Who Named the United States? (Short Animated Documentary)

The United States of America. The USA. America. The Land of the Free. These are just some of the names for that continental sized nation which Alaska wishes it could touch. You'll be surprised to know that other names were considered for the new nation during the American Revolution against Britain and that a name wasn't settled on until the Constitutional Congress. Until other ideas, like Columbia or Fredonia were proposed. So why did the Founding Fathers choose the name 'United States of America'. Find out in this video, the latest in my very short, animated historical documentaries (about history).
God Bless Fredonia.
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Sources:
(Bawl-)Fredonia: Renaming, Remapping, and Retelling the United States in the Early Republic by Christian Quendler
The Naming of America by Franz Laubenberger and Steven Rowan

[@ravenlord4]

They should have named it "Atlantis" just to screw with historians and archeologists a thousand years from now.

[@koboldparty4708]

There is an Atlantis, Florida.

[@kingofprussia17]

@@koboldparty4708 And Atlanta, Georgia; which is really fucking close.

[@jross9919]

Atlantida

[@sirwolfnsuch]

With the capital city El Dorado D.C.

[@patrickcummins79]

Late 18th century 4chan..

[@aliensinnoh1]

“No one would call themselves United Statesian” People who speak Spanish: *sweat nervously*

[@OMGitshimitis]

Can you explain for someone who doesn't speak Spanish?

[@varana]

@@OMGitshimitis One of the Spanish words for US Americans is "estadounidense", from estado = state and unido = united, so quite literally "unitedstatesian". (Just the other way around, as usual in Spanish.)

[@emptank]

Eh, better than just gringo i guess.

[@EliasDeFilippo]

We also use yankis for you.

[@aliensinnoh1]

@@EliasDeFilippo Sad Red Sox fan noises.

[@undo9981]

citizen: "what should we call or nation?" some guy named Fred:"I have a brilliant idea"

[@jodofe4879]

Well, it worked for Romulus.

[@1987MartinT]

No, Fred! We're not naming the country after you! Sit down until you have something useful to say!

[@canadiancupcake2443]

meanwhile Frank and Romulus

[@ThePreciseClimber]

@@jodofe4879 And also a certain Walt with Disneyland.

[@jayczzzya]

If only he was as clever as Samuel Wilson of New York.

[@tboneforreal]

Fun Fact: The "DC" in Washington, DC stands for District of Columbia so they did get to use Columbia for the name of the capital at least.

[@stevenpeay923]

And funny enough, what is now the state of Washington was going to be called "Columbia", but people were worried it would get confused with the District of Columbia. So, ironically, they named the new state Washington, an even more confusing name

[@gustavosauro1882]

@@stevenpeay923 this fact fills me with rage

[@uldisbergvalds1]

@@gustavosauro1882 I agree with you

[@BogusmanTheSwagman]

Washington, Da Capital

[@risannd]

@@stevenpeay923 District of Columbia back then is composed of several cities and counties, namely Georgetown, Washington City, Washington County, Alexandria City and Alexandria County (later ceded back to Virginia). Later, these cities and counties are merged into single entity called Washington DC.

[@ivanivanofivansson8551]

Fredonia... Sounds like a minecraft village made by 12 year olds.

[@johnsphpaulin1162]

True, but so would any other nations name if hadn't been adopted. Imagine living in a world where France still called itself Gaul and hearing France for the first time.

[@mbogucki1]

@@johnsphpaulin1162 Gaul would be an awesome name. Gauls win wars, French do not. 😂 But to be honest I always like Francia vs. France.

[@kevinboros7427]

@@mbogucki1 France actually has the greatest military record of all time.

[@johnsphpaulin1162]

@@kevinboros7427 yeah, but they lost to that one guy with the weird mustache. So clearly they're incapable of ever winning the war ever again.

[@johnsphpaulin1162]

@@mbogucki1 but the Gauls didn't win there Wars, that's why it was a Roman province for most of its existence

[@dna0303]

USA: *Tries to change name to Colombia *That username is already taken*

[@the0ne809]

Someone already patented a similar name. Sorry. Lol

[@nadie516]

Not only the name was taken, the country that used it was name "the great columbia". Pro gamer move against the unitedstatians

[@Darkfawfulx]

Well there are two Congos....

[@grantorino2325]

Columbia, not "Colombia." And while most people preferred "America" as our country's name, "Hail Columbia" became our national anthem for a few short years, the waterway that led Lewis and Clark to the Pacific got christened the "Columbia River," our nation's capital was baptized "the District of Columbia," and "King's University" in New York City was renamed "Columbia University."

[@mikespearwood3914]

@@grantorino2325 Literally the same thing except for spelling.

[@karnickel-s33d16]

The author Washington Irving had proposed that we rename the USA to "Appalachia" after our Eastern mountain range. This would be problematic since no one in the USA can agree on the pronunciation of the Appalachians.

[@somebodysomewhere6770]

People from Appalachia say Appalachia correctly. Also I don't think Appalachia would be a good name for the US because then people would get confused trying to distinguish Appalachia the region vs. Appalachia the country.

[@Fudz4]

I have always liked Appalachia or 'The United States of the Appalachias'. Worth considering that it would have been the better name if you were anti expansionist and wanted to limit the Union to just the 13 states and the acquired eastern territory.

[@BeaglzRok1]

@@Bone_Thug It most certainly is not. "A-puh-lay-chee-uh" is clearly correct, even if locals say "she-uh." "Appa-lacha" meanwhile sounds like something you'd get at a coffee shop.

