Only a few American states were once independent nations. Texas and Hawaii come immediately to mind. Another is Vermont; the Vermont Republic was independent from 1777 until 1791, when it voted to join the USA. Now a former professor named Thomas Naylor is advocating the establishment of the Second Vermont Republic. More power to him! Here's to a little rebellion now and then:
"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it to be always kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the atmosphere." --Thomas Jefferson
"God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebellion... We have had thirteen States independent for eleven years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half, for each State. What country before ever existed a century and a half without a rebellion?" --Thomas Jefferson