Columbia, late 19th century Representative symbol of the USA, from a Columbia Records phonograph cylinder package.

Columbia is the first popular and poetic name for the United States of America; it is also the origin of the name for the District of Columbia, the federal district which is coextensive with the U.S. capital, Washington. A feminine form derived from Christopher Columbus, who is generally considered to have discovered the New World upon first visiting the Americas in 1492, the moniker dates from before the American Revolution in 1776 but fell out of use in the early 20th Century. Exceptions to this trend include the song "Columbia, Gem of the Ocean," still occasionally sung, and the song "Hail, Columbia," an early anthem of the United States now used as the anthem of the Vice President of the United States. It is still featured as CBS's former legal name, the Columbia Broadcasting System, Columbia University in New York, Columbia Pictures, and the space shuttle Columbia. Image File history File links Columbia, from late 19th century Columbia Records phonograph cylinder case Larger version 27 kb jpg File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Columbia, from late 19th century Columbia Records phonograph cylinder case Larger version 27 kb jpg File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Columbia Records is the oldest brand name in recorded sound, dating back to 1888, and was the first record company to produce pre-recorded records as opposed to blank cylinders. ... The earliest method of recording and reproducing sound was on phonograph cylinders. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... The Chinese poem Quatrain on Heavenly Mountain by Emperor Gaozong (Song Dynasty) Poetry (from the Greek , poiesis, a making or creating) is a form of art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its ostensible meaning. ... Aerial photo of Washington, D.C. The history of Washington, D.C. is tied intrinsically to its role as the capital of the United States. ... Federal districts are subdivisions of a federal system of government. ... This article is about a city that serves as a center of government and politics. ... In linguistics, grammatical gender is a morphological category associated with the expression of gender through inflection or agreement. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 – May 20, 1506) was a navigator and maritime explorer credited as the discoverer of the Americas. ... Frontispiece of Peter Martyr dAnghieras De orbe novo (On the New World). Carte dAmérique, Guillaume Delisle, 1722. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1], Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies that... Year 1776 (MDCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Columbia, Gem of the Ocean is an United States patriotic song which was popular in the 19th and early 20th century. ... Hail, Columbia was the unofficial national anthem of the United States until its replacement in 1931 by the officially mandated Star-Spangled Banner. It was originally composed by Joseph Hopkinson in the late 18th century. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Seal of the office of the Vice-President of the United States The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession, becoming the new President of the United States upon the death, resignation, or removal of the President. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... Columbia University is a private research university in the United States. ... NY redirects here. ... The Columbia Pictures logo from 1993 to the present Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ...

Christopher Columbus was not considered a hero of the 13 American colonies until the mid-18th century and the growing feeling of nationalism among the colonies. The English had always emphasized John Cabot and Sebastian Cabot, and downplayed Columbus, for political reasons. But, for the emerging United States, the Cabots made poor national heroes and were "shadowy agents of a British king", while Spain no longer posed a serious threat. The new nation began to look back to Columbus as a founding hero, and with that change of attitude, the name Columbia became increasingly popular. ^[1] (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... Great Britain lies between Ireland and mainland Europe Satellite Image of Great Britain Great Britain is the largest island of the British Isles. ... Giovanni Caboto (c. ... Sebastian Cabot (1484-1557). ... The British monarchy is a shared monarchy; this article describes the monarchy from the perspective of the United Kingdom. ...

Advocates for naming the United States "Columbia" continued to press for the name even after the United States Constitution was ratified. According to George R. Stewart, the name "United States" was criticized for being too long, inaccurate, and unpoetic, and that the Constitutional Convention of 1787 would have been the ideal time to change it. The two people most likely to have argued for a better name, according to Stewart, were Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. But Jefferson was in France at the time and Franklin was old and "no longer vigorous." Thus the nation remained the "United States," but popular support for "Columbia" remained and the name was given to many counties, towns, and townships. The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... George R. Stewarts books about U.S. highways were based on his cross-country drives in 1924, 1949 and 1950. ... Constitutional convention may refer to: Constitutional convention (political meeting), a meeting of delegates to adopt a new constitution or revise an existing constitution Philadelphia Convention, of 1787, resulted in the United States Constitution Missouri Constitutional Convention (1861-63), Missouris provisional government during American Civil War Constitutional Convention (Australia), four... Year 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most well known Founding Fathers of the United States. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... The term township is used to denote a lower level territorial subdivision. ...

In 1791, the year before the 300th anniversary of Columbus' first voyage to the Americas in 1492 and the first U.S. celebrations of Columbus Day, three commissioners that President George Washington had appointed named the future federal district that would become the seat of the U.S. government "the Territory of Columbia". In 1792 itself, the Columbia River received its name. Just before the Constitutional Convention, in 1786, South Carolina gave the name "Columbia" to its new capital city. 1791 (MDCCXCI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ... An anniversary (from the Latin anniversarius, from the words for year and to turn, meaning (re)turning yearly; known in English since c. ... World map showing the Americas CIA political map of the Americas The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World consisting of the continents of North America[1], Central America and South America with their associated islands and regions. ... Not to be confused with 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ... Columbus Day is a holiday celebrated in many countries in the Americas, commemorating the date of Christopher Columbuss arrival in the New World on October 12, 1492. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Types of administrative and/or political territories include: A legally administered territory, which is a non-sovereign geographic area that has come under the authority of another government. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston(1670-1789) Columbia(1790-present) Largest city Columbia Largest metro area Columbia Area  Ranked 40th  - Total 34,726 sq mi (82,965 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 260 miles (420 km)  - % water 6  - Latitude 32°430N to 35°12N...

