General Washington's Regret

[Lyly]

General Washington's Regret
formerly known as
The State of Nova Scotia (http://alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=93774)

In 1776, Nova Scotia was a frontier colony, not as developed or established as the "Thirteen Colonies" to its south. It had been a French colony, Acadia, until 1758, less than two decades before the Revolution. It is often reported that George Washington's greatest regret was not supporting Nova Scotia revolutionaries during the American Revolution. This timeline explores what may have been had the Revolutionary War come to Nova Scotia.

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Chapter I: The American Revolution

Origins of the Revolution, 1763-1776

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The origins of the revolution can be said to have begun as the French-Indian War ended. With the French military threat gone, Britain adopted the view that colonies should pay a substantial part of the costs that kept them a part of the British Empire. As a series of taxes and other laws were imposed, many Colonial Englishmen felt that the taxes violated their rights as Englishmen, because they had no Parliamentary representation.

A popular response to these taxes was to boycott British goods. In 1773, Boston officials refused to return three shiploads of tea to Britain after Massachusetts colonists had boycotted the goods. In response, a group of colonists boarded the ships and threw the tea into the harbor. Parliament's reaction was the Coercive Acts, a series of actions intended to show the Colony of Massachusetts that British authority would be enforced. To the colonists, however, these became known as the Intolerable Acts.

Beginning with so-called Committees of Correspondence, many colonies had developed unofficial Provincial Congresses, as a means of relaying and discussing news and ideas. This development would lead to a Continental Congress in 1774. In the First Continental Congress, colonists from each of the thirteen colonies, minus New York, agreed to boycott all British goods. The congress also published a list of complaints against Parliament and petitioned King George III to rectify their grievances. In 1775, imports from Britain had dropped by 97%. However the Intolerable Acts were not repealed, so in September of that year, all exports to Britain were halted.

In the years prior, revolutionary colonists had already considered British government in the colonies dissolved as colonial congresses were established. Chief among those that held this view was Patrick Henry, who had proposed a legislative body for the Colonies in the First Continental Congress. However, he and his supporters had been ignored in favor of seeking reconciliation with Britain. The members of these respective camps would come to be called Patriots and Loyalists.

But, in 1775, when the Second Continental Congress convened, many now felt that their attempts at reconciliation had been ignored. By this point, fighting had already begun between patriot militias and British forces stationed in the Colonies. The Battles of Lexington and Concord, fought in Massachusetts on April 19th, were the first military engagements of the American War of Independence, also known as the Revolutionary War. The Continental Congress placed itself in control of the war, creating the Continental Army in June, with George Washington as its Commander-in-Chief, and publishing the Declaration of Causes in July. As a final attempt to maintain the British colonies, the Olive Branch Petition was sent to King George III, but was rejected.

Expressing their frustration with British government, the members of the Congress in 1776 adopted the Declaration of Independence, authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson and signed on July 4th. The declaration explained that the thirteen colonies were now independent states and no longer a part of the British Empire.


The Revolutionary War, 1776-1783

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After the Battles of Lexington and Concord, in which patriot militiamen mustered to defend against the seizure of military stores in Concord, Massachusetts by British regulars, most of the British Army in New England retreated to Boston, where they were besieged by Patriot forces. George Washington, recently appoint Major General and Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, arrived in June to command the Siege of Boston. British forces withdrew from Boston on March 17, 1776.

In August, the British and the Continental Armies faced off at the Battle of Long Island. New York City, and nearly Washington's life, were seized by the British who easily defeated the poorly trained and armed Patriot army. Washington and his Continental Army were chased through New Jersey until reaching Pennsylvania in December. Washington then took the offensive, crossing the Delaware river and surprising the British at the Battle of Trenton on Christmas day. Another success at Princeton on January 7th provided new hope for the Patriot cause. The Continental Army at this point had dwindled to a mere 1,400 men, although these victories would convince more men to join the fight.

A failed British Attempt to take Charleston, South Carolina in June further bolstered the Patriot cause and after the Battle of Saratoga, a decisive victory for the Americans in New York, the war appeared to be turning in favor of the Americans.


For much of 1777, the British under General William Howe, focused on capturing the seat of the Revolutionary government in Philadelphia. Despite maneuvering by Washington, the Continental Congress abandoned the city ahead of the British Army, who took the city on September 11th. Philadelphia captured, Washington encamped his Army at Valley Forge for the next 6 months.

In the spring of 1778, the Continental Army emerged in good condition. Under supervision of Baron von Steuben, the Army had been introduced to modern Prussian tactics and organization and the French had learned of the victory at Saratoga and were prepared to enter the war. The chief target for the French was the British naval station in Newport, Rhode Island and later the French-speaking Quebec, a colony the Americans were eager to convince to join the Revolution. With the involvement of the French, Canada would become the next point of contention in the war.

While the naval superiority of the British prevented Newport from being taken, French forces were reorganized for the Canadian campaign. French forces landed in Nova Scotia on July 14th. Surrounding Halifax by land and blockading her by sea, a siege was prepared against the city. When British reinforcements arrived from New York and Quebec however, these forces were repelled. The mainland of Nova Scotia, unprotected by British forces in Halifax, was under Patriot control by that October. With the French moving into Quebec from the East, and the Americans from the South, the British were caught fighting against two fronts while growing local support for the Revolution made things rough for the British in every aspect.

In early June, 1779, Quebec City was captured by Patriot forces, effectively ending British rule in Canada. In 1777 and '78, Brigadier General George Rogers Clark had made headway against the British in the Ohio and Illinois Countries and finally would neutralize the British with the capture of General Henry Hamilton in early 1779. What remained of the British Army in the North was concentrated in New York under General Henry Clinton, who had abandoned Philadelphia to defend New York when the French entered the war.

On December 29th, a British expeditionary force captured Savannah, Georgia. An attempt to recapture Savannah failed the next October, and British forces moved on to besiege Charleston, South Carolina, capturing it May 12, 1780. Over the course of the year, the Continental Army in the South collapsed as North Carolina was forfeited and Virginia became a contest.


By now, the Americans had garnered support from other European powers. Britain was fighting simultaneously America, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. King George III was frustrated at the situation. New England and Pennsylvania seemed unconquerable, and colonial assets in Florida, the Caribbean and India were being contested by European powers. The availability of British forces in America was becoming more and more an issue. On August 2nd, the British naval station in Newport was surrendered. On February 3, 1782, the British position at New York was surrendered to Franco-American forces.

By June, support for the war in Britain was non-existent and preliminary peace terms were prepared in Paris. The Treaty of Paris, which formally ended all conflict was signed on August 14, 1783. The last British troops left New Jersey in November. According to the terms of the treaty, Britain surrendered claims to the colonies of Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Nova Scotia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Georgia, ceded territory West of the Appalachian Mountains and Canada to the United States and ceded East and West Florida to Spain.

