Which country was the first to gain independence? This is an interesting question with a complex answer. Generally, the first modern independent nation-state is considered to be the United States, which declared independence from Great Britain in 1776. However, there are many factors to consider when determining which nation first established itself as fully sovereign and independent. Some key questions around this topic include:
- How do we define “independence” and what constitutes a sovereign nation-state?
- Should ancient civilizations like Egypt or China count as early independent nations?
- Does independence require complete self-governance and freedom from all foreign influence?
- How much weight should we give to symbolic declarations versus actual autonomy in practice?
This article will examine these questions and dive deeper into the historical evidence around early independent states. Factors like indigenous governance, colonialism, revolutions, treaties, and degrees of autonomy will help analyze which nations have the strongest claims to being first.
Defining Independence for a Nation
Before exploring which country was first, it is important to consider what we mean by an independent nation-state. The 1648 Peace of Westphalia is often cited as giving rise to the modern system of sovereign states in international law. Key principles of this framework include:
- Territorial integrity and defined borders
- Centralized government with sole authority inside its territory
- Freedom from external influence in domestic affairs
- Recognition and non-interference from other sovereign states
- Right to self-defense and to enter treaties with other states
Using this as a starting point, an independent nation-state would need to have established borders, some form of centralized government, substantial freedom from foreign control, and recognition of its sovereignty from other powers. Symbolic declarations alone are not enough – the state must exhibit actual autonomy in political and military affairs.
Challenges in Early Independence
Applying the Westphalian definition strictly, no true nation-states existed before the 17th century. Challenges for earlier polities seeking independence included:
- Loosely defined territorial boundaries
- Internal divisions between city-states, tribes, or nobility
- Feudal obligations to lords or emperors
- Foreign powers exerting control and influence
- Limited communication and recognition between regions
These factors meant that while some earlier societies governed themselves to degrees, they lacked complete self-determination and freedom from outside interference that would meet the modern criteria for independence.
Early Examples of Independent Societies
Keeping these complexities in mind, some early civilizations did establish forms of self-rule that could be seen as prototypes or inspirations for later nation-states. Here are a few noteworthy examples:
Ancient Egypt
One of the earliest centralized, territorial states was Ancient Egypt starting around 3100 BCE. Egypt was ruled as a monarchy with the pharaoh holding absolute power. Its territorial borders were secured by geography and military forces. Egypt was self-governing and not under the control of other states for most of its long history. This autonomy was briefly interrupted by invasions from the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans. Ancient Egypt is a prime example of an early civilization exercising local sovereignty and self-determination.
Babylonia and the Hittite Empire
The Babylonians, Sumerians, Assyrians, and Hittites established influential early civilizations and empires starting in the 4th millennium BCE in Mesopotamia and Anatolia. These societies were centrally governed from cities like Babylon, Ashur, and Hattusa with defined borders defended by armies. They were largely autonomous from outside control and signed some of the earliest international treaties, like the peace treaty between the Hittite and Egyptian empires around 1259 BCE. The Bronze Age Mesopotamian empires demonstrate advanced forms of independent city-state government interacting on the global stage.
Classical Greece
The various city-states of Classical Greece, like Athens and Sparta, provide early examples of self-governing mini-states starting in the 8th century BCE. Despite divisions and conflicts between the Greek polities, each city-state was politically autonomous in local affairs, with democratic and oligarchic institutions taking hold. The Greeks pioneered key concepts like citizen participation in government and the nation as a community of individuals with shared heritage and culture. Greece also demonstrated that independence could be achieved on a smaller scale locally, not just as large territorial empires.
The Olmecs and Mayans
In Mesoamerica, sophisticated civilizations like the Olmecs (1400 BCE – 400 BCE) and Mayans (250 BCE – 900 CE) independently developed writing, mathematics, architecture, calendars, and astronomy. These societies were not under foreign colonial control and governed extensive city-states linked by trade networks and common belief systems. The Mayan civilization in particular demonstrated advanced scientific and cultural autonomy before the later Aztec and Inca Empires conquered the region.
China
For centuries, Imperial China stood as one of the most significant independent political and cultural entities in the world. Early dynastic rule began around 1500 BCE and consolidated power over China’s territory and people. Despite losses of autonomy during periods of disunity or foreign invasions, native Chinese sovereignty was restored many times, most notably during the Han Dynasty (202 BCE – 220 CE), Tang Dynasty (618 CE – 907 CE) and Ming Dynasty (1368 CE – 1644 CE). China represents a prime example of early indigenous governance and cultural identity that periodically achieved independence on a large territorial scale.
The Age of Exploration and Colonialism
The late 15th to early 19th centuries marked a pivotal shift in global power structures and notions of sovereignty. European expansion during the Age of Exploration brought much of the world under colonial rule, extinguishing or dominating many existing independent societies. This colonization and the rise of Europe created a new international system rooted in controlling overseas territories and spreading Western state models. Local autonomy and self-determination increasingly came into conflict with imperial authority and global commercial interests.
Effects on Independence Worldwide
By the mid-19th century, vast swaths of Africa, Asia, and the Americas had come under varying degrees of European political and economic control. Even ancient civilizations like China and India faced pressures that undermined independence. The concepts of sovereignty and nationhood were filtered through a colonial lens for societies seeking self-rule. independence movements increasingly drew inspiration from Western principles even while fighting European domination.
