Informal surveys show that few US citizens are able to name all 50 states. How many could name all of our neighboring nations in North and South America?
With the adoption of the Monroe Doctrine, the US established into our foreign policy that we should feel closer to our American neighbors in the New World than with our former colonizers and oppressors from the Old World. However, our cultural consciousness has lagged behind. To this day, many US citizens will refer to themselves by their Old World ancestry (e.g. by calling themselves "German-American", or even plain "German"--despite their family living exclusively in the US for over a century!!) Even more disturbingly, nearly half of our nation wishes to erect a literal wall to keep others in the American continents from being able to seek the American Dream within the United States.
These attitudes of desiring to exclude the less fortunate and identifying more strongly with the Old World than the New World have been fundamentally anti-American from the very beginning of our nation.
"I had always hoped that this land might become a safe and agreeable Asylum to the virtuous and persecuted part of mankind, to whatever nation they might belong" - George Washington, Letter to Reverend Francis Adrian Vanderkemp. (May 28, 1788).
"The bosom of America is open to receive not only the opulent & respectable Stranger, but the oppressed & persecuted of all Nations & Religions; whom we shall welcome to a participation of all our rights & privileges, if by decency & propriety of conduct they appear to merit the enjoyment." - George Washington, Letter to Joshua Holmes. (December 2, 1783).
"I, George Washington, President of the United States, do recommend to all religious societies and denominations, and to all persons whomsoever within the United States to set apart and observe Thursday, the 19th day of February next, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, and on that day to meet together and render their sincere and hearty thanks to the Great Ruler of Nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation...to imprint on our hearts a deep and solemn sense of our obligations to Him for them; to teach us rightly to estimate their immense value; to preserve us from the arrogance of prosperity, and from hazarding the advantages we enjoy by delusive pursuits;...to render this country more and more a safe and propitious asylum for the unfortunate of other countries; to extend among us true and useful knowledge; to diffuse and establish habits of sobriety, order, morality, and piety, and finally, to impart all the blessings we possess, or ask for ourselves, to the whole family of mankind." - George Washington, Proclamation of January 1, 1795.
"One of the foreign ambassadors said to me, “You have been often in England.” “Never, but once in November and December, 1783.” “You have relations in England, no doubt.” “None at all.” “None, how can that be? you are of English extraction?” “Neither my father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, great grandfather or great grandmother, nor any other relation that I know of, or care a farthing for, has been in England these one hundred and fifty years; so that you see I have not one drop of blood in my veins but what is American.” “Ay, we have seen,” said he, “proof enough of that.” This flattered me, no doubt, and I was vain enough to be pleased with it." - John Adams, Diary entry, May 3, 1785.
***
In order to love our neighbors, as Jesus famously instructs us, we must first meet them!
In the table below, nations and territories which remain controlled by Old World powers or have an unresolved territorial status are marked in a separate color. This puts into perspective just how shockingly far we are from manifesting a New World rid of Western interference.
Until every last nation in the New World receives independence, the Monroe Doctrine has not yet been fulfilled. Until US citizens can name more North and South American nations than Old World nations, a fully American consciousness has not yet been manifested Most importantly, an authentically American Civilization will not be achieved until we can welcome others from the American continents and love them as neighbors and brothers.
Maps of North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. (Click to see full size).