[@DevinMcSalty]

Only people that don’t know how to speak(mostly people with 3 teeth) say it anyway other way than the correct way.

[@chrisklenke9681]

@@somebodysomewhere6770 people from south Appalachia say it like "app-uhl-atch-uh" and people from north Appalachia say it like "app-uh-lay-shuh"

[@robertwelding1633]

There was already the United Provinces of the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain, so the name, United States of America, simply followed an established pattern.

[@braziliantsar]

Yeah except they weren't the united states of America as a whole, but for some north american, anglo colonies, with the exception of Canada.

[@i_likemen5614]

It wasn't all of America though. It is like France calling themselves "The United States of Europe"

[@altu9204]

@@i_likemen5614 I interpret the name more as a descriptor than an actual name; the States United which are in the Americas.

[@georgehh2574]

@@i_likemen5614 Not really, it's like saying "states of America which are united" not "America's states are united"

[@zsombortelek8411]

It was actually named the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, United Provinces was just a nickname. But I see your point.

[@merrittanimation7721]

USA: "Columbia is a dumb name." Gran Colombia: "Well if you're not going use it I might as well."

[@Ake-TL]

Merritt Animation USA: “F*ck!”

[@ricardoguanipa8275]

Meanwhile in the former Viceroyalty of Nueva Granada: " [Colombia] , Uff pero que nombre tan Verraco pues"

[@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113]

@asdf Fun fact, there is a Town in Ohio which has a Hitler Road, Hitler Park and Hitler Cemetery.

[@hans9862]

@@fischlmakesmondstadtgreata7113 was it named before or after the rise of Adolf

[@andreassrensen4245]

asdf, Please don’t lessen the horror of Hitler by comparing him to Columbus.

[@azulaquaza4916]

Captain Fredonia: I can do this all day

[@Crick1952]

I want this as a Marvel What if..? comic so badly

[@The-Samuil]

Fredonia sounds like one of those fake countries in the DC Universe

[@BCrane-ej4iq]

@@The-Samuil You mean like Latveria from Marvel?

[@fighterck6241]

I grew up in a town outside of Buffalo called Fredonia. Never much thought about it...

[@lukesalazar9283]

@@fighterck6241 huh. Cool

[@merouln700]

While the people of the USA are referred as "américains" in French, things that are related to the country itself can sometimes be referred as "états-uniens" which is literally "united statesian".

[@kannonball5789]

If you are referring to the nation itself as the Untied States would it not be Les États-Unis?

[@spartanx9293]

I will henceforth refer to the French as Republicans

[@jaciel610]

@@spartanx9293 no, also France is not taking the name from a continent. It’d be confusing to call themselves Europeans, if they were the “republic of Europe” or “the United States of Europe”

[@spartanx9293]

@@jaciel610 the United States was the first independent country of European descent founded in North America can you name a single other country that meets these qualifications the general rule you also follow what the people living in the country call themselves we call ourselves Americans and we don't give two s**** what other people think if they don't like it tough they should have founded their country before us

[@jaciel610]

@@spartanx9293 ah your comment is a complete USA stereotype “we don’t give two S** about (what) other people”. That says a lot, enjoy your big ego, bye.

[@ReinoldFZ]

Growing in Spanish it was confusing because the Spanish word "América" is used for "the Americas" in English, so each time it was mentioned in movies I thought it was meant in reference to the whole two land masses of South and North America, not a country. Now I use America in English for the country, and in Spanish América for the Americas. It is just how language evolves differently for very similar words, like that Simpson episode about inflammable xp

[@thehumanoddity]

In the US, the term North and South America is used with the separating point being Panama; and Central America being used to refer to between Mexico and Panama. I guess since "American" picked up as the demonym of the United States, the choice to separate the two in the American English language was chosen.

[@rc1982]

In (Brazilian) Poetuguese, "America" is ambigous between "the Americas" and "the USA"

[@Nostripe361]

@@thehumanoddity I think some of us use America for the us and use Americas when talking about the continents

[@bigscarysteve]

@@mechupaunhuevon7662 I was born in and have lived my whole life in America, and I have never heard anybody here refer to the country as "the States." That sounds like something somebody from the UK or Ireland or Australia or New Zealand would say. I do hear people in media call the country "the United States" often (and incorrectly) enough, but in real life, everybody here calls it America.

[@cygnals524]

@@bigscarysteve I agree & I was born, raised & lived here my entire life as well. If anything, when asked where we were born most of answer with the name of the city first then the state. So, when someone asks me where I was born I never once have answered with the US or America, I reply with Concord, NH. If someone online asks me where I am from & I know they are in another country I will say I am an American & then tell them what city & state so they know what part of the country I am from.

[@StefanoBertacchi]

It's funny because in Italian, for calling Americans, we have "Statunitensi" that is literally "United Statesian" :D

[@StefanoBertacchi]

@Stephen Jenkins it's true, but I like and I use the other word because it is actually the correct one :)

[@chaosXP3RT]

Just call us Yankees

[@steveperez178]

@@chaosXP3RT Please, no one do this.

[@SoooooWhatt]

As an English-speaking American that is taking a Spanish class, I have heard a similar Spanish word for inhabitants of the United States: "estadounidense", which also literally means "United Statesian", but is supposed to be translated as "American". Additionally, the term "Americano" (male) or "Americana" (female) is used to refer to an inhabitant of the landmass "América", which is counted by Spanish speakers as one continent, but by English speakers as two continents: North America and South America.

