America grew from a colony to a superpower in 200 years.

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2:07 Correction: Cuba seceded from the US in 1902.

With over 800 military bases around the globe, the US is easily the most powerful nation on earth. But it wasn’t always this way. The US once played an insignificant role in global affairs. In this 8-minute video, you can see the transformation.

Military budget data: https://www.nationalpriorities.org/campaigns/military-spending-united-states/

US foreign bases based on David Vine’s book, “Base Nation” http://www.davidvine.net/base-nation.html

Troop numbers: “Total Military Personnel and Dependent End Strength By Service, Regional Area, and Country”. Defense Manpower Data Center. November 7, 2016.

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