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United States of Colombia

United States of Colombia
Estados Unidos de Colombia (Spanish)
1863–1886
Location of Colombia
StatusFederation
CapitalBogotá
Religion
Roman Catholic
GovernmentFederal presidential republic
President 
 1863–1864
Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera (first)
 1886
José María Campo Serrano (last)
History 
 Established
1863
8 May 1863[1]
 Disestablished
1886
Area
 Total
1,331,250 km2 (514,000 sq mi)
Population
 1870
2,681,637
CurrencyPeso
ISO 3166 codeCO
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Granadine Confederation
Republic of Colombia
Today part ofBrazil
Colombia
Panama

The United States of Colombia (Spanish: Estados Unidos de Colombia) was the name adopted in 1863[2][3] by the Constitución de Rionegro [es] for the Granadine Confederation, after years of civil war. Colombia became a federal state itself composed of nine "sovereign states." It comprised the present-day nations of Colombia and Panama and parts of northwestern Brazil. After several more years of intermittent civil wars, it was replaced by the more centralist Republic of Colombia in 1886, predecessor to modern Colombia.

History

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The civil war of 1860–1862 resulted in the dissolution of the Granadine Confederation which had been subjected increasingly to efforts by conservatives to centralize rule over the federal states. The liberal General Tomás Cipriano de Mosquera defeated the conservative government of President Bartolomé Calvo during 1862 and was installed as new president. Much power was distributed back to the states from the government in Bogotá.

Already in July 1861, when Mosquera had taken Bogotá and declared himself provisional president of the nation, one of his first acts was to rename the country United States of New Granada. This name was short-lived, as Mosquera changed the name again to United States of Colombia in November of the same year.[4]

Colombian Constitution of 1863

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On 3 February 1863, Congress approved the name United States of Colombia for the country,[citation needed] and on 8 May, the Constitución de Rionegro [es] was promulgated. It established a federal system with a central presidency[citation needed] with a term of two years and without the possibility of immediate re-election. The president was elected by the states. On 12 May, Mosquera was chosen to be the first president.[citation needed]

The liberals attempted to establish the United States of Colombia with a decentralized, free market system. As with previous liberal presidencies, such as Mosquera's first two terms as president, a tough policy towards the Catholic Church was taken, much to the dismay of conservatives. Land possessed by the Church was seized and transferred to industrialists and the influence and rights of the Church was limited severely.

During 1871, attempts at modernization and economic reform resulted in the Colombian peso being associated with the French franc as part of the international gold standard.

Abolition

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After several years of intermittent civil wars, during 1886 the Colombian Conservative Party led by President Rafael Núñez proclaimed a new constitution of a unitary and centralist character that abolished the United States of Colombia and created the Republic of Colombia. The conservatives immediately withdrew Colombia from the gold standard and the subsequent increase of printed currency resulted in troubling inflation.

Meanwhile, the new state would continue to be plagued by conflict between liberal and conservative factions, which eventually would result in the secession of Panama during 1903.

Colombian states

States and territories of the United States of Colombia

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States of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

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States of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name Capital Established Population
(1874)
Total area (1874)
State creation Joined the US of Colombia mi2km2
Antioquia ANTMedellín June 11, 1856 May 8, 1863
365,974
22,78059,000
Bolívar BOLCartagena June 15, 1857 May 8, 1863
241,704
27,02770,000
Boyacá BOYTunja June 15, 1857 May 8, 1863
482,874
33,35086,375
Cauca CAUPopayán June 15, 1857 May 8, 1863
435,078
258,071668,400
Cundinamarca CUNBogotá June 15, 1857 May 8, 1863
409,602
79,691206,400
Magdalena MAGSanta Marta June 15, 1857 May 8, 1863
85,275
25,84666,941
Panamá PANPanamá February 27, 1855 May 8, 1863
221,052
33,28286,200
Santander SANSocorro May 13, 1857 May 8, 1863
425,427
16,44842,600
Tolima TOLIbagué April 12, 1861 May 8, 1863
230,891
18,41747,700

Federal District of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

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Federal District of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name Capital Established Population
(1851)
Total area (1862)
Creation Suppression mi2km2
Federal District DFBogotá July 23, 1861 May 11, 1864
29,649
38

Territories of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)

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Territories of the United States of Colombia (1863–1886)
Name Capital Under the jurisdiction of
State
Bolívar Landázuri Santander
Caquetá Mocoa Cauca
Casanare Tame Boyacá
La Guajira Riohacha Magdalena
San Andrés San Andrés Bolívar
San Martín San Martín Cundinamarca
Sierra Nevada Espíritu Santo Magdalena
Vásquez Puerto Reyes Cundinamarca

References

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  1. Constitutional history of Colombia#The constitution of 1863 - United States of Colombia
  2. Edmundson, George (1911). "Colombia" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 171.
  3. "American Colonies - New Granada". www.historyfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
  4. Ollé, Jaume. "Nueva Granada (República y Confederación)". Historical Flags (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 19 December 2014.

4°39′N 74°03′W / 4.650°N 74.050°W / 4.650; -74.050