Broadlands

The discovery of large amounts of gold in Broadlands leads to people from across the globe moving to the goldfields to try and strike it rich. The economy boomed and life improved for Broadlanders. Many ran businesses that profited greatly from the gold rush. In 1893, an earthquake and the subsequent landslide left over a hundred miners dead. The gold rush would last until 1899. Even today, large amount of gold remain untapped.

After the Gold Rush transformed Broadlands, millions of acres of western territory remained sparsely populated. In 1907, Parliament passed the Western Lands Act, opening government land to private settlement. Anyone willing to settle and cultivate the land could eventually claim ownership, regardless of their origin or social status. New settlers were given considerable freedom to establish their own communities and local governments. Within a decade, hundreds of thousands had moved west. Railways followed, new towns emerged, and vast agricultural regions were developed. More importantly, the settlers of the Western Frontier developed a fiercely independent political culture. They believed that government should protect their rights, but otherwise leave them free to build their own lives. The Western Lands Act became the foundation of Broadlands' tradition of individual liberty, private property and limited government.