The Federated Republic of America is the rump part of the former United States of America which was left following the War of Southern Aggression. Following the secession of New England and the CSS, a new constitution was adopted by the FRA. It retain the general structure of the USA's own but specifically forbade secession of part of its territory. The states were redefined as administrative divisions of the country and not distinct entities. Thus laws became uniform across the land with only some minor legislative differences on the municipal levels.