Our neighbors in the New World, the American hemisphere:
| Country or Territory | Population | Date of Independence | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anguilla (United Kingdom) | 14,764 | Future | Caribbean |
| Antigua and Barbuda[7] [8] | 100,963 | 1981, November 1 | Caribbean |
| Aruba (Netherlands) | 104,822 | Future | Caribbean |
| The Bahamas[7] [8] | 391,232 | 1973, July 10 | Caribbean |
| Barbados[8] | 284,996 | 1966, November 30 | Caribbean |
| Belize[7] [8] | 366,954 | 1981, September 21 | N. America |
| Bermuda (United Kingdom) | 61,666 | Future | Atlantic Ocean |
| Bonaire (Netherlands) | 12,093 | Future | Caribbean |
| British Virgin Islands (United Kingdom) | 30,661 | Future | Caribbean |
| Canada[7] [8] | 36,289,822 | 1982, April 17 | N. America |
| Cayman Islands (United Kingdom) | 60,765 | Future | Caribbean |
| Clipperton Island (France) | 0 (Uninhabited) | Future Status: Transfer to Mexican sovereignty | Pacific Ocean |
| Costa Rica | 4,857,274 | 1821, September 15 | N. America |
| Cuba | 11,475,982 | 1902, May 20 [1] | Caribbean |
| Curaçao (Netherlands) | 159,371 | Future | Caribbean |
| Dominica[8] | 73,543 | 1978, November 3 | Caribbean |
| Dominican Republic | 10,648,791 | 1844, February 27; 1863, August 16[2] | Caribbean |
| El Salvador | 6,344,722 | 1821, September 15 | N. America |
| Greenland (Denmark) | 56,412 | Future [3] | N. America |
| Grenada[7] [8] | 107,317 | 1971, February 7 | Caribbean |
| Guadeloupe (France) | 449,975 | Future | Caribbean |
| Guatemala | 16,582,469 | 1821, September 15 | N. America |
| Haiti | 10,847,334 | 1791, August 22 [4] | Caribbean |
| Honduras | 9,112,867 | 1821, September 15 | N. America |
| Jamaica[7] [8] | 2,881,355 | 1962, August 6 | Caribbean |
| Martinique (France) | 385,103 | Future | Caribbean |
| Mexico | 127,540,423 | 1810, September 16 | N. America |
| Montserrat (United Kingdom) | 5,152 | Future | Caribbean |
| Navassa Island (disputed) | 0 (Uninhabited) | Future Status: USA recognizes Haiti's sovereignty over the island | Caribbean |
| Nicaragua | 6,149,928 | 1821, September 15 | N. America |
| Panama | 4,034,119 | 1903, November 3 [5] | N. America |
| Puerto Rico (United States) | 3,667,903 | Future Status: Independence or US Statehood | Caribbean |
| Saba (Netherlands) | 1,537 | Future | Caribbean |
| Saint Barthélemy (France) | 7,448 | Future | Caribbean |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis[7] [8] | 54,821 | 1983, September 19 | Caribbean |
| Saint Lucia[7] [8] | 178,015 | 1979, February 22 | Caribbean |
| Saint Martin (France) | 29,820 | Future | Caribbean |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) | 6,305 | Future Status: Integration into Canada or independence | N. America |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines[7] [8] | 109,643 | 1979, October 27 | Caribbean |
| Sint Eustatius (Netherlands) | 2,739 | Future | Caribbean |
| Sint Maarten (Netherlands) | 39,537 | Future | Caribbean |
| Trinidad and Tobago[8] | 1,364,962 | 1962, August 31 | Caribbean |
| Turks and Caicos Islands (United Kingdom) | 34,900 | Future | Caribbean |
| United States of America | 322,179,605 | 1776, July 4 | N. America |
| US Virgin Islands (United States) | 104,913 | Future Status: Independence or US Statehood | Caribbean |
| Argentina | 43,847,430 | 1810, May 25 | S. America |
| Bolivia | 10,887,882 | 1825, August 6 | S. America |
| Bouvet Island (Norway) | 0 (Uninhabited) | Future Status: Integration into international treaties regarding Antarctica? | near Antarctic Ocean |
| Brazil | 207,652,865 | 1822, September 7 | S. America |
| Chile | 17,909,754 | 1810, September 18 | S. America |
| Colombia | 48,653,419 | 1810, July 20 | S. America |
| Ecuador | 16,385,068 | 1809, August 10 [6] | S. America |
| Falkland Islands (United Kingdom) | 2,910 | Future Status: UK recognizes Argentina's sovereignty over the islands | S. America |
| French Guiana (France) | 275,713 | Future | S. America |
| Guyana[8] | 773,303 | 1966, May 26 | S. America |
| Paraguay | 6,725,308 | 1811, May 14 | S. America |
| Peru | 31,773,839 | 1821, July 28 | S. America |
| South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (United Kingdom) | 0 permanent residents; up to 3 dozen semi-permanent residents | Future Status: Settlements removed. Integration into international treaties regarding Antarctica or UK recognition of Argentina's sovereignty | near Antarctic Ocean |
| Suriname | 558,368 | 1975, November 25 | S. America |
| Uruguay | 3,444,006 | 1825, August 25 | S. America |
| Venezuela | 31,568,179 | 1811, July 5 | S. America |
Notes:
In total, the table lists 61 territories, independent nations, and not-yet-independent nations. 26 nations and territories are still awaiting independence or change in territorial status. 12 more are "Commonwealth realms" with British Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state or members of the Commonwealth of Nations--and therefore have not fully severed ties with their former colonizer. North and South America have a population of ~962,200,000 (13% of global population) and nominal GDP of $27.7 trillion (consisting of 1/3 of the global economy).