[@DylanDude]

The “correct” version would be the one actually used in the United States, wouldn’t it?

[@samaritan3712]

Obviously the United States's parents named them like that, duh.

[@romulusnuma116]

Would the parents in this case be Britain and France?

[@blueangel4ever370]

And now the US is taking over Daddy Britains business of manipulating and controlling countries. Yay

[@potatominded1370]

Panteleimon Ponomarenko Oh my god! It’s Panteleimon Ponomarenko!

[@kykokyko6677]

*States'

[@brandonlyon730]

@@blueangel4ever370 I mean other every nation has done that at some point. Even in modern times France help manipulated the Libyan Civil War’s outcome.

[@Hotshot2k4]

Oh, so that's why Bioshock Infinite's floating town was called "Columbia"

[@averagecommenter6617]

Really great game.

[@blackhawk4ful]

“No one would call themselves United Statesian” latin americans: *allow us to introduce ourselves*

[@paraguayopromedio123]

Well in Spain is also called United Statesian (in Spanish/Castillian Estadounidense)

[@jiraffe9600]

I’m mean, he said themselves.

[@MrMackievelli]

That's great and all but they don't live in the USA. We call ourselves what we want. Thing is unless we are in another country we usually refer to ourselves by our states(I'm Kansas or Arizona etc).

[@MrMackievelli]

@Xavier Lekubarri no, our constitution would never allow it.

[@OneHandedClapper]

@@MrMackievelli what do you mean they don't live in the US if they are almost 20% of the population. That's even bigger than the black population (~13%) for reference.

[@AFGuidesHD]

Fredonia? Nah, I'm thinking more Freedomland

[@Perririri]

How about *Fascistland* ; especially if Trump is reelected?

[@chadkingoffuckmountain970]

@@Perririri I wouldn't call him a fascist. A big dummy, sure, but he ain't no fascist. Now Oswald Mosley? THAT'S a damn good fascist right there.

[@Blu_Jay07]

@@Perririri What has Trump done that you think makes him follow the same ideology Hitler and Mussolini did?

[@bobing1752]

I think America has lost it monopoly for freedom for a long time now. It's no longer the land of the free

[@bobing1752]

@@AzaiReacts well that's a matter of opinion. I really don't think so, but you must admit that the US aren't the only place for freedom now

[@rolanddeschain5161]

Fredonia is the most American name for something I've heard though.

[@geesixnine]

"The Freeds" lol

[@josephleonard6695]

Fredonia or Oilandia or Democrazia or Republicana

[@JohnDoe-py3rc]

yeah cause it's fucking dumb

[@OptimusWombat]

Sounds like something Trump would come up with.

[@raspberry3701]

I think MURICA is the most American name.

[@MHLegacy]

(2:52) Also, prior to the American Civil War, "United States" was generally treated as a plural noun (e.g. "these United States") whereas after the Civil War, it was more commonly treated as a singular noun ("the United States").

[@JBaum55]

I guess another point to make is that before the Civil War, and especially in the early years after the Revolution, many Americans viewed their identities by their states first rather than by the larger country (I.e. Someone would consider themself a Virginianan or New Yorker before an American). This identity weven related to how people referred to the country, calling them *these* United States rather than *the* United States. I'd imagine part of why the naming came and stuck was because many would consider the idea of a United States peoples and the naming of a single group as not being as important as their own individual identities, or felt it devalued those local ones.

[@ETS186]

Except for a New Yorker or Texan 😂

[@dhowe5180]

I think that’s still the case for many parts of the US. Here in Washington State many people have a firm identity as a Washingtonian just as much as an American.

[@eq1373]

They still do

[@diegoxavier9107]

​@@dhowe5180It's honestly a really cool part of living in the US. And because of how huge and diverse the country is, you can even find racial differences depending on where you are. People of Western European descent in the North, Latinos in the South/Southwest, Asians on both coasts. Pretty neat

[@ricardoguanipa8275]

Alternative universe where Freedonia Stuck and all pop music developped the same: Bruce Springsteen - Born In Freedonia Miley Cirus - Party in Freedonia Green day - Freedonian Idiot Don McLean - Freedonian Pie Hulk Hogan's theme - I wanna be a Freedonia

[@huebothedog665]

*FREEDONIA, FUCK YEA!*

[@BlackBlood297]

Sugercult - Stuck in Freedobnia

[@autotechxbox163]

Bruce Springsteen and Green Day are not pop.

[@UncleLumbago1899]

Freedish

[@ryanking2155]

Razorlight - Trouble in Fredonia

[@corporalzeph2518]

Missed opportunity to have named the continent after Amerigo's last name, because then we'd be called "the United States of Vespucci" which is more badass

[@doug814]

Yea that is pretty badass

[@kristijanEX]

I can already see all the shit rappers rhyming Vespucci with Gucci.

[@excho]

I can already hear Hispanophones from the alternate universe mockingly nicknaming it "Vesputa".

[@bengahzijr.4293]

And we would be called “Vespuccians”.

[@warrcoww6717]

And in LA they’d have Amerigo Beach...

[@kungfuskull]

As an american: I kinda wish, even jokingly, that we sometimes called ourselves Fredonians and Fredes 🤣

[@ErikPT]

Nah then we’d equate to Swedes and Finish lol

[@davecullins1606]

Honestly, I'd sound stupid to me.

[@StanbyMode]

@@davecullins1606 not to me

[@juwebles4352]

Make your own reality, gaslight people into believing that fredonia is real and you are a fredish person, reality is but a thin malleable film.