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Timeline of the Revolutionary War
1775
April 19 – First armed conflict of the Revolutionary War takes place as colonial militiamen defeat British forces at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.
May 10 -American forces led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold capture Fort Ticonderoga in New York, securing military supplies and cannons.
June 17 – The siege of Boston becomes a standoff after the British capture the Charlestown Peninsula at the Battle of Bunker Hill.
July 3 – Washington arrives outside Boston to command the siege there.
July 5 – The Continental Congress drafts the Olive Branch Petition, expressing hopes for reconciliation.
August – King George III refuses reconciliation and issues a Proclamation of Rebellion.
November 28 – The Continental Congress approves the construction of a navy.
1776
January 9 – Thomas Paine publishes Common Sense.
March 17 - British forces flee Boston as heavy cannon is used by the Americans to end the siege. The Continental Army begins it's move to fortify New York.
June 28 – British forces fail to take the port city of Charleston, South Carolina.
July 2 – The Continental Congress adopts Jefferson's Declaration of Independence.
August 27 – General Howe deploys British forces to New York City. The Battle of Long Island, the largest of the war, ensues.
September 11 – John Adams and Benjamin Franklin meet with General Howe in a failed peace conference.
September 15 – New York City is taken by British forces under General Howe.
December 11- Philadelphia is abandoned due to fears of a British attack.
December 26 – General Washington captures 1,000 Hessians at the Battle of Trenton.
1777
January 7 – General Washington defeats British forces led by General Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Princeton. British retreat to New York City.
June 14 - The flag of the United States is mandated by the Continental Congress.
July 27 – The Marquis de Lafayette arrives in Philadelphia.
September 26 – The British, under General Howe, occupy Philadelphia.
October 7 – The first decisive American victory occurs at the Battle of Saratoga as Generals Horatio Gates and Benedict Arnold defeat General Burgoyne.
November 17 – The Continental Congress adopts the Articles of Confederation as the government of the newly united States of America.
1778
February 6 – The Treaty of Alliance confirms France's support for America.
February 28 – Baron von Steuben arrives at Valley Forge to help organize the Continental Army.
March 16 – The Continental Congress rejects a peace offer sans-independence offered by the British.
June 18 – Fearing a blockade by French naval forces, General Clinton returns his troops to New York. Philadelphia is reoccupied by American forces.
July 10 – France declares war on Britain
August 16 – Franco-American forces are repelled at the Battle of Scott Manor, an eager attempt to undermine British naval superiority in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

August 21 – French forces take Louisborg, the chief British naval base in Canada.

September 14 – Benjamin Franklin is appointed to be the ambassador to the French.
December 29 – British forces begin the South Campaign with the capture of Savannah, Georgia.
1779
June 16 – Spain declares war on Britain, but does not provide support for America directly.
June 20 – American forces led by General Benedict Arnold capture Quebec City. The British begin their retreat from Canada.
September 27 – John Adams is appointed by congress to negotiate peace with Britain.
1780
May 12 – General Clinton's forces capture Charleston, South Carolina, America's chief port in the South.
May 25 – An attempted mutiny against General George Washington is put down by Pennsylvania militiamen.
October 11 – General Cornwallis begins his march into North Carolina. Benedict Arnold replaces Horatio Gates as Commander in the South, and begins his campaign against Cornwallis.
December 1 – General Arnold's forces are defeated at the Battle of Cowan's Ford.
1781
January 7 – Several regiments of the Continental Army threaten to mutiny and demand payment from General Washington, in what becomes known as the New Jersey Mutiny. About half of the Army leaves after not receiving pay.
January 18 – American resistance in the South is eliminated in the Battle of Fayetteville, as General Cornwallis defeats General Arnold, who is captured.
March 5 – Marquis de Lafayette and Baron von Steuben are placed in charge of the defense of Virginia against General Cornwallis's force.
May 21 – Washington convinces the French to aid in an assault against New York.
August 14 – Washington changes plans abruptly and organizes an attack on Yorktown, where Cornwallis has made base.
September 28 – Washington, Lafayette, Arnold, and von Steuben begin the siege on Yorktown, while the French bombard the city from sea.
October 24 – A victory at Yorktown for the Americans ends Cornwallis' campaign in the South.
October 30 – British forces retake Philadelphia with reinforcements originally intended for Cornwallis in Virginia.
1782
April 12 – General Nathaniel Greene routes British forces from Philadelphia.
June 11- General Washington arrives in Philadelphia and begins redrawing plans for a siege of New York.
June 20 – British forces in the South are driven back to Charleston, South Carolina by General Arnold and Baron von Steuben.
August 27 – A combined land-sea siege of New York begins, led by General Washington.
December 15 – Washington grants British forces besieged in New York a chance to evacuate, which is not taken.
1783
February 3 – New York is surrendered by General Clinton.
March 10 – John Adams appeals to the British to end the war. A reluctant agreement yields Britain ordering an end to hostilities.
June 1 – British forces evacuate Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia.
June 3 – The Continental Congress officially declares the end of the war.
August 14 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, officially ending the Revolutionary War and granting the United States independence.

[Lyly]

Chapter II: Baby Steps, 1783-1789

With the Treaty of Paris signed, America was at peace and prospects were high. An economic boom was predicted and many Americans happily indebted themselves in expectation of a strong economy. Instead however, the economy of the young republic collapsed. American goods could find no market, not abroad, nor at home. Britain, Spain and France, representing the largest American export markets, had all adopted policies preventing goods not carried in their own ships from being sold in their nations. Simultaneously, British goods flooded American markets after the blockade ended, driving the cost of domestic goods up and the revenues of domestic producers down.

To deal with these problems, each state individually enacted policies and each attempted individual negotiations with foreign countries. The Continental Congress was unable to redeem public debts and Continental Credit Notes became worthless, crippling the commercial ability of the nation's citizens. The holes in the Articles of Confederation began to shine through in this new light.

There was no solid base of government for the nation and economic unrest was quickly leading to political unrest. Crushing taxation and debt in western Massachusetts led to an uprising of farmers in 1786 led by veteran Daniel Shays, who attempted to prevent Massachusetts courts from seizing property in debt payment and demanded lower taxes. The uprising, which nearly tumulted the state government in western Massachusetts was dispelled in 1787, but only after convincing the nation that the central government's inability to meet their needs would only lead to similar events in the future if something was not done about the Articles.


The Philadelphia Convention, 1787

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A meeting was called for in Philadelphia, 1787, to suggest amendments to the Articles of Confederation. Delegates from every state except Canada attended. From the outset, many of the most prominent delegates in attendance expressed their wishes to form a wholly new government and began fleshing out a new document. The delegation from Virginia, which included George Washington, Edmund Randolph, and the intellectual giants James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, among others, came prepared with a draft for a new government that became the basis of the final constitution.

The Virginia Plan-
Primarily the work of James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, when introduced in the convention, the plan was well-received and highly regarded. The plan featured a bicameral legislature, a lower house elected by the people and an upper elected by the lower, both houses proportional to the population of the states and an executive appointed by the people with veto power subject to override and limited to one term. It also called for a judiciary composed of life members, appointed by one or the other legislative house, that would also exercise some veto power over the legislature. The Virginia plan was not without its critics however, and a number of other plans were put forth. In particular, the Virginia plan was disfavored by smaller states, such as Connecticut and Nova Scotia.

The Small State Plan-
Drafted by a caucus of small states and introduced by Samuel Adams, the Small State plan retained the Articles of Confederation and its single, equally representative legislature, though with some added powers, particular to tax and enforce its laws. The plan favored powerful state governments and a weak federal executive subject to recall by state governments. The plan was ultimately rejected but did have significant impact on the final document.

The Union Plan-
Proposed by Alexander Hamilton, this plan virtually eliminated state sovereignty in favor of a powerful central government that he based on the British parliamentary system. Hamilton's plan was generally disliked. Though it did garner some supporters, most did not appreciate its British influences.

The Connecticut Plan-
Formulated and introduced by Roger Sherman in June, the Connecticut Plan combined the legislatures of the Virginia and Small State plans by creating a bicameral legislature with one branch having equal representation between states and the other being proportional to their populations. This compromise was widely accepted as a agreeable solution to the debate between large and small states.