The American Revolution and Rise of the Nation-State
The American colonies’ declaration of independence in 1776 and revolutionary victory against Britain marked a major milestone in the emergence of the modern nation-state system. America’s founders consciously modeled the United States on Enlightenment political theories and sovereignty principles. The success of the American Revolution demonstrated that independence could be achieved through local rebellion against imperial control. The American model inspired manifold independence movements throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Key Factors in American Independence
The American path to nationhood established influential templates for self-determination through:
- A unilateral declaration of popular sovereignty
- Democratic self-government institutions
- Military victory against imperial forces
- International recognition of independence
- A constitution codifying rights and liberties
However, continued issues like slavery, Native American conflicts, and voting restrictions reminded that autonomy on paper did not always translate to full freedom in practice. True independence involved ongoing struggles.
The Spread of Independence in the Americas
The early 19th century saw many Central and South American colonies break free from Spanish and Portuguese colonial rule. Inspired by both the American Revolution and French Revolutionary ideals, nationalist rebellions and wars of independence led to new sovereign states across the region:
- Haiti – gained independence from France in 1804
- Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru – won independence from Spain in the 1810s-1820s
- Brazil – gained autonomy from Portugal in 1822
- Bolivia – achieved independence from Spain in 1825
- Uruguay, Argentina, Chile – freed themselves from Spanish rule in the 1810s
- Mexico – won independence from Spain in 1821 after a 10+ year war
- Numerous smaller Central American states also became independent from Spain in the 1820s-1830s
This wave of newly liberated states established Latin America’s autonomy but continued to face regional power struggles and global economic pressures. The difficult lessons of putting self-determination into practice locally played out across the hemisphere.
The 19th Century Independence of Greece and Belgium
In Europe, the Greeks were the first to rise up against the Ottoman Empire and win recognition as an independent nation-state in 1830. Eight years later, the Belgian revolution led to independence from the Netherlands. Greece and Belgium exercised nationalist sentiments and unrest to establish autonomous governance separate from their imperial ties. They became models for later separatist movements within multi-ethnic empires.
Ongoing Balkan Independence Struggles
Greece’s victory encouraged ongoing efforts by Balkan ethnic groups like Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Bosnia to break away from Ottoman control throughout the 1800s. This marked the start of nationalist fragmentation of the Ottoman Empire that would accelerate in the early 20th century. The Balkans remained a complex patchwork between fading empires, rising nation-states, and diverse local identities.
The 20th Century’s Powerful Wave of Independence
The early 20th century’s world wars, collapse of old empires, and rise of international institutions like the League of Nations and United Nations set the stage for a new era of independence movements. Technological changes like mass media and rapid transportation enabled growing global coordination and recognition of self-determination struggles.
Post WWI Sovereignty in Europe and the Middle East
World War I saw the defeat of imperial powers Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia, and the Ottomans. This allowed new nation-states like Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia to form from their remnants in 1918. The Middle East also gained independent Arab states like Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Transjordan after the 1916 Arab Revolt and Ottoman collapse. However, conflicting wartime promises, power vacuums, and artificial colonial borders left lingering national conflicts.
India, Pakistan, and Burma Shake Off British Rule
India’s nonviolent independence movement led by Gandhi ultimately succeeded in 1947 when Britain granted India and Pakistan self-governance. Burma also peacefully won independence from Britain that year. However, tensions between religious groups led to the Partition with the Muslim-majority northwest becoming Pakistan. Ongoing disputes over territories like Kashmir left legacies of conflict.
Jewish Independence and the Creation of Israel
Also in 1947, the United Nations adopted a resolution partitioning Palestine into Jewish and Arab states. In 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence per the UN plan. Surrounding Arab states rejected this action, leading to the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Israel ultimately secured independence, sparking regional tensions that continue to this day regarding Palestinian sovereignty and disputed lands.
Independence for the Philippines and Libya
The Philippines gained independence from the United States in 1946 after decades of American colonial rule and Pacific theater fighting during WWII. Libya declared independence in 1951 after WWII and the defeat of Italy, its former colonizer. This marked the end of colonial control for both the Philippines and Libya.
The End of European Colonization in Africa
Throughout the 1950s-1970s, Sub-Saharan African colonies broke free from European powers:
- Ghana from Britain in 1957
- Guinea from France in 1958
- Madagascar from France in 1960
- Senegal from France in 1960
- Tanzania from Britain in 1961
- Algeria from France in 1962
- Zambia from Britain in 1964
- The Gambia from Britain in 1965
- Botswana from Britain in 1966
- And dozens more in the 1960s-1970s
Peaceful and violent struggles both led to independence for former African colonies. However, unresolved ethnic and political issues remained.
Concluding Thoughts
This exploration of independence movements throughout history reveals the complexity in determining which country was technically first. America’s 1776 revolution was hugely influential. But ancient societies like Egypt and China showed early forms of autonomous governance millennia before the age of revolutions. Perhaps the deeper lesson is recognizing how self-determination struggles have taken many different paths. Context shapes each drive for independence according to local needs and global realities. Whether nonviolent or armed, through empires collapsing or treaties signed, popular will for sovereignty eventually emerges. But a people’s ongoing work to uphold freedom and justice rarely ends with a declaration on paper alone. Independence is proclaimed, yet its practice requires eternal vigilance.
| Key Dates for Independence Globally | |
|---|---|
| 3100 BCE | Ancient Egypt’s early centralized governance begins |
| 1500 BCE | China’s first dynasties establish independence |
| 8th Century BCE | Greek city-states form autonomous political units |
| 1492 CE | Age of Exploration and Colonialism begins reshaping global order |
| 1776 CE | America declares independence from Britain |
| Early 1800s | Independence movements gain steam across Latin America |
| 1830 | Greece independence recognized from Ottoman Empire |
| Mid-late 1900s | Wave of African and Asian colonies gain independence |