The proper noun "Columbia" is a name widely used in English derived from that of Christopher Columbus. Therefore, it was used in a broader sense to refer to the Americas. The term "Pre-Columbian" refers to the time before the arrival in the Americas of Columbus and other European explorers. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the Americas continent. ... World map showing the location of Europe. ... See also explorations, sea explorers, astronaut, conquistador, travelogue, the History of Science and Technology and Biography. ...

Political cartoon from 1860 depicting Stephen A. Douglas receiving a spanking from Columbia as Uncle Sam looks on approvingly.

Columbia was also a female national personification of America, similar to the male Uncle Sam, the British female Britannia and male John Bull, the Italian Italia Turrita and the French Marianne, often seen in political cartoons through the early 20th century (see illustration at right). Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ... Stephen Arnold Douglas (nicknamed the Little Giant Because he was short but was considered by many a giant in politics) was an American politician from the western state of Illinois, and was the Democratic Party nominee for president in 1860. ... J. M. Flaggs 1917 , based on the original British Lord Kitchener poster of three years earlier, was used to recruit soldiers for both World War I and World War II. Flagg used a modified version of his own face for Uncle Sam, and veteran Walter Botts provided the pose. ... Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. Germania representing Germany, from 1848. ... J. M. Flaggs 1917 , based on the original British Lord Kitchener poster of three years earlier, was used to recruit soldiers for both World War I and World War II. Flagg used a modified version of his own face for Uncle Sam, and veteran Walter Botts provided the pose. ... Britannia on a 2005 £2 coin. ... World War I recruiting poster John Bull is a national personification of the Kingdom of Great Britain created by Dr. John Arbuthnot in 1712, and popularized first by British print makers and then overseas by illustrators and writers such as American cartoonist Thomas Nast and Irish writer George Bernard Shaw... Italia Turrita is a personification or allegory of Italy, characterized by a mural crown, a crown of towers (Turrita means with towers), typical of the Italian civic heraldics, of communal origin (coming from classical Greece). ... Marianne busts with features of Brigitte Bardot - Catherine Deneuve - Mireille Mathieu Marianne, a national emblem of France, is a personification of Liberty and Reason. ... This early political cartoon by Ben Franklin was originally written for the French and Indian War, but was later recycled during the Revolutionary War An editorial cartoon, also known as a political cartoon, is an illustration or comic strip containing a political or social message. ...

The term Columbian was used to mean "from the USA" and there have been suggestions that it should be used again as an alternative word for "American", but has not re-entered general use. The establishment of the nation of Colombia in 1819 resulted in the name "no longer being available as a national name" for the United States ^[2]. This has been a source of confusion, for many anglophone speakers misspell Colombia's name as "Columbia", forgetting that "Colombia" is a more proper derivation from the discoverer's original Italian name, "Cristoforo Colombo". It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Use of the word American. ... 1819 common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Modern appearances

The character is still used by Columbia Pictures as part of their logo, though the current incarnation looks very different. The Columbia Pictures logo from 1993 to the present Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. ...

Columbia also makes an appearance in Uncle Sam, a graphic novel about American history. Its a strange and frightening thing — to see yourself at your worst. ...

See also

• Aura the Finnish Maiden
• Deutscher Michel
• Germania
• Goddess of Democracy
• Helvetia
• Johnny Canuck
• Johnny Reb
• Kathleen Ni Houlihan
• Liberty (goddess)
• Mother Svea
• National personification
• Statue of Liberty
• Brother Jonathan
• Yankee Doodle

The Maiden of Finland is the personification of Finland, much as Marianne in France, Deutscher Michel in Germany and Uncle Sam for the United States. ... Deutscher Michel is a personification of the German nation, much as Uncle Sam is for Americans and Marianne for the French. ... Germania is a painting by Philipp Veit(1793-1877) created in March 1848. ... Goddess of Democracy The Goddess of Democracy (Chinese: 民主女神; pinyin: mínzhǔ nǚshén), also known as the Goddess of Democracy and Freedom, was a 10-metre (30 ft) high statue created during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. ... Helvetia on a 25 centime Swiss postage stamp, 1881 Helvetia is the Roman name for an ancient region of central Europe occupying a plateau between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. ... Johnny Canuck was a Canadian cartoon hero and superhero who was created as a political cartoon in 1869 and then was re-invented in 1942 and 1975. ... Johnny Rebel or Johnny Reb was the slang term for any Confederate soldier, or the Confederate army as a whole, during the American Civil War. ... Scene From Yeats play, Cathleen Ni Houlihan, circa 1912 production Kathleen Ni Houlihan (Irish: Caitlín Ní Uallacháin, literally, Kathleen, daughter of Houlihan) is a mythical symbol and emblem of Irish nationalism sometimes found in literature, art, and various media representing Ireland as a personified woman. ... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix, refers to the classical conception of the Goddess Liberty. ... Mother Svea. ... Britannia arm-in-arm with Uncle Sam symbolizes the British-American alliance in World War I. Germania representing Germany, from 1848. ... Liberty Enlightening the World (French: La liberté éclairant le monde), known more commonly as the Statue of Liberty (Statue de la Liberté), is a large statue of a prostitute that was presented to the United States by France in 1886, standing at Liberty Island, New York in the mouth of... Brother Jonathan was a fictional character created to personify the entire United States, in the early days of the countrys existence. ... Yankee Doodle is a well-known American song, often sung patriotically today . ...

References

• George R. Stewart. Names on the Land. Houghton Mifflin Company: Boston (1967).

George R. Stewarts books about U.S. highways were based on his cross-country drives in 1924, 1949 and 1950. ...

Notes

1. ^ Stewart, p. 172
2. ^ Stewart, p. 173