[@taxinvasion260]

I mean we'd get less shit about using "America" to refer to our country from everyone else in the Americas...

[@Augustus-mk1du]

“No one would call themselves United Statesian” who the heck would call themselves fredonians

[@Psychol-Snooper]

Followers of Fred.

[@Steeyuv]

The Marx Brothers - who actually did that, their film Duck Soup.

[@JackHankeAnd]

Honestly it sounds like an actual nationality. I unironically wish it had stuck; I’m sick of hearing people argue about whether Americans are hubristic for calling themselves “Americans” despite being only a part of the American continents.

[@diegoxavier9107]

@@JackHankeAnd It's kind of a dumb argument, really. Like, what else would they call themselves? Statesmen? That's actually a pretty cool name, now that I think about it. A tad confusing, but meh. Still, anything other than "American" that's derived from the name of the country would sound incredibly awkward in English

[@Raphie009]

I've started calling us "Statesmen" specifically due to what Jack Hanke mentioned above. People in the U.S. being referred to as "Americans" exacerbates the already present eclipsing of Latin America and the Caribbean.

[@kulera]

Mexico’s official name is “The United Mexican States”. There has been small talk to simply change it to “The Republic of Mexico” or just simply “Mexico” but it’s just easier to keep things as they are even though no one calls it by its official name. Fun fact: Colombia’s official name was “The United States of Colombia” for a short period before becoming “Republic of Colombia” and changing its states to departments.

[@537monster]

It would feel kind of weird to read an official document from Mexico and just see “Mexico” on top. It just sounds wrong. Countries normally like to state their government type first. Like the Republic of Korea or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It just seems more official that way.

[@spencerhahn1635]

Canada is "The Dominion of Canada", and "The Dominion" or "Our Dominion" were once intelligible synonyms for the country. "Canada Day" was "Dominion Day" until the eighties, and you can still see some old storefronts, trucks, brands etc. with names like "Dominion Grocery" or whatever, and one of our largest banks is still called Toronto Dominion.

[@schadenfreude000]

I'm a translator and it's always weird to have to write "United Mexican States" on the top of official documents.

[@kulera]

Nigel Appleby It’s United Mexican States not United States of Mexico

[@schadenfreude000]

@@kulera True, that was a typo.

[@w5527]

Always my favorite flag cause “Stars, yo.”

[@SonOfBmore]

No body would kneel to that

[@mashucha]

@@SonOfBmore I would ngl

[@neoarmstrongcyclonejetarms9326]

@@SonOfBmore I would

[@dariogutierrez7103]

Ratleheeeeeeaad

[@roberteischen4170]

@ ანდრეი ველასჰო, same.

[@Official2Shitty]

God imagine you vote for someone and he spends his time in office trying to rename the country “Fredonia”

[@amhattami]

imagine the us was named fredonia "hey, haven't seen you around for awhile" "yeah, i've just come back from fred"

[@Zapranoth-lf8nt]

Little known tidbit: before the Civil War, it was much more common to refer to the United States in the plural..."The United States ARE...", while after the Civil War, it became standard to say "The United States IS..."

[@thunderbird1921]

In The Madness of King George (set five years after the Revolutionary War), PM William Pitt says to George III "They are now called the United States, sir." George III replies, "Are they? Goodness me!"

[@dennisswaney644]

That is because Lincoln succeeded in destroying the FEDERAL system the Founders created which resulted in a CENTRALIZED national government that most of the Founders did NOT want!. Also when referring to just the national government or being referred to by an outsider, the singular "THE" is used; when referring to the group of states internally then the plural "THESE" can be used. Examples: "I'm traveling to THE United States"; "I'm traveling in THESE United States".

[@benn454]

@@dennisswaney644 Look at this poor schmuck still trying to fight the Civil War. Sad.

[@Jotari]

@@dennisswaney644 Well if you're saying "I'm traveling to THE United States" than THESE isn't really appropriate. It would have to be "I'm traveling to THOSE United States."

[@Delgen1951]

@@Jotari use the right tense.

[@toniponix]

Hamilton: "What are you gonna do, shoot me?" Burr: *sweats nervoulsy*

[@smc1942]

Burr; Oh, why not?

[@SteventheOrigin]

Hamilton: _cleans glasses_

[@REDKRAKEN18]

A place in Canada got named after Alexander Hamilton

[@alexanderrobins7497]

Arron Burr: "So anyway I start blasting."

[@editorcj]

The world was wide enough

[@Cyrus87]

I’ve read somewhere that the origin of the name “America” deriving from Amerigo Vespucci is actually disputed. I know it’s taught in schools, and is mostly considered to be the truth now. Some historians have posited that it actually got its name from a trader in Bristol called “William Ap Meric”. Some of the reasoning behind this is because when land was claimed by settlers it was common to use the last name of the company that owned the boat. Not staying it as fact, just thought it was interesting and wanted to share.

[@MaylocBrittinorum]

It was actually Richard ap Meryk (or Richard Amerike in English), a merchant of Welsh origin. However, given that the Waldseemüller map (the first record of the name "America") used the name only to refer to modern South America (explored by Vespucci) while Richard's expedition explored North America, it's unlikely (not impossible, of course, but in matters of history you can rarely be 100% sure of anything).

[@absalomdraconis]

@Room 315 : Were the mountains already called that at the time?