[1] Cubans first declared independence from Spain on October 10, 1868, but after 12 years of hostilities the Cubans were defeated. The second Cuban War of Independence began on February 24, 1895, and the US would become involved with the onset of the Spanish–American War in 1898. On May 20, 1902, Cuba nominally gained its independence, yet remained a US protectorate until the Cuban–American Treaty of Relations took effect on June 9, 1934. Notably, the US retains a "perpetual lease" on Guantánamo Bay Naval Base, which the US has occupied since enacting the Platt Amendment of 1901. Since the Revolution of 1959, Cubans have correctly regarded the continued occupation of Guantánamo Bay as a violation of Cuban sovereignty.
[2] Haiti declared independence from Spain on November 30, 1821, and unified the island of Hispaniola soon after. On February 27, 1844 Dominicans declared their independence from Haiti. Less than two decades later, General Pedro Santana betrayed the nation by requesting that Spain recolonize it, which they did on March 18, 1861. On August 16, 1863, Dominicans again rebelled for independence, which was achieved in 1865. Both February 27 and August 16 are national holidays.
[3] On June 21, 2009, Greenland achieved self-rule of internal affairs from Denmark. The Act granting self-rule also recognized the Greenlandic people as a separate nationality who have the liberty to seek self-determination from Denmark in the future.
[4] The Haitian Revolution began on August 22, 1791, and resulted in independence on January 1, 1804. Notably, The Haitian Revolution is the only slave rebellion which resulted in an independent nation ruled by the former slaves.
[5] The first Panamanian town declared independence from Spain on November 10, 1821. The Independence Act of Panama was published on November 28, 1821, which integrated Panama into the Republic of Gran Colombia. On November 3, 1903, Panama became independent from Colombia. Taking advantage of an ongoing civil war in the province, the US had aided the rebels in return for being granted the rights to build the Panama Canal (and US territorial control of the Panama Canal Zone). In 1977 the Torrijos–Carter Treaties established that the Panama Canal Zone would revert to Panamanian sovereignty on December 31, 1999.
[6] Ecuador celebrates the Declaration of Independence of Quito (August 10, 1809), Independence of Guayaquil (October 9, 1820), and Independence of Cuenca (November 3, 1820) as national holidays. A fourth national holiday celebrates The Battle of Pichincha (May 24, 1822), where General Antonio José de Sucre defeated Spanish forces, securing the independence of the provinces which would form Ecuador. Ecuador was part of the Republic of Gran Colombia until it dissolved in 1830.
[7] The following nations have the status of a "Commonwealth realm"--former British colonial possessions where Queen Elizabeth II remains formal head of state. These nations are nominally independent from the United Kingdom, but will not be truly independent until they can be fully detached from the Old World and de-Westernized by installing their own heads of state.
Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
[8] The following nations remain part of the Commonwealth of Nations, the successor of the colonial British Empire. These nations are nominally independent from the United Kingdom, but will not be truly independent until they can be fully detached from the Old World and de-Westernized by ceasing to give favored economic and political status to the United Kingdom.
Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.
Sources:
UN population estimates for 2016. "World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision". ESA.UN.org (custom data acquired via website). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved 10 September 2017. [retrieved from Wikipedia for this blog article on January 26, 2019].
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_America#Countries,_territories,_and_dependencies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_America#Countries_and_territories
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_realm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_North_America
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_South_America
Maps from World Factbook.
