00:00 Some states in the United States were once independent countries before joining the Union.

01:58 The United States has a history of assimilating independent countries that once existed within its territory, including the short-lived Republic of Fredonia in Texas and the Republic of Indian Stream in New Hampshire.

03:45 The Republic of Indian Stream, the Provisional Government of Oregon, and the Republic of West Florida were all short-lived independent entities that eventually became part of the United States due to confusion over land rights and border disputes.

05:33 The California Republic lasted only 25 days before being annexed by the United States during the Mexican-American War, while the Vermont Republic was a more legitimate independent country that was claimed by multiple colonies.

07:17 The Republic of Texas existed as an independent country for 10 years before being recognized by the United States and eventually annexed.

09:07 France, Belgium, Russia, the Antioch League, and the Netherlands recognized Texas and exchanged ambassadors with the country, and the annexation of Texas became a major issue in both Texas and the U.S., eventually leading to the 1844 election won by James Polk; Hawaii, on the other hand, became an independent kingdom after the creation of the United States, with King Kamehameha I uniting the major islands by force in 1795 and the remaining islands joining voluntarily in 1810, and Hawaii was recognized as an independent kingdom by the United States, Britain, France, and other European powers, making it the first non-European indigenous state to be recognized by European countries.

11:01 In 1893, a group of American and European businessmen led a coup to overthrow the Hawaiian monarchy and establish a provisional government, which eventually led to the annexation of Hawaii as a U.S. territory in 1898.