The Jefferson-Madison Plan-
Jefferson and Madison proposed a modification to the Connecticut plan that maintained its bicameral legislature, but altered the proportional house. Instead, they advocated for a house whose members were popularly elected as candidates for a random allotment of seats to the house. The plan's complicated allotment system was intended to counteract state loyalties, a feature introduced by the equal representation of the other legislative house and also to prevent partisan influences in the house. The plan was first rejected, but later gained support among both large- and small-state advocates and was ultimately approved.

The process of drafting the language of the constitution after the mechanics of it had been finally worked out was the responsibility of a Committee of Detail and a final draft of the constitution was submitted to the convention on September 28th. Some refused to sign the document, but most present did, including Samuel Adams, George Mason, James Madison, and Thomas Jefferson who had hoped for the inclusion of a Bill of Rights but were prevented by time constraints and feared that continuing the convention the following year risked undoing many of the compromises that led to a result they were otherwise content with.

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Choosing a Government, 1787-1789

Pennsylvania became the first state to ratify the Constitution on December 9th, 1787. Following Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey became the only other states to ratify it by the end of the year. Connecticut, Maryland, and New Hampshire followed early the next year. On June 8th, the Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities, written by Thomas Jefferson, was approved as the first amendment to the Constitution by the Continental Congress. With a clear delineation between the roles of federal, state, and popular government and a bill of rights, Rhode Island, New York, Georgia, and Nova Scotia had ratified the Constitution by the end of the month. With the required 10 states ratifying the Constitution, The Continental Congress agreed to a time table to begin operations of government under the new Constitution on May 16th, the following year.

By May 16th, 1789, Quebec and Virginia remained the only states to have not ratified yet. On this date, polls opened in some states for election of the President and the House of Representatives and State legislatures were to begin choosing their Delegates and Electors. The entire process had a deadline of July 1st, when the Electoral College would meet to chose the President and sortition would choose the members of the House of Representatives.

On July 1st, George Washington was unanimously selected by the Electoral College as the first President of the United States. On the same day, out of 2,406 names, 319 were selected to sit in the House of Representatives. Finally, each state's appointment to the 26 member House of Delegates was announced. Inauguration for the President was to occur on July 4th, the national holiday, the Houses of Delegates and Representatives were to first meet July 17th.

Timeline, 1878-1789
1787
February 3- An armed rebellion, known as Shay's Rebellion, is defeated after attempting to take a federal armory in western Pennsylvania.
May 25- Philadelphia Convention begins as a means of discussing amendments to the Articles of Confederation.
June 20- The name United States of America is proposed as the nation's new name, which had been known unofficially as These thirteen united States of America.
July 8- The Northwest Ordinance settles state land claim disputes between Virginia, Canada, and New York, in what becomes known as the Territory Northwest of the Ohio River, or Northwest Territory.
September 28- The Constitution of the Government of the United States is adopted by Congress and the document is released to the states.
October 17- The first of a series of essays known as the Federalist Papers, encouraging ratification of the new Constitution, is published in a New York newspaper.
December 9- Pennsylvania becomes the first State as it ratifies the Constitution.
December 10- Delaware ratifies the Constitution, becoming the second State.
December 20- New Jersey ratifies the Constitution.
1788
January 8- Connecticut ratifies the Constitution.
January 10- Maryland ratifies the Constitution.
March 7- New Hampshire ratifies the Constitution.
June 8- Congress amends the Constitution by applying the Statements of Rights and Responsibilities, written by Thomas Jefferson.
June 10- Rhode Island becomes the first state to ratify the Constitution after the amendments.
June 12- New York and Georgia both ratify the Constitution.
June 16- Nova Scotia ratifies the Constitution. With 10 states ratifying, the Constitution becomes the law of the land.
June 20- Canada rejects the Constitution.
July 20- A timetable for implementing the Constitution on May 16, 1789 is created.
July 25- South Carolina ratifies the Constitution.
August 21- Massachusetts ratifies the Constitution.
October 17- North Carolina ratifies the Constitution.
1789
January 21- The first American novel, The Power of Sympathy is printed in Boston.
May 16- The first nationwide elections occur in the United States.
July 1- The Electoral College unanimously chooses George Washington for President. Allotment chooses the first members of the House of Representatives. State appointments to the House of Delegates are due.
July 4- George Washington is inaugurated as the first President of the United States.

July 14- The French Revolution begins with the storming of the Bastille.
July 17- The Houses of Delegates meets for the first time in Federal Hall in New York City.
July 21- Virginia ratifies the Constitution.
June 20- Canada ratifies the Constitution.

August 19- The House of Representatives meets quorum in New York City, in a newly constructed building especially designed to house the 404 seat legislature.
September 8- The Department of Foreign Affairs is created, with Rufus King as its first Secretary.
September 17- The Department of War is created, with Benedict Arnold as its first Secretary.

[SavoyTruffle]

Interesting TL - can't wait to see the impacts of OTL Eastern Quebec and Nova Scotia in the USA.

[Tim Thomason]

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You accidentally put down the small thumbnail. Here's a link to the bigger image (http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4815/novplanpg4.png).

[Lyly]

You accidentally put down the small thumbnail. Here's a link to the bigger image (http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/4815/novplanpg4.png).
Woops. No, what I did was put the correct image, but forgot to LINK to the bigger image. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Lyly]

Insight: How the Constitution of 1787 Worked

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According to the Constitution of 1787, also known as the Philadelphia Constitution, the United States Government was divided into three branches: the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial.

Legislative Branch
The Legislative Branch was divided into two houses, the lower house was the House of Representatives, the upper the House of Delegates.

The members of the House of Representatives were chosen by a complex process called filtered sortition. In this process, candidates for the House were chosen by popular vote at the state level, then allotted seats randomly by sortition. Bars set on states, to prevent any one from flooding the pool with candidates meant that the highest possible number of candidates at the federal level was 5,500. The state with the lowest bar was Nova Scotia, the highest was Virginia. This process was intended to ensure a random and unbiased selection of Representatives and to allow the states to be represented according to their population. It is important to note that while candidates were chosen from respective states, they did not represent that state. The House of Representatives was intended to represent the people of the United States as a whole and to avoid state loyalties.

The House of Delegates, in comparison, was elegantly simply. State legislatures simply met to elect their delegates. Each state had two delegates, so that each state was equally represented. The House of Delegates was given veto power over state legislatures.

The Executive Branch
The Executive Branch consisted of the President, who acted as the representative of the nation, both domestically and internationally and to execute the laws passed by Congress. The President was also Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the head of a small cabinet that would assist in his executive functions. The President was elected by an Electoral College that would choose from a pool of candidates provided by popular state level elections, a manner similar to the House of Representatives. Electors were chosen by state legislatures proportionate to their populations.

The Judicial Branch
The Judicial Branch consisted of the Supreme Tribunal and State Courts. The Supreme Tribunal was made up of nine Tribunes chosen by the House of Delegates and seated for life. The Supreme Tribunal served as the court of final appeal and reviewed actions by the Legislative and Executive branches to ensure constitutionality. If it deemed a law or action to be unconstitutional, it had veto power.

The Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities
The Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson and was passed as the first amendment to the constitution. It outlines the rights of the people and the rights and responsibilities of the federal government.

