>>513700355 (OP)
We got outpaced by bigger countries with big populations industrializing and making war on us. Last Dutch-English war was also very destructive. Since WW2 our per capita contributions to most Every field are very decent. Potatoes are good (you eat fries too memeflaggot) and bike riding is top tier.
>>513700355 (OP)
They saw what the rest of the world had to offer (suffering and brown people) and decided it was just nicer to stay home and enjoy the fruits of their domestic labors and native environments.
We should all strive to be more like them.