▁in ▁feder ation ▁with ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Pot che f st room ▁which ▁eventually ▁formed ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁African ▁Republic ▁( Trans va al ). ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁grant ing ▁of ▁so vere ig nt y ▁to ▁the ▁Trans va al ▁Republic , ▁the ▁British ▁recogn ised ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁the ▁Orange ▁River ▁S over e ig nt y ▁and ▁the ▁country ▁officially ▁became ▁independent ▁as ▁the ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁February ▁ 1 8 5 4 , ▁with ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁Orange ▁River ▁Convention . ▁The ▁new ▁republic ▁incorpor ated ▁the ▁Orange ▁River ▁S over e ig nt y ▁and ▁continued ▁the ▁trad itions ▁of ▁the ▁Win burg - P ot che f st room ▁Republic . ▁ ▁The ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State ▁developed ▁into ▁a ▁polit ically ▁and ▁econom ically ▁successful ▁republic ▁and ▁for ▁the ▁most ▁part ▁enjoyed ▁good ▁relationships ▁with ▁its ▁neighb ours . ▁It ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁as ▁the ▁Orange ▁River ▁Col ony ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁It ▁ceased ▁to ▁exist ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁Bo er ▁republic ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁with ▁the ▁signing ▁of ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Vere enig ing ▁at ▁the ▁conclusion ▁of ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War . ▁Following ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁direct ▁rule ▁by ▁the ▁British , ▁it ▁att ained ▁self - g overn ment ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Union ▁of ▁South ▁Africa ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 ▁as ▁the ▁Orange ▁Free ▁State ▁Province