~ Freedom of speech, press, religion, assembly, and to petition (self-explanatory)
~ Right to bear arms, protection from quartering of troops, private property may not be taken for public use (protection from oppressive government)
~ Protection from unreasonable search and seizure (self-explanatory)
~ Right of due process, trial by jury, speedy and public trial, right to counsel (self-explanatory)
~ Prohibition of excessive bail, protection from cruel and unusual punishment, double jeopardy (protection of incarcerated persons)
~ Prohibition of fines without trial (self-explanatory)
~ Equality before taxation (everyone pays the same taxation and no one is exempt)
~ Powers not delegated to the United States are to be exercised by the states or people (self-explanatory)

~ Responsibility of the government the ensure the rights of citizens (self-explanatory)
~ Responsibility of the government to provide military protection (self-explanatory)
~ Responsibility of the government to manage public finances wisely (self-explanatory)
~ Duty of state courts and judges to acknowledge decisions of Supreme Tribunal (supreme judicial power is vested in the Supreme Tribunal)
~ Duty of state legislatures to acknowledge decisions of the House of Delegates and House of Representatives (states must take into account federal laws, although it does'nt necessarily say they must be obeyed)
~ Duty of state legislatures to acknowledge vetoes by the House of Delegates (grants HoD veto power over state legislatures)
~ Responsibility of the House of Delegates and House of Representatives to meet yearly and with a quorum (self-explanatory)
~ Prohibition of appointment of legal officers unsuitable for the post (legal officers (judges) must have legal-training)
~ Separation of the duties of Legislative, Judicial, and Executive branches (overviews the separation of powers)

[Lyly]

Insight: Who, Where, When, Why, and How?

Who? John Adams

A Delegate to the first and second Continental Congresses, Adams was a great influence on Congress. His thoughts on government were admired from early on, encouraging him to write the pamphlet Thoughts on Government, which influenced the drafting of many state constitutions as well as the thoughts of James Madison. In 1776, Adams was part of the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Adams was selected to negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain in 1779, however, at the insistence of the French government, Benjamin Franklin, John Jay, and the Comte de Vergennes were sent to France to aid in the negotiations. Adams and Jay decided against consulting with France in negotiating with Britain, later angering the French, especially on the inclusion of Canada as part of the American nation. In 1785, Adams was appointed the first Minister to the Court of St. James, where he served until 1789. As a result of his foreign appointment, Adams was not present at the Philadelphia Convention. In 1789, Adams was appointed part of the Massachusetts delegation in the House of Delegates.

Who? Benedict Arnold

Arnold was a captain in the Connecticut Guards, then a colonel in the Massachusetts militia before he rose to prominent status after the Capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775, which he co-commanded with Ethan Allen, however he was shortcut soon afterward when the Continental Congress relieved him of command. After the creation of the Continental Army, Arnold became part of the campaign to secure Nova Scotia, serving under General Richard Montgomery, who recognized Arnold as a valuable strategist. After a failed expedition into insular Nova Scotia and the death of Montgomery, Arnold led the force and secured the mainland. In 1776, he was promoted to General and placed in command of the defense of Rhode Island, where he eventually drove the British out of the city of Providence. He later traveled to Philadelphia, later assuming control of the forces there. In 1777, he moved his force into New York to assist Washington, where he deflected British forces from the siege of Fort Stanwix and routed British forces under command of Lt. General Burgoyne. However, Arnold received no credit due to vilification by General Horatio Gates. This, combined with a British invasion of Philadelphia, encouraged Congress to remove Arnold from major command. However, Washington encouraged Arnold to winter with his troops at Valley Forge, who, in 1778, placed him in command of the defense of Virginia against British forces in the south. He held off the British there until the end of the war. After the war, Arnold moved back in with his family in Connecticut. Embittered from his experiences with Congress during the war, Arnold stayed out of politics, but was appointed Commanding General of the Army in 1786. In 1789, at the advice of President Washington, Arnold was appointed the first Secretary of War.

Who? Alexander Hamilton

Hamilton served in the Revolution as an artillery Captain and later as a Lieutenant Colonel in Washington's staff, becoming his Chief of Staff. Later, serving in Congress, 1782-1783, Hamilton became a critic of the decentralized nature of the Articles of Confederation. He became acquainted with Robert Morris and James Madison, who had aims at resolving the nation's troubling financial situation. In 1783, after resigning from Congress, Hamilton drafted a resolution calling for the revision of the Articles and the creation of a strong central government. In 1787, Hamilton was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, where, despite being a primary leader in it's occurance, he was held in low regard. In 1789, he became a New York Delegate to the House of Delegates, alongside John Jay, who was elected Speaker.

Who? John Jay

Jay served as President of the Continental Congress only three days after joining the body. He served from 1778 to1779, then resigned his post to become the Minister to Spain. Later, he was dispatched to France to aid in peace negotiations with Britain. Jay became the Secretary of Foreign Affairs in 1784 and continued at the post until 1789, when he became a Delegate from New York and Speaker of the House of Delegates.

Who? Thomas Jefferson

The Author of Two Declarations and one of the Fathers of the Constitution, Jefferson was the primary author of both the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities and, with James Madison, was one of the primary influences on the Constitution of 1787. He served as a delegate to the Continental Convention 1775-1776, and served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1776-1778. Jefferson's political reputation was somewhat tarnished after his term as Governor of Virginia, 1779-1781, where his attempts to reform education were countered by public disapproval as well as three separate British invasions during his tenure. Later, Jefferson served briefly as Minister to France, 1785-1786. He attended the Philadelphia Convention in 1787, where he and Madison introduced the Virginia Plan. Jefferson also supported adding a list of citizen's rights to the Constitution. In 1788, his Declaration of Rights and Responsibilities became the Constitution's first amendment. In 1789, Jefferson was elected a candidate to the House of Representatives, but was not allotted a seat.

Who? James Madison

With Jefferson, Madison is hailed as one of the Fathers of the Constitution. Madison first came to prominence as a delegate to the Continental Congress, 1780-1783, where he was known as a legislative workhorse. In addition, he was a leading figure in successfully creating the Northwest Territory by convincing Virginia to relieve it's claim over the area. Madison was an early critic of the fragility of the Articles of Confederation and, in 1787, drafted the Virginia Plan of government with Thomas Jefferson, which became the primary basis for the Constitution of 1787, although he was not entirely satisfied with the final document. Nevertheless, he co-authored, with Alexander Hamilton and John Jay, the Federalist Papers, pushing for ratification of the new Constitution, although his home state of Virginia was on of the last to ratify. Madison became the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1789.

Who? George Washington

Washington is today known as the Father of His Country, and was the chief military and political figure of early American history. First a surveyor and plantation owner, Washington served in the French-Indian War as a senior Colonel. Because of his military experience and high standing in Virginian politics, he was chosen to command the Continental Army in 1775. During the revolutionary war, his most famous victories included driving the British from Boston and the Battles of Saratoga and Yorktown. He later presided over the Philadelphia Convention and was finally elected president under the new constitution in 1789.

Who were the members of the first House of Delegates and House of Representatives?