[@TommygunNG]

It was Vespucci. But here's one theory a Jewish historian who adhered to Anglo-Israelist doctrine suggested: A Greek word for "worry" is "meros" or something like that. Since this is to be a land of opportunity, it would with "without worry," or "a-meros." ==> "America." There's no evidence for this whatsoever, regardless of your opinion of Anglo-Israelism. But the other alternatives are little more than people desperately trying to come up with an alternative just to be funny.

[@samuelnakai1804]

All that I'm getting from these discussions is that multiple acts of providence shows that these continents were always destined to be called America.

[@TommygunNG]

@@samuelnakai1804 It does make one wonder.

[@dylanselhorst7608]

I love you so much. Your videos rock and you rock. I watch these videos every time I find myself in the restroom (water closet, or whatever) and that’s not meant as an insult. I’m an American student of history who has watched your videos since I have no idea when and I love them so, so much. Keep it up you rock.

[@andrewpatane3971]

Nice touch adding the lipstick marks to Ben Franklin’s face 1:04

[@thebutzel9752]

Andrew Patane Ah, so that’s who it was. That makes a crap ton sense now that you said that

[@appleslover]

Why so?

[@3bydacreekside]

@@appleslover The dude loved to flirt, fuck, and freak the fuck out everyone.

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

@@appleslover Benjamin Franklin was quite the lady's man during his time (to a somewhat notorious degree) and even into his 50s still got women fawning over him wherever he went. His list of purported trysts is honestly rather impressive.

[@ottovonbismarckboi9112]

Hfar he must of had a big PP

[@JazenValencia]

Every July 4th my British friend Josh says Happy Treason day. lol

[@ErikPT]

Odd I call my mate in East Coast on thanksgiving a festive day! Though, he’s more cheeky on 4th of July lol

[@thomaspickard4138]

😂😂😂

[@davidreichert9392]

Great video. It would be good to see more videos on the origin of country names. Or even cities / provinces etc.

[@cacline72]

Teacher: What are you laughing at? Me: Nothing My Head: United Statesians

[@brucecarter5450]

"Alexander Hamilton: What are ya gonna do, shoot me?"

[@Spongebrain97]

Denzel Washington whoops out his pistol from American Gangster

[@mezene99]

@@Spongebrain97 *Fredonian gangster

[@nebulaone908]

Don't worry, he can Alexander handle it.

[@spk1121]

@@nebulaone908: A Jacksfilms fan, I see

[@Kerriangel]

"We're out Nerds." The collapse of the British Empire in a nutshell

[@Vienna3080]

Add a few dead bodies and boats and it’s accurate

[@PedroAntonio0796]

Actually, British Empire became even bigger after it.

[@Udontkno7]

Pedro Antonio Blanco Villar they’re talking about the whole.

[@bigmanjorge]

@@Vienna3080 and the several masscres

[@spartanx9293]

The British are snobs not nerds

[@trupizza671]

The United States of America is a very poetic name in my opinion. It says exactly what it is: a Union of States from America. Plus, it just sounds downright awesome to say.

[@BigBoss-sm9xj]

Lol very cool to say

[@drksideofthewal]

Americans tend not to realize that “state” means “country” to most people outside the US. It’s actually pretty badass that the name implies a Voltron of countries.

[@user-te1fn8cj5r]

"Columbia" User name is already taken. "xX_Columbia_Xx" Username confirmed.

[@LevisaProductions]

Funnily enough, there is a Fredonia, New York. (I would know, I got a flat tire there).

[@brycelandon6387]

And a Fredonia, Iowa, and a Fredonia, Kansas.

[@person3070]

And Fredonia, Arizona

[@ace1776]

Fredonia? Everybody would just start calling us “ the freddys” and think of it “death to fredonia”, just doesn’t sound right.

[@doombaboi7291]

MyHotdogWeiner the fact Death to america sounds right to you worries me lol

[@peoplesrepublicofbritain2032]

@@doombaboi7291 death to evil imperialist america

[@firstnamelastname7079]

@@peoplesrepublicofbritain2032 WHY U BULLY ME???

[@conversationtosaurusrex]

@@peoplesrepublicofbritain2032 you're not even a real country you're just a fraud

[@jennierose7696]

Fredonia, NY is QUAKING

[@carolynthomas3938]

The thumbnail mentions it but he left it out in the video. Usona is an acronym of United States of North America, which is really cool. The name Usono for the US is used in Esperanto, a constructed language made in the 1890s.

[@oliversherman2414]

I love your channel keep up the great stuff!!

[@mundogameplay1341]

Fredonians....It seems like something of the Hobbit Movie

[@Zephaniah700]

Or the Marx brothers'.

[@TJDious]

@@Zephaniah700 His excellency's car!

[@grovercleveland8572]

or despicable me 3

[@509Gman]

@@Zephaniah700 I’m so sad that i had to scroll this far to find the “Duck Soup” reference recognition

[@boldandbrash259]

Or Lotr

[@stevenjlovelace]

While "Fredonia" seems like a dumb name nowadays, it's interesting that your example of a non-named country has the same meaning. The Franks were an ancient Germanic tribe whose name (possibly) mean "Free", as in the modern expression, "Let me be frank (free/candid) with you." So France also means "land of the free" in a roundabout way.

[@karaqakkzl]

French revolution approved

[@buddermonger2000]

So... having gone over it, they're actually more likely to have been named after their weapon "Frankon" (which looked a lot like a javelin) in a process similar to the Saxons (after a dagger they called a "sahson" now called a seax). However, within the Gallo-Romance language "francus" Took the meaning "free" as they were exempt from the laws and thus "free" of them. It turned into the old French "franc" and from there also took on the meaning "noble" later on for the more obvious reason that well... the nobles were Franks.

