We all yearn to be free — to be independent, to call our own shots. But most of us have to abide by rules. You might be living in your parents’ house, for example, and have to follow the whole “my house, my rules” trope. Or you might live in a city or state with some laws you disagree with. Through it all, you just want to get away and pull the lever in favor of secession.

Unfortunately, becoming independent isn’t as easy as it sounds. A group of American states found that out the hard way during the Civil War. The United States itself had to go through the Revolutionary War to escape England’s clutches and then deal with the backlash again in 1812. Many other countries or would-be countries have gone through the same. If you want to be free and independent, it usually comes at a price.

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