House of Delegates
Speaker: John Jay
Canada- John Mabane, Clément Gosselin
Connecticut- Jonathan Trumbull, Oliver Ellsworth
Delaware- John Dickinson, Henry Latimer
Georgia- William Few, James Jackson
Maryland- William Paca, George Dent
Massachusetts- John Adams, Elbridge Gerry
New Hampshire- John Langdon, Jeremiah Smith
New Jersey- Jonathan Dayton, John Witherspoon
New York- John Jay, Alexander Hamilton
North Carolina- Samuel Johnston, Timothy Bloodworth
Nova Scotia- Frédéric Hamelin, Marc Tremblay
Pennsylvania- Thomas Fitzsimons, Frederick A. C. Muhlenberg
Rhode Island- Joseph Stanton, William Bradford
South Carolina- John Rutledge, Charles Cotesworth Pickney
Virginia- Richard Henry Lee, George Mason

The House of Representatives contained 319 members, too numerous to list fully, but there were a number of prominent figures who were allotted seats in the first House.
Speaker: James Madison
Selected Members:
John Blair, of Virginia
Pierce Butler, of South Carolina
Samuel Chase, of Maryland
Stephen Hopkins, of Rhode Island
Henry Lee III, of Virginia
Thomas McKean, of Delaware
Thomas Mifflin, of Pennsylvania
Gouverneur Morris, of Pennsylvania
Roger Sherman, of Connecticut

Why did Canada first reject the constitution and why did it take the state so long to finally ratify it?

At the time of the Revolution, Canada was a British colony, but unlike the other colonies of North America, its inhabitants were not primarily British. Canada was first settled by the French and was only won by the British after the French-Indian War in 1763. In 1774, the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act, which returned many of the customs the French Canadians were used to. It restored French civil law (but maintained English common law for criminal prosecution) and the feudal seigneurial system of distributing land. In addition, where the British had prevented Catholics from taking place in public administration, the Quebec Act reversed that policy and returned many rights to Catholics in Canada.

Canada, despite being a part of the United States after the Treaty of Paris, did not send representatives to the Philadelphia Convention or any other gathering of states representatives and when their legislature received a copy of the Constitution, they rejected it. The Canadians feared that if they joined the United States, the other states would institute laws similar to those before the Quebec Act. Only after being convinced that they would be allowed to choose their own state government without interference from the federal government did they finally approve the constitution.

How was George Washington elected President if his home state had not ratified the Constitution?

By the time of the elections on July 1st, Virginia had not ratified the Constitution, which would seemingly mean that no Virginians could hold federal office. However, George Washington was so popular that he received popular nominations in almost every state, so even though there were no nominations from his home state, the Electoral College was able to use the nominations from other states to choose his as the nation's first President.

[Van555]

Hooray! now time to look south!

soon the Continent shall be ours alone!

muhahahaha!

[Lord Grattan]

A great beginning! :)

[FDW]

Interesting, consider me subscribed.

[imperialaquila]

A very interesting Constitution there. I look forward to seeing how it works out in the future.

Did the Continental Congress pass something like OTL's Northwest Ordinance before the Constitution took effect?

TTL's Civil war will probably come sooner, since the North is going to be stronger relative to the South earlier.

[Shadow Knight]

Interesting. Although I am sad that there is no Senate (House of Delegates?).

[Lyly]

A very interesting Constitution there. I look forward to seeing how it works out in the future.

Did the Continental Congress pass something like OTL's Northwest Ordinance before the Constitution took effect?

TTL's Civil war will probably come sooner, since the North is going to be stronger relative to the South earlier.

The Northwest Ordinance was passed on July 8th, 1787, according to the timeline. That may change later as I patch some stuff up, but the Northwest Ordinance, or analogue will be passed pretty early on regardless.

The Civil War could come sooner, yes, but what kind of a Civil War? And which states are the "North" to which states' "South"? ;):p

Interesting. Although I am sad that there is no Senate (House of Delegates?).

House of Delegates = Senate.

[Dan1988]

So, when are we going to get more of this?

[Tenhigh]

This is good, I'm looking forward to reading more. I find it great that you gave Benedict Arnold more of a fair shake in this time line, I always thought that he was pretty well shafted by Continental Army politics.

What happens to the British Loyalists? In OTL most of them moved into Nova Scotia and Canada, but that's not an option here. Do they move out west further into British N.A? Do they go to the British Isles?

Great work, it should be interesting to see this moving forward.

[Whanztastic]

There may be a quicker expansion of Canada west due to there being more (being kicked outta the coast too) and having less places to go. Does that mean an entirely British Oregon Country? We will see. Good stuff.

[DuQuense]

When the other states gave up their western Claims, ?did NS and Mass, give up their ""Maine/New Brunswick"" Allowing this territory to come under the 85 & 87 Territory Acts?

[Lyly]

So, when are we going to get more of this?

When I have time to take off from school for researching and writing. Not long, I promise.

This is good, I'm looking forward to reading more. I find it great that you gave Benedict Arnold more of a fair shake in this time line, I always thought that he was pretty well shafted by Continental Army politics.
He really was, and I tried to somewhat imitate that with TTL, while also making Benedict Arnold into one of the biggest heroes of the Revolution rather than a villain. I'm still working out where he'll end up later, but for now he's definitely in a better position.

What happens to the British Loyalists? In OTL most of them moved into Nova Scotia and Canada, but that's not an option here. Do they move out west further into British N.A? Do they go to the British Isles?As IOTL, those who can afford it will likely go back to Britain. However, those who can't afford to do that don't have many options now. Some may settle on some of the British Caribbean possessions, but most will have to stay in the US. You can expect trouble out of them later on ;)

There may be a quicker expansion of Canada west due to there being more (being kicked outta the coast too) and having less places to go. Does that mean an entirely British Oregon Country? We will see. Good stuff.
I've honestly not thought that far ahead yet, but good points nonetheless.

When the other states gave up their western Claims, ?did NS and Mass, give up their ""Maine/New Brunswick"" Allowing this territory to come under the 85 & 87 Territory Acts?
I've not touched the topic yet, so no, they've not worked it out just yet.

[Dan1988]

When I have time to take off from school for researching and writing. Not long, I promise.

Let's hope - I'm watching it very carefully for some possible ideas. ;)

[Andrew Hudson]

Maybe its as well as Nova Scotia provided a haven for the Loyalists who were a considerable proportion of the population in fact there were some transfers of populations between Halifax patriots and Boston Loyalists. Compared to the French revolution the American Revolutionary War was relatively civilised. All right there was a cleansing of loyalists but not the execsses of revolutionary France without the bolt hole things might have been a lot nastier.

Well not quite civilised as the various nations of the Iriquois confederation lost out whichever size the fought on although the majority of the nations sided with Britain making the term American War of Independence questionable

[Lyly]

Chapter II: Baby Steps, 1783-1789
continued

One of the first bills to pass in both the Houses of Delegates and Representatives was the Hamilton Tariff, proposed by New York Delegate, Alexander Hamilton. The creation of the Departments of Foreign Affairs, Treasury and War followed shortly, all within a week of each other. The departments were to be headed by a Secretary, who would be appointed by the House of Delegates, approved by the House of Representatives, and responsible to the President. Rufus King was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Robert Morris as Secretary of the Treasury, and Benedict Arnold as Secretary of War.

James Madison, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and John Jay, President of the House of Delegates, forged vastly different precedents for their respective roles. Madison was keen to show his support for bills he felt were beneficial to the development of the nation and wielded his power to control debate on items of legislation that fell in his favor. His active role in shaping legislation was in stark contrast to Jay, who held that it was not in his power to direct the proceedings of his House or mingle in the law-making process. Under their leadership, the activities of the two Houses were firmly established within the first year.

In 1790, provisions were made for the first Census, the first Naturalization Act was passed, the Department of State Affairs was created and the Judicial Act detailed the yet undeveloped Judicial system. On July 6th, a section of northern Delaware was demarcated to become the site of the nation's capital, called the District of Columbia. Entering 1791, the young republic seemed past its rocky start as confidence grew in the nation's government and the pace of economic development was quickening. But the next year would reveal huge problems with the United States' second Constitution, problems that would prove the era of baby steps was not over yet.