[@kauffner]

John Adams used "United Colonies" in a resolution he proposed on March 14, 1775. "United States of America" first appears in a draft of the Articles of Confederation by John Dickinson which circulated beginning June 17, 1776. In Jefferson's "original Rough draught" of the Declaration of Independence, he wrote it as "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." This draft circulated beginning June 21. This was apparently a bit much for some members of Congress. In the July 4th version of the declaration, it was toned down to "united States of America." I don't think anyone was going to change the name after it appeared in the declaration, even with the "u" lower cased. But all the same, Congress passed a resolution on September 9 to officially change the name of the country from "United Colonies" to "United States."

[@daviddorsett7550]

It is my understanding that the way English was written at that time nouns were capitalized and adjectives were not. That is why the name was written as "the united States of America" in the Declaration of Independence; but usage was inconsistent. Later in the Declaration the term "United Colonies" was used with both words capitalized.

[@Verelkia]

Another name that was purposed was actually "United States of Appalachia", named after the Appalachian Mountains, a mountain range where the first colonies were. Honestly like that name a lot more, because "America" is way too associated with the continents, and Appalachia feels more like a specific thing to the United States. Plus its catchy, and we can keep the "USA" thing. 🇺🇸 There was even a purposely to make the pacific states their own nation (Washington, Oregon, part of California, and a part of British Columbia that was owned by the United States). Its name was gonna be "State Of The Pacific" but could have also the name "Cascadia", named after the Cascade Range.

[@jesseberg3271]

"Hail, hail Fredonia, land of the brave and free!"

[@johnaucamp7106]

Had to scroll a long way down to find someone who posted this reference...

[@cgaccount3669]

Except for the slaves lol. Well, everyone else banned slavery long ago so why not call the USA ketchup? Like catch up... to the rest of the world lol

[@johnaucamp7106]

@@cgaccount3669 The above reference is to the 1933 movie Duck Soup, which was set in a country called Fredonia.

[@KolchaksGhost]

CG Account Russia: *SERFISM INTENSIFIES*

[@Cliff_Dixon_42]

JOIN THE ARMY AND SEE THE NAVY

[@ricardoguanipa8275]

"The Freedish"

[@khigor1]

Sounds like French

[@Iason29]

@@khigor1 i was thinking of sweden

[@chemi169]

@@Iason29 Frede also sounds like Swede

[@obitwokenobi9808]

Sounds like a candy.

[@nickmcgargill6216]

The South would not approve at the time.

[@ohger1]

I just LOVE the understated British humor that runs throughout these videos. Cheers from the Colonies!

[@Pyrospriter042]

Fredonia, NY out here like "I think that would've been a GREAT name for the country!"

[@Digephil]

Honestly not a bad idea for a whole series, the stories behind many countries' and states' names are very interesting.

[@knazibaz]

I love how History Matters just makes really interesting documentaries about things you never even knew you wondered about.

[@vercingetorix3414]

The Earliest known use of the term, "United States of America", was in a letter written by General Stephen Moylan in January of 1776, thus predating the use of that term in the Declaration of Independence later that same year.

[@rags417]

Another interesting fact - until the 1830s the US was the term used to refer to the collection of states that made it up, after that it was generally considered to be its own entity. What this meant in practice was that the phrase "the United States of America ARE..." changed into "the Unite States of America IS...".

[@cursedex3755]

History Matters: "This nation is called the United States Of America" King George III: *Angry colonising sound*

[@DaveMiller6042]

Laughs in American.

[@paniniweewee5857]

the war of the 2 Georges

[@davidwuhrer6704]

It is a bit backwards. They were colonies _before_ "Farmer" George III. They became independent thanks to a loan from Louis XVI which they never paid back.

[@annyeonghaseyothisfight5897]

Angry beef plant sound

[@ErikPT]

@@davidwuhrer6704 not until we entered WW I and II though we still owe France money lol, no wonder Macron issued digital taxes on us.

[@SupremeLeaderKimJong-un]

0:58 That’s a red stache, he’s a comrade

[@sg27182]

Did you comment on the Drew Durnill video? "Missouri has a lot of Italians in the St Louis area, I knew it would be something Italian or ribs."

[@ruthenium5765]

@Silas Griffin he comments on a lot of videos

[@plasmacatbooks4245]

Of course kim Jung un would notice that

[@pj.sinclair]

1:45 i have never seen a more cursed-looking United States in my life

[@Ramosway2]

Well the uk and usa owned the Oregon territory at the same time but it dis not like the map

[@somebuddyX]

Fredonia sounds like it's the United States' counterpart from Grand Theft Auto.

[@ilFrancotti]

The official name of a citizen from USA in Italian is "Statunitensi" but most call them "Americani" - Americans.

[@yoavmor9002]

Gives translation to Americani but doesn't give translation to Statunitensi Sidenote: It's clear what it means, don't bother editing a translation in.

[@ilFrancotti]

@@yoavmor9002 I didn't because it doesn't exist in English.

[@Max15691]

In Latin America , we call them "estadounidenses" wich is basically "unitedstatians". We use the word "americanos" for any people from America, the whole continent, almost never referring to the people of USA.

[@garabic8688]

@Max15 so us over in the United States refer to ourselves as Americans and our country we call the United States or just America.

[@ilFrancotti]

@@Max15691 that would be the correct way. But calling someone from Mexico, Brazil, Argentina or even Canada "American" would feel very weird and misleading for us.

