Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
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History tells us that every country falls - eventually. Some manage to adapt and change over time and keep the same identity over centuries, but some… well they just weren’t long for this world. Today we’re going to examine the shortest-lived countries in history, which is actually a lot more complicated than it sounds.
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LINKS LINKS LINKS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_limited_recognition
africarenewal.un.org/en/magazine/south-sudan-worlds-youngest-nation-crossroads
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan
web.archive.org/web/20181008022704/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/report-400000-excess-deaths-south-sudan-58090309
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_shogunate
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Yoshinobu#Sh%C5%8Dgun_(1866%E2%80%931867)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boshin_War
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ezo
oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809?p=emailAKJ7DuKg7zTb.&d=/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809
scalawagmagazine.org/2018/06/blind-spots-selective-memory-in-brazilian-and-u-s-histories
oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809?d=%2F10.1093%2Facrefore%2F9780199366439.001.0001%2Facrefore-9780199366439-e-809&p=emailA48hKkA0x7mZs#acrefore-9780199366439-e-809-div1-5
gov.mb.ca/chc/louis_riel/life_events.html
metismuseum.ca/media/document.php/06273.MNS.1885.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_in_the_American_Civil_War#secession
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:22 - What Is A Country?
3:58 - On South Sudan
4:55 - Republic of Ezo
7:14 - The Juliana Republic
10:20 - Provisional Government of Saskatchewan
12:23 - The Palmetto Republic
13:54 - Russian Democratic Federative Republic
15:32 - Republic of Texas Redux
17:51 - Sponsor - Brilliant
To try everything Brilliant has to offer for free, visit brilliant.org/answerswithjoe. You’ll also get 20% off an annual premium subscription!
History tells us that every country falls - eventually. Some manage to adapt and change over time and keep the same identity over centuries, but some… well they just weren’t long for this world. Today we’re going to examine the shortest-lived countries in history, which is actually a lot more complicated than it sounds.
Want to support the channel? Here's how:
Patreon: patreon.com/answerswithjoe
Channel Memberships: youtube.com/channel/UC-2YHgc363EdcusLIBbgxzg/join
T-Shirts & Merch: laughsmarter.com
Check out my 2nd channel, Joe Scott TMI:
youtube.com/channel/UCqi721JsXlf0wq3Z_cNA_Ew
And my podcast channel, Conversations With Joe:
youtube.com/channel/UCJzc7TiJ2nnuyJkUpOZ8RKA
You can listen to my podcast, Conversations With Joe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Spotify 👉 spoti.fi/37iPGzF
Apple Podcasts 👉 apple.co/3j94kfq
Google Podcasts 👉 bit.ly/3qZCo1V
Follow me at all my places!
Instagram: instagram.com/answerswithjoe
TikTok: tiktok.com/@answerswithjoe
Facebook: facebook.com/answerswithjoe
Twitter: twitter.com/answerswithjoe
LINKS LINKS LINKS
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_states_with_limited_recognition
africarenewal.un.org/en/magazine/south-sudan-worlds-youngest-nation-crossroads
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Sudan
web.archive.org/web/20181008022704/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/report-400000-excess-deaths-south-sudan-58090309
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_shogunate
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokugawa_Yoshinobu#Sh%C5%8Dgun_(1866%E2%80%931867)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boshin_War
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ezo
oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809?p=emailAKJ7DuKg7zTb.&d=/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809
scalawagmagazine.org/2018/06/blind-spots-selective-memory-in-brazilian-and-u-s-histories
oxfordre.com/latinamericanhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780199366439.001.0001/acrefore-9780199366439-e-809?d=%2F10.1093%2Facrefore%2F9780199366439.001.0001%2Facrefore-9780199366439-e-809&p=emailA48hKkA0x7mZs#acrefore-9780199366439-e-809-div1-5
gov.mb.ca/chc/louis_riel/life_events.html
metismuseum.ca/media/document.php/06273.MNS.1885.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_in_the_American_Civil_War#secession
TIMESTAMPS
0:00 - Intro
1:22 - What Is A Country?
3:58 - On South Sudan
4:55 - Republic of Ezo
7:14 - The Juliana Republic
10:20 - Provisional Government of Saskatchewan
12:23 - The Palmetto Republic
13:54 - Russian Democratic Federative Republic
15:32 - Republic of Texas Redux
17:51 - Sponsor - Brilliant
