28 Nov 1821: Panama joins Gran Colombia
On this day in 1821, Panama declared independence from Spain and joined a union known as the Republic of Gran Colombia.

Map of Gran Colombia in 1824. (Wikimedia Commons)
Some more details about Gran Colombia and Panama:
- Gran Colombia was established in 1819 by Simon de Bolivar
- It included parts of several present-day countries in northern South America
- Bolivar was its first president
- the term “Gran” (“Great”) is used to distinguish it from modern-day Colombia
- The union collapsed in 1831, splitting into three countries: Venezuela, Ecuador, and New Granada (Colombia/Panama)
- New Granada eventually became the United States of Colombia in 1863
- Panama became independent from Colombia in 1903; construction on the Panama Canal began the following year
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