Chapter III: Years of Crises, 1790-1800

In early 1791, a bill known as the Territorial Act was passed in the House of Delegates, but failed to pass in the House of Representatives. The bill would have created two new territories out of huge swathes of land claimed by Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, New York, and Canada. It met opposition by Virginian and Canadian delegates especially, but was passed nonetheless. In the House of Representatives, however, it became mired in debate and eventually was voted down. According to the Constitution, the bill was considered to have failed, and after the House of Delegates asked the Supreme Tribunal to decide the matter, they upheld that rule. However, the dispute became a catalyst for another, more serious matter.

Vermont had been admitted as a state earlier that year and had seated Delegates in one house, but had not had an opportunity for candidates to be allotted seats in the House of Representatives. Because of the nature of selecting Representatives, it was impractical to hold new elections to include Vermont. However, the situation gave Vermont and its citizens less representation than states admitted before it. When this issue was brought up in the Supreme Tribunal, it sparked a debate that lasted until late July. Finally, the Supreme Tribunal handed down a decision that shocked the nation: decisions made by the House of Representatives made since the admittance of Vermont could not be said to be democratic, thus it was no longer a legitimate legislative body. The Supreme Tribunal suggested that legislative activity be halted, that the session of the House of Representatives be suspended, and that the House of Delegates convene immediately to amend the Constitution to rectify the situation.

The suggestion was mostly implemented, Representatives emptied their chamber, but many Delegates argued that, as the only sitting legislative branch, their decisions would stand, including the Territorial Act. At the suggestion, the Canadian delegation left the House, followed the next day by the Virginian delegation. Both states refused to acknowledge the act, threatening to leave the Union if it was enforced. Sensing the developing crisis, President Washington made a personal appeal to the House of Delegates to drop the issue until the Constitutional Crisis had passed. In the appeal, he also suggested that his power only allowed his office to enforce laws that passed both houses, a suggestion that mooted the argument altogether.

On September 11th, John Jay reported to the Supreme Tribunal with a proposal to divide the nation into many districts which a single Representative would represent, doing away with the former allotment ritual and allowing residents of a district to vote for their Representative directly. Speaker James Madison reviewed the proposal and endorsed the plan. The proposed amendment was sent to the states for consideration on the first of November.

The entire affair, consisting of only one constitutional crisis, but many constitutional hiccups occurring simultaneously, became known as the Crisis of 1791. Though the situation seemed to be smoothed over in a short period, the process of ratifying the Second Amendment would prove considerably more difficult and anything but smooth.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3007/1790cartoon.png

James Madison returned to Virginia with news of the amendment proposal and would be an invaluable player in securing that state's approval. However, the State of Canada had no outstanding figure to argue for the sake of the American republic. The Francophone, mostly Catholic state was only formally associated with the rest of the English-speaking, Protestant United States. The Revolutionary War was popular enough in Canada, but every year since its end, more and more Canadians regretted the split with Britain and most were still resentful of their separation from France in the first place. After a number of years as part of a nation they didn't feel especially attached to, Canadians saw this latest situation as an option to settle their status once and for all.

Naturally, word was received in France of the worries of their Canadian cousins and the problems in the United States. Very quickly, the idea of reestablishing French presence in Canada was in vogue and public opinion was very much in favor of accepting the territory back into the family with open arms. However, while there existed strong support for the move, there was no support for any means to make the move. French society had been abruptly and totally disheveled just two years before as the French Revolution began and there was no chance to seriously consider such ideas in the midst of the upheaval. This fact would prove a great stroke of luck for the United States in the years to come, though it would have long-lasting repercussions nonetheless.

Timeline, 1790-1791
1790
March 2- Naturalization Act of 1790 is passed.
March 26- The Judicial system is put into place with the passage of the Judicial Act.
May 26- The Department of State Affairs is created, with John Beckley as its first Secretary.
July 6- Land in Northern Delaware is selected to become the site of the new Capital.
1791
March 4- Vermont is admitted as the 16th state.
April 8- The Territorial Act fails to pass in the House of Representatives; the Crisis of 1791 begins.
July 23- The Supreme Tribunal argues that the House of Representatives is unrepresentative and orders that the Constitution be amended.
July 24- The session of the House of Representatives is suspended.
July 24- The Canadian Delegation refuses to sit.
July 25- Virginian Delegates follow suit and also refuse to sit.
July 28- President Washington's letter is read to the House of Delegates, recommending work be focused on the crisis at hand.
August 11- The House of Delegates presents a plan to reform the House of Representatives to the Supreme Tribunal.
August 19- A proposed Second Amendment is sent to the States for ratification.

[imperialaquila]

Interesting...French designs on Canada, and Canadian unrest? Is France still allied to the US, or was that alliance abandoned soon after the war? If they are still allied, I can't see them as allied for much longer...

[Van555]

Yea! she is back

[Lyly]

Interesting...French designs on Canada, and Canadian unrest? Is France still allied to the US, or was that alliance abandoned soon after the war? If they are still allied, I can't see them as allied for much longer...
As I indicated, the French Revolution kinda gets in the way of anything happening, even if only for now. But relations have been strained since Adams and Jay decided to leave the French out of the negotiations with the British, since the French would have surely wanted Canada back instead of it becoming part of the US.

Anyhoo, what do you guys think of my political cartoon? I think it turned out pretty epically.

[SavoyTruffle]

Nice use of the cartoon.

[mikegold]

Holy croop! This is excellent!!!

[Van555]

It shall be bumped

[Ordinary joe]

Very interesting. Looking forward to more.

[Farfromhome]

I want more. I need more!

[Lyly]

I'm glad to see y'all are interested! I appreciate the compliments and comments (and bumps). The next update will be focused on what's been happening all over the world and will particularly detail how the French Revolution is going thus far, since that will be an important part of American history later. I should be posting that in the next few days or so, this weekend at the latest.

[AWKB]

Bump/resurrection?

[Lyly]

Bump/resurrection?
Sure, why not? I've been thinking about it lately anyway. I always feel embarrassed raising my dead threads. I keep starting timelines and then dropping them and return to them years later.

[Umbric Man]

Sure, why not? I've been thinking about it lately anyway. I always feel embarrassed raising my dead threads. I keep starting timelines and then dropping them and return to them years later.

In this case you'll be forgiven and any embarrassment forgotten if you revive this. ;)

It's a very interesting timeline, sir - would to see more posts!

[Lyly]

Chapter IV: The French Revolution, 1783-1799

On August 14, 1783, an American delegation consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay, accompanied by William Temple Franklin and Henry Laurens sat down with British Member of Parliament David Harltey to sign the Treaty of Paris, which finally recognized the independence of the American colonies, now called the United States of America.

The British were eager to put the humiliating and very upsetting events of the "Revolutionary" war behind them and the American and British delegations were both generous and pleasant with the provisions of the treaty and it was later ratified by both nations with little further discussion. Britain would go on to sign and ratify three more Treaties of Paris, one each with Spain, the Dutch Republic, and, to the ire of and with great hesitation, France.

http://www.marylandsar.org/SAR-Images/articles/wagner-treaty-of-paris.jpg

With the conclusion of their war on the North American continent, Britain's attention would turn inward for a number of years before the turmoil on their own continent once again threatened the safety of their empire.

