The Earth Federation was formed in the pre-Universal Century (i.e. the late 21st Century A.D.), when overpopulation began causing famines, outbreaks of disease, and wars over living space, food, and resources. The inauguration of the Earth Federation's charter marked the beginning of the Universal Century calendar system with the year 0001 U.C., but this event was marred by a terrorist attack on Laplace, a space station that had been built as the official residence of the Earth Federation Prime Minister. Laplace was destroyed, and the first elected prime minister, Ricardo Marcenas, perished.
In order to relieve Earth of the burden and allow it to heal, the Earth Federation announced the Space Colonization Plan. The Earth Federation began the construction of orbital habitats, based on the designs and research of Gerard K. O'Neill, and located in the Earth-Lunar Lagrangian Points. The colonies, called Bunches (possibly due to the ballistic pairing of the colony cylinders) were then organized into administrative sectors called Sides. While most of the human population was forced to relocate to the colonies as part of the Space Colonization Plan, the wealthy and influential members were able to remain on Earth. This gave rise to the image of the Earth Federation as "Earth-Born Elite", living comfortably on Earth while the ordinary populace, for the most part, has been forced to live in space.
In order to maintain and satisfy energy concerns, the Earth Federation launched Solar Power Station Satellites, which broadcast energy to power stations on the ground. In addition, the Federation also launched the Jupiter Energy Fleet, which collect helium-3, hydrogen and methane from the upper atmosphere of the gas giant. In U.C. 001, the Federation elected its first prime-minister, Ricardo Marcenas, who was prepared to unveil the Universal Century Charter. However, before he could do so, his resident colony, Laplace, was destroyed by a terrorist group. Arguably, the sabotage was the best thing that could have happened for the Federation, since it allowed it to maintain all its authority under the pretense of preventing terror.
The Earth Federation (地球連邦 Chikyū Renpō?) is a global government introduced in the Mobile Suit Gundam television series. It is one of the main factions of the Universal Century timeline.
The One Year War (0079 U.C. to 0080 U.C.) was a conflict between the Earth Federation and the Principality of Zeon, who declared independence and attacked the Earth without warning. The early stages of the conflict were marked by the widespread use of weapons of mass destruction, resulting in historically unprecedented death tolls for the military and civilian populations of both sides and severe environment damage to Earth. The war was ultimately won by the Earth Federation, who disbanded the Zeon army. Despite this, the ideals of Zeon lived on in loyalists and remnant forces, and inspired multiple uprisings against the Earth Federation in the years to come.
The Gryps conflict (0087 U.C. to 0088 U.C.) was a full-scale war between the Titans, an Earth Federation elite force, and the AEUG/Karaba anti-federal forces. The war erupted when the Titans mass-murdered the civilian population of the 30 Bunch colony at Side 1, to suppress peaceful demonstrations against federal politics.