The Conch Republic was founded in the early 1980s by business owners
annoyed by the negative commercial impact of a roadblock established
at the entrance to the Florida Keys by the US Border Patrol in an
effort to curtail the alleged transport of narcotics and illegal
immigrants to the US mainland. The resulting 20 mile-long traffic jam
proved a deterrent to visiting tourists, and on 23 April 1982, the
citizens of Key West seceded from the Union, hoisted their flag,
declared war on the United States, and then quickly surrendered - in
order to qualify for "foreign aid" to rebuild their shattered
economy. The unique form of this political protest captured national
attention, forcing the removal of the roadblock, and more than two
decades later the anniversary of the Conch Republic's founding
remains a cause for annual celebration.