Howling:Status of America in the far future (SPOILERS for "The Impossible Astronaut")

At the beginning of "The Impossible Astronaut", when River Song escapes from Stormcage, a prison guard remarks that she's heading for America, which he assumes to be a planet. This part of the episode has to take place sometime around the 51st/52nd century AD. It does seem a little odd that people would have so little knowledge of America, considering its major role in history. Furthermore, in the classic series story "Revelation of the Daleks" (which could've been set either before or after the time period of River's imprisonment), the DJ has heard of the United States of America. And in "The Talons of Weng-Chiang", it's shown how Iceland, Peking, and the Phillipines have survived up to the year 5000 - why not America? EJA 12:32, April 24, 2011 (UTC)

I think in the Whoniverse, America fell sometime in the 22nd century. --MrThermomanPreacher 13:03, April 24, 2011 (UTC)


 * Plus, you can't base the knowledge of the Human race on one person. That would be like picking out a random American and asking them about the history of China. Chances are they wouldn't know. And right now, the history of China is a lot smaller than it will be in the year 5000. Remember, the Human race left Earth thousands of years ago! There will be those who studied it, but chances are, most people won't know it. :)--The Thirteenth Doctor 13:09, April 24, 2011 (UTC)

In the Dalek Invasion of Earth (the novelisation) and the follow up Legacy of the Daleks said that America was targeted first by the Dalek plague because it was the largest and most threatening power on the planet. Although I think in Lucie Miller Alex and Lucie visited America on their trip across the world, so America was hit hard during the 22nd century, but was still there in some shape or form. --Revan\Talk 15:02, April 24, 2011 (UTC)

There are still plenty of people living on Earth in the fifth millennium AD, as shown in "The Talons of Weng-Chiang." I think it's said in "Planet of the Ood" that Earth was still very much inhabited in the 42nd century. EJA 16:18, April 24, 2011 (UTC)

It's established in "The Time of Angels" that the human race has travelled very far. I think it's not so much that America has fallen, more that Stormcage is a long way away from America in the 51st/52nd century.

Also, I seem to recall that in The Ark in Space and "The Beast Below", Earth was left uninhabited for several millennia (leaving most of the human race in tatters two thousand years before River's escape). Did Planet of the Ood specify the Earth in its galaxies-wide trade? --94.8.120.120 16:33, April 24, 2011 (UTC)