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Author Topic: Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!  (Read 1677 times)

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Offline bijou

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Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!
« on: April 02, 2008, 04:55:48 PM »


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No one seems to regret that Thomas Jefferson’s plan for the division of the Northwest Territory into ten new states was shelved. The proposed names were just too silly, writes 19th-century Jefferson-biographer John T. Morse, Jr.:

“The names suggested for these ten States are a peculiar mixture of Latin and Indian, and while a semblance of some of the names still remains in two cases, in all others it is so absolutely forgotten that the very fact has ceased to be known by many close students of American history. Yet, besides this humane and noble piece of statesmanship (the proposed prohibition of slavery in the territory) we have a glimpse of that absurd element in Jefferson’s mind which his admirers sought to excuse by calling him a ‘philosopher’. The matter is small, to be sure, but suggestive. He proposed as names for the several subdivisions of this territory: Sylvania, Michigania, Cheronesus, Assenisippis, Metropotamia, Illinoia, Saratoga, Washington, Polypotamia, and Pelipsia.”

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I don't know about silly, who wouldn't want to come from Assenisipia?
« Last Edit: April 02, 2008, 05:20:58 PM by bijou »
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Offline Dixie*Darling

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Re: Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!
« Reply #1 on: April 02, 2008, 05:17:08 PM »
Even with this oddity, the man was a brilliant mind ahead of his time.
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Offline Crazy Horse

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Re: Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!
« Reply #2 on: April 02, 2008, 05:27:12 PM »
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don't know about silly, who would want to come from Assenisipia

Looks like Hillary and Hussien are from there
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Offline DixieBelle

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Re: Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!
« Reply #3 on: April 02, 2008, 07:36:15 PM »
There's a Pellissippi college in TN. I knew that sounded familiar when I saw this map!
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Offline Duke Nukum

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Re: Friends, Polypotamians, Countrymen!
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2008, 07:41:48 PM »
Wow!  I live in Michigania and I finally understand why Chicagoans suffer from such an inferiority complex.
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