novel ''[[Sting of the Zygons]]'' (2007). Although the usage may be intended simply as a plausible name for a country of which the listener ([[William Shakespeare]] in the former case) has not heard, it is specifically linked to ''Duck Soup'' in at least one official reference work.<ref>{{cite book
  | last = Russell
  | first = Gary
  | author-link = Gary Russell
  | title = Doctor Who: The Encyclopedia – A Definitive Guide to Time and Space
  | publisher = BBC Books
  | year = 2007
  | location = London
  | pages = [https://archive.org/details/doctorwhoencyclo0000russ/page/69 69]
  | url = https://archive.org/details/doctorwhoencyclo0000russ/page/69
  | isbn = 978-1-84607-291-8
  }}</ref>

=== 2010s ===
In the Australian animated series ''[[The Flamin' Thongs]]'' (2014), the leader of Freedonia declares war on Australia after Holden Thong's soccer ball lands in his birthday cake and destroys it.
 
In the film ''[[Despicable Me 3]]'' (2017), Gru's brother Dru lives in Freedonia, and the place was shown to have a cheese festival.