In December, the British Parliament issued a statement denouncing King George's influence in parliamentary voting, calling it "high crime". Despite the rhetoric (which was part of a wider struggle of constitutional interpretation), and the resulting instability of government, George III found himself able to appoint a sympathetic and, as it turned out, capable Prime Minister. Until 1789, Parliament was focused on reforming their empire in India and at home. British power was strengthened and centralized in India, corruption and voting fraud was addressed in Britain, and though new taxes were implemented, Britain's government, and its king, remained widely popular. So when news of the events occurring in France spread throughout the spring and early summer of 1789, Britain was shocked once again and restored normalcy upset.

Louis XVI had succeeded to the French throne in 1774, not yet 20 years old. He felt unqualified for his new job, and little doubt was overwhelmed with the difficulties of the French state. France was badly in debt and even high (and disproportionate) taxes had failed to alleviate the financial troubles. Nevertheless, Louis was sought to gain the adoration of his people and in his quest to "always consult public opinion", he restored the Parlements of France.

However, the King was indecisive and lacked willfulness. His newly re-instated Parlements struggled to find a solution to the financial troubles and more and more radical reforms to the antiquated financial system were proposed. French nobles consistently failed to agree upon a suitable plan (most of which, sensibly, would rely on levying more taxes upon France's elite). Despite much of France's trouble having roots in the Seven Years War (the French-Indian War to the Americans), Louis supported the American Revolution against Britain, which only further indebted the state and, with new taxes in 1781, its people.

Peace negotiations between the Americans, British, and French resulted in the "Peace of Paris", but when it was revealed that the Americans had acquired Canada, everyone in France was infuriated. The Revolutionary War had been a disaster for France, which was now more indebted than ever, and though it had humiliated Britain, had still not recovered their chief colonial possession in the Americas. King Louis XVI, once beloved by his people, was now the most hated man in the country.

As his power and ability waned, he saw only one path and Louis finally called upon the Estates-General to seek a solution, which, like the King himself, and like his Parlements, could not agree upon one. An impasse developed immediately between the three Estates that finally led to the Third Estate, that of the common people, leaving the proceedings and convening what they called the assembly of the commons on May 28, 1789. This was a unilateral attempt by the Third Estate to settle how each Estate would be represented and what powers each had. By June, members of the First and Second Estate were joining them. After some debate, on June 17, this assembly declared itself the "National Assembly" and stated that it would seek to resolve the troubled state of affairs without the Estates-General. The King expressed his resistance, but little beyond that expression was actually attempted. The National Assembly, in response, announced that it would prepare a new Constitution.

http://www.stephenhicks.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/french-revolution.jpg

This announcement sparked popular unrest, resentment, and a general mood of popular sovereignty. Civil authority rapidly deteriorated as violence spread. In August, the National (Constituent) Assembly declared an end to feudalism and produced the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, sharing a spirit and theory with the American Dual Declarations. Though these announcements were welcome, the Assembly had still not addressed the financial situation and now things were even worse. Harvests in France and throughout Europe had been poor for a number of years and as a result bread prices had increased dramatically, inciting furor among France's population.

At this point, France's institutional troubles gave way to widespread popular revolution. Throughout the remainder of the year and until 1791, the Assembly sat while France was in turmoil. In September of that year, they produced a constitution which established France as a Constitutional Monarchy. King Louis approved the Constitution, becoming the "King of the French" and the Assembly was dissolved. When the Legislative Assembly met in October, they hoped to find popular support and put an end to the widespread revolts throughout France and particularly violent in Paris.

Despite this new constitution, which pronounced the King "inviolable and sacred", fears that he was informally allied with the kings of Austria and Prussia were abound, provoked especially by members of the revolution more republican in spirit. The Declaration of Pillnitz by Austria and Prussia, which stated that the result of any harm placed upon the King could be war, did not help to ease these worries. In fact, the Legislative Assembly announced that the "fatherland is in danger" in March of the next year and new troops were raised, though no one in the government of France dared to make a move against the Prusso-Austrian alliance.

Also in March of 1792, the guillotine was adopted as the universal method of execution and the tricolor cockade, made popular by Parisian revolutionaries and adopted by the King, was made a mandatory article of clothing for all French men. These decrees foreshadowed the jailing, execution, and massacring of less-than-compliant citizens of the new France, such as armed Parisian aristocrats or republican revolutionaries. At times, the thirst for unpatriotic blood seemed to overtake those in charge of handling such affairs, but the attitudes of most in the French government were always tempered by the experienced and level-headed chief of the National Guard, the Marquis de Lafayette.

Throughout 1792, more legislative triumphs were declared, such as the abolition of slavery and a revolutionary new calendar, but still the issue most important to the average Frenchman remained unaddressed; bread was still unaffordable to many. The civil unrest continued and popular support shifted once more, this time further to the revolutionary left, giving rise to Maximilien Robespierre the "Incorruptible", or alternately, the "Bloodthirsty". Unlike many of the most prominent French politicians, whose revolutionary or anti-revolutionary moods were moderated by Lafayette, Robespierre made little effort in hiding his contempt for the man who had handily molded the National Guard into the institution most central and dear to the new constitutional monarchy.

Robespierre viewed the King and any who supported his reign as a "vile traitors" and argued that him simply being a king in the first place made him an enemy to France. He was an understandably controversial figure, but his antipathy to the government resonated with the people of France who were still prone to open revolt. His influence transformed the Jacobin party from one of moderate policies to a radically leftist one and in the name of the Jacobins massacres had begun to occur throughout France, chiefly against those who still seemed sympathetic to the King, but more generally against any who were not as equally radically leftist.

The Paris commune, the organ of government that had taken over the city in 1789, petitioned the Legislative Assembly and demanded a revolutionary tribunal be established to try political dissidents. The Assembly conceded to its creation, but in September also introduced the "general maximum", a price cap on certain goods and foodstuffs, in the hopes of guaranteeing an affordable supply of food.

Through the winter and spring of 1793, much of the political turmoil had settled, at least in physical form, and the combination of the Revolutionary Tribunal and the General Maximum helped to deflect criticism from the government for the famine that nevertheless persisted. In May, most of the members of the Legislative Assembly were confident that the next best step was to export their revolution and spread the example of their revolution (which they saw as nothing short of a resounding success) to other European monarchies. On May 20, France declared war on Austria. The next week, French forces began their invasion of the Austrian Netherlands.

As the Assembly found, its forces were woefully unprepared for war. The revolution has disorganized the professional army and the soldiers levied in the past year were inexperienced and incompletely trained. Prussian and Austrian troops under the command of the Duke of Brunswick found the capture of Lognwy and Verdun simple. The invasion continued into September when the invading army reached Châlons-sur-Marne where a French army, under the command of François Christophe de Kellermann fought the Duke's to a stalemate. The battle was a draw, but was a victory in the eyes of the French and a boost to morale.

In Belgium, the French invading army expected to excited revolutionary sentiments and when the entire country was in French command within a month, the sympathies were certainly on their side. In Italy, French forces had similar captured Savoy and Nice. With winter, the campaigns slowed or halted, but the spring of 1794 brought renewed fighting. An expedition led by Lafayette crossed the Rhine into Germany and captured Mainz in May and had begun to lay siege to Frankfurt by June.

However, the Austrians had captured Lille were threatening to turn back French control in Belgium and Piedmontese forces were able to halt French advances in Italy. Needing more troops, the Legislative Assembly called for a levy of 100,000 men and by the end of the year, able French forces reached almost 500,000. The better part of 1794 was spent driving Austrian forces from France and containing them in eastern Belgium, before driving the Austrians, Dutch and Germans out of Belgium by the year's end. The Alpine front remained largely unchanged, but success beyond the Rhine in Germany made up for the disappointment. Over the winter, as calm again replaced war, French forces had the upper hand against the Prusso-Austrian alliance and the war seemed to them a failure. The following spring brought further French victories, notably at Neresheim and Amberg in Bavaria and finally at Turin, suppressing Piedmont.

