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United States of Colombia Estados Unidos de Colombia (Spanish) | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1863–1886 | |||||||||
.svg) | |||||||||
| Status | Federation | ||||||||
| Capital | Bogotá | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||||||
| Government | Federalpresidential republic
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| 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 | ||||||||
| Currency | Peso | ||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | CO | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Brazil Colombia Panama | ||||||||
Part ofa series on the | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| History ofColombia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Timeline | ||||||||||||||||||||
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 Colombia portal | ||||||||||||||||||||
TheUnited States of Colombia (Spanish:Estados Unidos de Colombia) was the name adopted in 1863[2][3] by theConstitución de Rionegro [es] for theGranadine Confederation, after years of civil war. Colombia became a federal state itself composed of nine "sovereign states.” It comprised the present-day nations ofColombia andPanama and parts of northwesternBrazil. After several more years of intermittent civil wars, it was replaced by the more centralistRepublic of Colombia in 1886, predecessor to modern Colombia.
Thecivil 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 thefederal states. The liberal GeneralTomás Cipriano de Mosquera defeated the conservative government of PresidentBartolomé 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 countryUnited States of New Granada. This name was short-lived, as Mosquera changed the name again toUnited States of Colombia in November of the same year .[4]
On 3 February 1863, Congress approved the name United States of Colombia for the country,[citation needed] and on 8 May, theConstitución 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]
Theliberals 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 theCatholic 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 theColombian peso being associated with theFrench franc as part of the internationalgold standard.
After several years of intermittent civil wars, during 1886 theColombian Conservative Party led by PresidentRafael Núñez proclaimed a new constitution of a unitary and centralist character that abolished the United States of Colombia and created theRepublic 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 thesecession of Panama during 1903.
The nine originalstates that formed the confederation were:
and the territories were:
