# When in US history did the country share the continent with the most nations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090 "2017-02-17T18:41:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Flying\_Saucer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Flying\_Saucer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Saucer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/1 "2017-02-17T18:41:38Z")
I’ve been playing the Risk computer game, and it allows for play in historical scenarios. Along with Napoleon-era Europe, there’s a setting in early-19th-century America. If you set up the game with a lot of AI opponents, it includes these nations: Great Britain (Canada) France Spain/Mexico Native American tribes It’s only a game, but I was wondering about its accuracy. How close did we get to “Checkboard America,” with a Monroe or Madison vying with other nations to control the continent? Did Spanish Florida co-exist with a French New Orleans? Were the Native American tribes really “nations”? Did any other country have a presence in North America? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/2 "2017-02-17T18:45:07Z")
Russia needs to be in the mix ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/3 "2017-02-17T18:48:53Z")
I see no reason to count the native tribes as other than nations, and so that means that the answer to your question is almost certainly going to be very early on when there were the most tribes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/4 "2017-02-17T18:51:56Z")
The Dutch had a outpost or two. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/5 "2017-02-17T19:01:51Z")
Do Caribbean islands count? Denmark once controlled what are now the US Virgin Islands. Which is why traffic there still drives on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/6 "2017-02-17T19:02:13Z")
> [@Flying\_Saucer](#): > > Did Spanish Florida co-exist with a French New Orleans? Were the Native American tribes really “nations”? Did any other country have a presence in North America? 1. Yes it did. The history of Louisiana requires an entire college course to understand but Spanish Florida and French Louisiana did coexist. Oddly enough, parts of Louisiana (the Florida Parishes in particular) were not part of the Louisiana purchase. Much of Louisiana was once also owned by Spain. 2. They are considered “nations” even today. I think you mean countries. The answer to that is maybe depending on how you define it. See the list below especially [Republic of Indian Stream](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Indian_Stream). 3. Yes, there were a number of them. Here is a list. Some of them may have been fledgling or aborted countries but The Republic of Texas was real as was California, Vermont and Hawaii. The Confederate States of America was short-lived but operated as a separate country for 4 years as well. Confederate States of America‎ Kingdom of Hawaii‎ Republic of Indian Stream Provisional Government of Oregon‎ Republic of Texas California Republic Vermont Republic Republic of West Florida ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/7 "2017-02-17T19:02:51Z")
Vikings? Hiding out in Minnesota and Oklahoma. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/8 "2017-02-17T19:15:26Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > 1. Yes it did. The history of Louisiana requires an entire college course to understand but Spanish Florida and French Louisiana did coexist. Oddly enough, parts of Louisiana (the Florida Parishes in particular) were not part of the Louisiana purchase. Much of Louisiana was once also owned by Spain. > > 2. They are considered “nations” even today. I think you mean countries. The answer to that is maybe depending on how you define it. See the list below especially [Republic of Indian Stream](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Indian_Stream). > > 3. Yes, there were a number of them. Here is a list. Some of them may have been fledgling or aborted countries but The Republic of Texas was real as was California, Vermont and Hawaii. The Confederate States of America was short-lived but operated as a separate country for 4 years as well. > > Confederate States of America‎ > Kingdom of Hawaii‎ > Republic of Indian Stream > Provisional Government of Oregon‎ > Republic of Texas > California Republic > Vermont Republic > Republic of West Florida The California Republic wast real. > **[California Republic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Republic)** > > The California Republic (Spanish: República de California), or Bear Flag Republic, was an unrecognized breakaway state from Mexico, that for 25 days in 1846 militarily controlled an area north of San Francisco, in and around what is now Sonoma County in California. > In June 1846, thirty-three American immigrants in Alta California who had entered without official permission rebelled against the Mexican department's\[notes 1\] government. Among their grievances were that they had not been allowe... ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/9 "2017-02-17T19:30:58Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Do Caribbean islands count? Denmark once controlled what are now the US Virgin Islands. > > Which is why traffic there still drives on the left. From what I can find online, Denmark made driving on the right mandatory in 1793 with no regulation before that so I question that this was what made the US Virgin Islands adopt left hand drive. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/10 "2017-02-17T19:37:01Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > From what I can find online, Denmark made driving on the right mandatory in 1793 with no regulation before that so I question that this was what made the US Virgin Islands adopt left hand drive. I know the USVI well and I have been in some harrowing driving incidents when I realized I was on the wrong side of the road for miles before I caught myself. Every time I ask a native why they still drive on the left, they say that it has always been that way and the Danes did it. The may have switched Denmark itself over to the correct side of the road but they never bothered with some of their former colonies. Great Danes indeed! ETA - I don’t think anyone really knows the true answer. There are competing donkey cart and poor roads theories as well (although I have never seen a donkey cart in the USVI). [http://www.vinow.com/wwwtalk/read.php?4,81569,81593](http://www.vinow.com/wwwtalk/read.php?4,81569,81593) ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/11 "2017-02-17T19:40:31Z")
