In order to clarify confusion, historians have dubbed the Republic of Colombia, Gran Colombia. Spain had control over much of South America until the beginning of the 19th century, where in a domino effect it lost nearly every colony it once had.
On this day December 17th, in 1819, Congress of Angostura establishes Colombia’s independence from Spain. This Republic of Gran Colombia would span across Columbia, Peru, Venezuela, Panama and parts of Brazil and Peru. In 1831 Gran Colombia would cease to exist.
The Congress of Angostura consists of 26 delegates with separate factions of Federalists and Regionalists. Their infighting caused the three countries of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela to split off from the republic.