Countries That Existed in the US

There are 50 states in the US, but there were almost double that number. At various points in history, the US had territories and colonies that no longer existed. These former territories have broken away from the union and become independent nations. Read on to find out about some of these former territories of the US that no longer exist.

Hawaii

Hawaii was one of the first ones on the list of countries that used to exist inside the US. The island chain is located about 2,500 miles from the US mainland and is an archipelago made up of volcanic islands that are still active. Hawaiian culture is deeply rooted in nature, and it is believed that the islands themselves are sacred. British explorer Captain James Cook led the first Europeans to Hawaii in 1778. While the explorers initially thought they had discovered the Northwest Passage to China, they stumbled upon a lush and tropical paradise. The Hawaiian islands remained independent until 1893, when they were annexed as a territory by the US and became a part of the American empire. The Hawaiian people resisted the annexation, but it was eventually forced through. The islands became the 50th state of the US in 1959.

Vermont Republic

In 1775, the 13 colonies were fighting for their independence from Britain. The revolutionaries were primarily based in New England and the middle colonies, but the rest of the colonies became increasingly interested in the movement. In May of that year, representatives from across the territories met in Philadelphia to discuss the future of their country. There, the Vermont Republic declared its independence from New York and established what was known as the Vermont Republic. The British and French governments recognised the Vermont Republic, but the newly formed American government did not recognise the Vermont Republic or their independence movement. The Vermont Republic was re-annexed by New York in 1777, but the state declared itself independent in 1816. After the War of 1812, the state of New York recognised Vermont Republic’s independence and was an independent country for 13 years.

The Republic of Texas

Texas was an independent country for even longer than Vermont’s Republic. In 1836, Texas fought a war of independence against Mexico and won its freedom. The new Republic of Texas was made up of what is now the eastern part of the state. The rest of Texas was still a part of Mexico and was claimed by the US, which had acquired it in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. The Republic of Texas was an independent country for almost ten years until the US annexed it in 1845. Texas would remain a state in the American union for the next 150 years, but in the early 2000s, there was a movement to remove Texas from the block. 

State of Muskogee

The State of Muskogee was a short-lived attempt at creating a Native American state in the Southeast. The state was formed by a group of Creek and Seminole tribe members in what is now Alabama, and representatives of 12 other tribes recognised it. However, the new State of Muskogee gained very little support from the federal government, formally dissolved in 1901. The remnants of the old State of Muskogee were assimilated back into their parent tribes. The State of Muskogee was formed when the tribes in the Creek Nation decided to secede from the Creek Nation and form a new state for native Americans. The state had its government, constitution, and even a flag. But the federal government had little interest in the new state, and it was recognised only by other tribes in the Southeast.

Republic of West Florida

The Republic of West Florida was short-lived in the Gulf Coast region created after the American Revolution. The British acquired the West Florida territory in the 1763 Treaty of Paris, but the British neglected to inform the Spanish of this. The Spanish were the rightful owners of the region, and in 1781, they sent troops to the Gulf Coast to take control of the territory. The British set up a temporary government in the area. At the same time, they planned their next move, and the provisional government declared independence from Britain and became the Republic of West Florida. Spanish troops quickly overthrew the short-lived republic, and the territory again became Spanish.

New Mexico and Arizona As a Spanish Territory

New Mexico and Arizona were once a part of Mexico, but the Spanish controlled them. However, in the early 1900s, the US government began to show increasing interest in the land. In the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexico lost control of the territory, and the US government sent troops to occupy the land. The US government recognised New Mexico as a US territory in 1912 and Arizona in 1913. The Mexican government never officially recognised the loss of the territory, and New Mexico and Arizona remained a part of the Mexican union until we annexed them in the 1940s.

Conclusion:

These are just a few examples of countries that once existed inside the US. A series of British and Spanish colonies were established in North America before the US was even formed. Many of these former territories have disappeared entirely or been absorbed by other nations now part of the US. But it is interesting to think about how vast and diverse the US is. If you look at a map, it might seem like everything is neatly contained in borders, but in reality, the US is a very diverse and expansive country that was once made up of many smaller countries.