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

Ok, gents, now whenever this channel mentions US in any video, we shall refer it as "Fredonia" just for memes (like that death sound).

[@SuperZombieBros]

Aight

[@quocvietophu1627]

I'm in

[@bobhart677]

Thud.

[@thunderbird1921]

"Hail Hail Freedonia, home of the free, AND BRAAAAVE!" Shout out to all who get the reference!

[@johnutube1894]

Erm im the the future.....it never catched on

[@DaComebakKid]

Fredonia sounds like a Grand Theft Auto city parodying Washington, DC

[@NicolaW72]

Thank you very much for telling this Part of the History!🙂👍

[@Ethredge27]

I want a shirt for 4th of July with that “stars, yo” flag on it

[@pridelander06]

Your last sentence involving the Civil War reminds me of a quote from historian Shelby Foote which went along the lines of: "Before the war, you'd say 'These United States are,' and after the war, you'd say 'The United States is.' The war made us an 'Is'." So I appreciate that coda very much.

[@davidharrison7825]

I love this episodes small little eastereggs in the background, eas pretty funny to catch

[@jaradsmethers3601]

love these short videos that awnser questions I never thought to ask

[@OptimusWombat]

Freedonia (with two "e") was featured in the Marx Brothers' "Duck Soup".

[@rastalique8114]

Sadly, that movie predicted the break up of Yugoslavia.

[@HigHrvatski]

Amerigo Vespucci put the little bumps for the mountains on the map.

[@itsgodnga]

I always love the little bits in the background like graffiti on portraits or Ben Franklin walking about covered in kisses

[@davegreenlaw5654]

I was scrolling through the comments here just waiting for someone to finally mention Ol' Ben with the lipstick smeared all over his face. 😁

[@Esprix]

Is that Ben Franklin covered in kisses at @1:03? LOL

[@aotoda486]

1:03 oh, Franklin...

[@-noplangaming-9268]

Reminds me of oversimplified

[@Bennyboi789]

I thought that was Hamilton?

[@arneholmstad4709]

2:24 Alexander Hamilton "What are you going to do, shoot me?" This

[@smc1942]

Burr; "oh, alright. If it'll shut you up."

[@Lloyd_lyle]

Hamilton’s last words: *“what are you gonna do? Shoot me!”* lol 2:23

[@newcourier7446]

Congrats on 1 million subs!

[@stanklepoot]

"Turns out you suck" is the perfect sign when you think about just how quickly they went from being colonists who were proud to call themselves British, to a nation determined to rid themselves of British rule and become independent. Historically speaking, it's the blink of an eye, really.

[@Rodion302]

Man! I love this Channel!! It is so great and Informative! Keep Up the Work P.S. I love the animation

[@GenMaj_Knight]

It's weird how people will say "Oh I won't call them American because there's more than one country on the continent," but no other country in North or South America calls itself America.

[@quidam_surprise]

Well, that's the point, genius brain. 🙄 No one is supposed to hog the toponym if them petty posers are foreign in like THIRTY FOUR different countries located in the area that THEY themselves claim... whether or not they're too provincial or full of shit to admit it. Furthermore, considering how you seem to have very much misconstrued what is the actual plea and then went to project your version onto people, it's not very surprising that it's still fly over your head...

[@GenMaj_Knight]

@@quidam_surprise "No one is supposed to hog the toponym" Australia. Also, it's the "United States *OF* America," not "United States that are America," dumbass. That's not hogging a toponym, that's you being mad at a country for no realistic reason and getting mad about it lmao.

[@martinog8223]

How many with the exception of South Africa and the Central African Republic, there are not many other countries making reference to the country they are from, because it is actually silly... just imagine: Germany of Europe, China of Asia... wtf??

[@GenMaj_Knight]

@@martinog8223 ​ Firstly, "there are not many other countries making reference to the country they are from," you mean "which continent they are from." Secondly, Germany and China were forcibly united as political entities, with Germany being united primarily by Prussia's military dominance (Not directly conquering the other German states, but through the soft power of their military, you should get the idea) and the many eras of sovereign Chinese countries through conquest. The United States were multiple States agreeing to a Union which was seen as by many at it's founding as insoluble, and as such, they adopted a name that would apply to every state without being exclusive. Do you think the name should've been "The United States of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia?" No, because that name is entirely silly. Multiple states were willingly giving up large parts of their sovereignty for a common goal, obviously they'd use a name like United States of America. Thirdly, it's ironic you bring up Germany while Germany is currently in the European Union, which is extremely close to being a country, with the only real preventatives being that nobody thinks of it as a country, and any member can leave the EU pretty much for whatever reason. Fourth, even if you just chose "United States," that'd still be "hogging the name," from other countries such as the full name of Mexico, which is United Mexican States, or countries such as The United States of Belgium (1790), United States of Brazil (1889-1967), or United States of Colombia (1863-1886). Finally, I think it's ridiculous for you to call it "silly," and then pull up an example of two centralized countries. There's no need to call Germany "of Europe," because it's just one solid political entity. There's not as much leeway for the German subdivisions when it comes to law and politics, ergo, there's no need to refer to it as "United States of Germany," thus there's no need to specify anything about Germany.

[@claytonbrooks4826]

I still love "Usono" in Esperanto

[@brunopastorini1248]

Besides having adopted the name 'Columbia', interestingly there's a city in Colombia called 'Fredonia', which for some reason also uses the flag of Bulgaria.