Saint Pierre and Miquelon is still French territory … a couple island just off the coast of Newfoundland … Greenland is Danish territory, don’t know if you’d include that in the North American continent … If by country, you mean official postage stamp issuing entities … then the United Nations … ---
**Author:** ![Ignotus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecc23a/32.png) [@Ignotus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignotus)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/12 "2017-02-17T20:13:55Z")
[New Sweden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Sweden) existed between 1638 and 1655. And, if islands count, the [Swedish colony of Saint Barthélemy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_colony_of_Saint_Barth%C3%A9lemy)between 1784 and 1878. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/13 "2017-02-17T20:43:53Z")
Depends what you include in North America. If we include Central America the maximum number of separate countries would be now, with 10 since the independence of Belize in 1981. (Two more if we include France in St. Pierre and Miquelon and Denmark in Greenland.) For North America proper (not including Central America): In 1655 there were five colonial powers established in North America: Spain: Mexico and Florida England: New England and Virginia France: New France (in the Maritimes and along the St. Lawrence) Netherlands: New Netherlands (later New York) Sweden: New Sweden (now parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey) In 1802 there were also five nations: Spain: Mexico and Florida UK: Canada France: Louisiana Territory, sold to the US in 1803 United States of America. Russia: Alaska In 1865 there were also five: Mexico UK: Canada United States of America Confederate States of America Russia: Alaska ---
**Author:** ![Flying\_Saucer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9dc877/32.png) [@Flying\_Saucer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flying_Saucer)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/14 "2017-02-17T21:03:36Z")
Thanks, **Colibri**. Your answer is the closest to what I was looking for: In what year were there the most countries in present-day America? So in 1802, the US shared its current borders with France, Spain, and various Native American nations. The UK was close, but Canada was probably too far away to be involved in American affairs; even in the War of 1812, they didn’t seem concerned with conquering, say, Minnesota, which was right nearby. It’s too bad California and Texas came later. It would be an interesting alternate universe with those countries plus the US, the tribes, and various European powers still holding on. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/15 "2017-02-17T21:06:51Z")
The Iroquois is probably the closest to a Native nation. They were a confederacy of 5 tribes (6 after 1722 when the Tuscarora joined). Scotland had some mostly failed colonies. They joined Great Britain in 1707. The Germans (well, Brandenburg in the HRE) had a tiny colony in then Danish St. Thomas, now USVI. It might make things simpler if you discount the islands, and only US-Canada-Mexico, or those plus mainland Central America. As you’re looking for military might. The Knights Hospitaller (then based in Malta, now the quasi-state the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in Italy had a few Caribbean possessions. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/16 "2017-02-17T21:18:40Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > …In 1865 there were also five: > > Mexico > UK: Canada > United States of America > Confederate States of America > Russia: Alaska And the French were still bankrolling and militarily supporting the Emperor Maximilian in Mexico at that time. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/17 "2017-02-17T21:28:01Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > And the French were still bankrolling and militarily supporting the Emperor Maximilian in Mexico at that time. But Mexico was still a separate country, whether you consider it under French control or not. If you want to include France you would need include St. Pierre and Miquelon. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/18 "2017-02-17T21:39:35Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Scotland had some mostly failed colonies. They joined Great Britain in 1707. Scotland, as a country independent from the UK, briefly had a colony in Nova Scotia from 1629 that was given back to France in 1632. Since it did not overlap with New Sweden, which was established in 1638, it would not have increased the total number of countries in North America at any one time. Scotland attempted to establish a colony in Darien in Panama in 1698, which was such a disaster that it bankrupted the country forcing its union with the UK in 1707. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/19 "2017-02-17T21:46:08Z")
> [@Flying\_Saucer](#): > > It’s too bad California and Texas came later. It would be an interesting alternate universe with those countries plus the US, the tribes, and various European powers still holding on. The Republic of Texas (1836- February 19, 1846) barely missed overlapping with the California Republic (June-July 1846), and so they did not increase the number of countries over that present when the CSA existed. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090/20 "2017-02-17T22:04:03Z")
Depending on how you count when Mexico became a separate country, it could have co-existed with Spanish rule in Florida. The Mexican War of Independence started in 1810, and there was a formal Declaration of Independence in 1813. However, the rebels were not victorious until September 1821, after Florida had been transferred to the US in July 1821. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-in-us-history-did-the-country-share-the-continent-with-the-most-nations/780090.md?page=2)