[@Cjnw]

Фръдония

[@LEFT4BASS]

I think part of the reason we never came up with a name was that the United States wasn’t supposed to be a single nation when it began. Each state was meant to be an independent nation, similar to separate nations under the EU.

[@garypulliam3740]

Precisely.

[@lukeirot]

Well it isn't quite that simple because for a while no body knew what it should be structured like.

[@siononalundula1699]

LEFT4BASS that’s not true. At all. The United States was always meant to be a Federation, never a Confederation. Those are very different things. In a Confederation there are several countries that work together as an organization, but where the central government of each country still has the last say in all matters of their own nation. In a Federation, (like the United States, Russia, Germany, Brazil, Canada and many others) although each state/province has high degree of autonomy, the Federal government has the overarching sovereignty and they have the last say. The United States was founded as a country, not a group of countries. A Federation, not a Confederation.

[@cramer4506]

@@siononalundula1699 Technically, the USA was created as a Confederation and shifted to a Federation with the adoption of the American Constitution.

[@siononalundula1699]

Cramer I think you’re right, actually. It was created as a group of states mainly to break free from the British, and then was formally made into a Federation with the Constitution. You’re right.

[@alexeisaular3470]

United States: “our name is America” The world: “I will name you United States”

[@Tracer_Krieg]

There was one more name that came up during the 20th Century: Usonia. First coined by architect Frank Lloyd Wright, he used it to refer specifically to the United States in difference to the other North American nations and it's own brand of architecture. He has used it to referred to his particular idea of changing the overall architecture of the nation, and proposed it's use to better describe the USA. Fun fact: the name was used for the alternative American nation of the Federal Union of Usonia in the Dieselpunk game Iron Harvest, with a fundamentally different early history in the form of a bloodier war of independence (of which Canada sided with the Colonies), the earlier collapse of American slavery, an alternative civil war occurring with the Pacific States such as California in the 1870's, and no national involvement in the Great War... and also armored airships and helicopters are in service in the 1920's.

[@seronymus]

How is Iron Harvest?

[@Weesel71]

And the national dish would have to be Duck Soup.

[@robc4191]

Thank you!

[@EvansdiAl]

clicked faster than americo vespucci saying THIS MY LAND

[@sviatoslavs.1305]

Pretending to be a smartass, I see? Ok.

[@warbler1984]

He was a cartographer...not a claimer of lands

[@lorisuprifranz]

His name was Amerigo with the g, still a better name than Colombia since Amerigo was the first to understand that America was a continent on itself ( by exploring South America, so little connections to the usa)

[@EvansdiAl]

@@lorisuprifranz In Spanish it is spelled with a C

[@lorisuprifranz]

@@EvansdiAl Ok but he was Genoese, so it's original spelling was with the g

[@paradoxequinox4104]

2:23 That grave man... Alexander Hamilton- "What are you gonna do, shoot me?"

[@Axemantitan]

The chance to call the country Freedonia was permanently lost in 1933 when the Marx Brothers used it in their movie "Duck Soup."

[@77777Spooky]

"What are ya gonna do? Shoot me?" The shade under those trees, damn.

[@hhill2880]

Your icon came up and I didn't even have to think about it Your KZbin has become an impulsive addiction of mine And I thank you for your work

[@bnap3221]

Arse kidder

[@lawrencedoliveiro9104]

The nice thing about “Columbia” is that it could be translated as “land of doves”.

[@kookamunga4714]

America means "winner winner chicken dinners"

[@pbandj37]

I enjoyed pausing the video and reading the Constitution. Nicely played.

[@brianfox771]

I have a silver dollar from 1798 that says "United States of America."

[@user-xb9yv2ci4c]

I pay you 50 cents for it.

[@TheLocalLt]

Brian Fox that’s because the United States of America existed in 1798 lmao Edit: that’s cool as fuck

[@brianfox771]

@@TheLocalLt That's just what the Masons and Illuminati want you to think. ;) :P

[@brianfox771]

@@user-xb9yv2ci4c Well 50 is more than 1 so that sounds like a great deal to me. Sold!

[@LazyAndFabulous]

@@brianfox771 Well the Inflation exist

[@emizerri]

I was literally thinking this last night, I guess KZbin is listening to my thoughts now

[@colinvega7618]

lol 1:03 Hamilton leaving after getting smooched and 2:25 his grave after getting shot in a duel and not expecting the other dude to shoot

[@jordank6961]

Honestly, this channel should have a secondary name "Questions I've asked I've once in my life but never got around to looking up the answer" Everyone i get you in my feed I'm like, 'hey, I've wondered about that"

[@craigthenf273]

You should do one going in to the orginal of each states name you could separate it by region or something so it wouldn't be to long of a vid

[@theweirdofengland]

Interesting that the Declaration of Independence describes it as the "united States of America", a bit like the "united Kingdom of Great Britain" contained in the Acts of Union. In both cases the "u" was uncapitalised, but while the Kingdom of Great Britain wouldn't properly become the "United Kingdom" until union with Ireland a hundred years after the Acts, the "United States" somehow quickly became capitalised and official.

[@esdrasjuarbe3617]

In Spanish we say “estadounidenses” which is literally United Statesians 😂

[@acidmana6141]

wait isn't it Gringo

[@BigBoss-sm9xj]

I say americano in Spanish

[@spartanx9293]

What country are you from

[@fard6703]

The name “Fredonia” would go on to appear inside of the Fredonian Rebellion of 1826, the first ever revolt of the people of Texas against their Mexican rulers. The event was led by an empresario by the name of Haden Edwards. It was the first step towards Texas independence.