While France was victorious at war, at home, famine and high taxation continued and it was noted that the campaigns were straining France's already severely strained financial situation. An appeal by Lafayette to end the war in the interests of the French people was met with initial suspicion in the Assembly and ignored until summer, when continued civil unrest in Paris and rural France convinced the government to seek peace.

The Treaties of Fleurus and Basel made peace with Austria and Prussia (respectively) and the Treaty of Nice made peace with Sardinia and other Italian states. In what would become known as the French Revolutionary War, France extended her borders substantially. The division between Germany and France was now the Rhine River and Belgians, Luxembourgers, and Piedmontese alike would now be required to swear an oath of loyalty to France, symbolized by the cockade which was now mandatory uniform.

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/9065/tempte.png
Europe in 1795

Timeline, 1783-1799
1783
June 8- The Laki volcanic system in Iceland erupts, lasting until February of the next year, spewing millions of tons of debris into the atmosphere and clouding Europe for several years.
August 14- Treaty of Paris is signed by the United States and Great Britain.
September 2- Great Britain signs the Treaties of Paris with Spain and the Dutch Republic.
September 19- Treaty of Paris is signed by France and Great Britain.
1786
August 20- Finance Minister Charles Alexandre de Calonne informs Louis XVI that royal finances are insolvent.
December 16- The Assembly of Notables is invited by Louis XVI for consultation.
1787
February 22- The Assembly of Notables convenes.
March 4- Calonne publishes his review of the royal finances and their dire state, shocking the nation and upsetting the Assembly of Notables.
April 8- Louis XVI dismisses Calonne and other ministers in an attempt to break the deadlock between them and the Notables.
May 20- The Assembly of Notables is dismissed.
May 20- Tax reform legislation is sent to the regional Parlements for approval.
August 15- After the legislation is rejected by the Paris Parlement, Louis XVI dismisses the Parlement.
September- The Dutch Republic is invaded by Prussia after civil unrest. The Paris Parlement is called back.
November 12- The Paris Parlement approves new loans for the royal finances.
1788
August 6- The French government declares bankruptcy.
November 6- The Assembly of Notables is reconvened to discuss the Estates-General, which are due to be convened in the coming year.
December 27- Minister of Finance Jacques Necker announces, against the advice of the Notables, that the voting powers of members of the Third Estate will be doubled.
1789
April 22- Bread riots in Paris kill 25 soldiers.
May 5- The Estates-General meet. It is announced that any voting will be done by Estate, not by head, rendering the doubled-voting power of the Third Estate useless.
May 28- The Third Estate meets separately of the First and Second, in defiance of the May 5 announcement.
June 17- The Third Estate, joined by some members of the First and Second, declares itself the National Assembly.
June 20- Locked out of their meeting site, the National Assembly takes the Tennis Court Oath.
June 27- King Louis orders the First and Second Estates to join the National Assembly.
July 13- The National Guard is formed, a group of armed Parisian middle class men.
July 14- The National Guard storms the Bastille, releasing seven prisoners, and killing three prominent members of the French government.
July 15- The Marquis de Lafayette is appointed head of the National Guard.
July 16- French troops withdraw from Paris.
July 17- Parisian peasants revolt, many nobles leave Paris, King Louis symbolically supports the revolt.
August 9- The National Assembly declares an end to feudalism.
August 26- The National Assembly releases the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen.
September 11- POD The National Assembly grants King Louis the power to veto legislation. King Louis ratifies the August Decrees.
October 5- Parisian women march on the Palace of Versailles and petition the King to move to Paris.
October 6- The King and the national Assembly remove themselves to Paris.
November 2- The National Assembly seizes Church property.
1790
March 29- Pope Pius VI condemns the decrees of the National Assembly and its actions against the Church.
May 19- Nobility is abolished by the National Assembly.
July 12- The National Assembly demands that priests take an oath of loyalty to the state.
August 16- Regional Parlements are abolished.
1791
April 18- The Royal family is prevented from traveling for Easter.
June 25- POD The Royal family is captured trying to escape Paris and are quietly returned to the city.
August 27- The kings of Austria and Prussia, Leopold II and Frederick William II, issue the Declaration of Pillnitz.
September 3- The Constitution is completed and presented to the King.
September 13- King Louis formally accepts the Constitution and dissolves the National Assembly.
October 1- The Legislative Assembly meets.
1792
January- Food riots persist throughout Paris.
February 2- Austria allies with Prussia.
March 20- The guillotine is adopted as the universal means of execution.
March 22- The tricolor cockade is made mandatory for all men to wear.
June 24- Slavery is abolished.
August 22- Republican riots break out.
August 24- The Revolutionary Tribunal is established in Paris.
September 10- A "general maximum" is implemented on prices of certain goods and foodstuffs.
September 22- A new calender based upon the decimal system takes effect.
1793
May 20- France declares war on Austria and Prussia.
May 28- Invasion of Austrian Netherlands begins.
July 13- Jean-Paul Marat, a Jacobin leader and ally of Robespierre, is assassinated.
July 30- Prussia and Austria begin their invasion of France.
August 9- Verdun is captured by Prussian troops.
September 13- The Battle of Châlons-sur-Marne.
1794
March 13- An uprising in Paris against clerics leaves several hundred dead.
April 11- The General Maximum is abandoned.
May 25- Mainz is captured by French troops.
June 26- French forces defeat the Austrians at Fleurus.
June 28- Austrian forces capture Lille.
September- Sporadic Republican violence throughout France.
September 7- French forces recapture Lille.
November 11- Celebration of the Goddess of Reason at the Temple of Reason, formerly the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
1795
May 11- French victory at the Battle of Amberg.
May 14- The Marquis de Lafayette petitions the Assembly to seek peace.
July 4- French victory at the Battle of Neresheim.
August 2- French forces take Turin.
September 27- The Treaty of Nice ends the war in Italy.
October 5- The Treaty of Fleurus ends the war with Austria.
October 7- The Treaty of Basel ends the war with Prussia.
1796
March 18- French diplomats arrive in the United States, beginning the XYZ Affair.
April 3- The demands of French agents XYZ are made public: several million dollar loans from the United States, a personal bribe to the French Foreign Minister Talleyrand, and concession of the state of Canada to France.
July 20- France cuts off trade with the United States.
August 3- Several amendments are made to the French Constitution, mostly updating wording to account for the expanded French state, but also further clarifying the roles of the King and the Assembly.
August 3- The Comtat Venaissin is occupied by France.
1797
April 26- Montbéliard is annexed by France.
May- American merchants are found to be trading with France under other flags, in defiance of the ban on trade.
May 5- France ignores a request from the Pope to negotiate a return of Church lands and rights in France.
July 8- A universal income tax is implemented, replacing a number of previous taxes to help repay French debts incurred in the Revolution.
August 30- The Place Royale in Paris is renamed Place de Gironde, when the Department of Gironde becomes the first pay the new taxes.
September 7- The United States suspends repayment of debt to France.
1798
March 29- The United States Congress passes a resolution denouncing France for threatening American merchants.
1799
January 18- The Bank of France is founded.
April 26- A general amnesty allowing the return of most emigrated nobles of France is passed.

[Lyly]

Alright folks, there's your French Revolution. Or at least the first one.

I would LOVE some nitpickety people to come in and tell me what I did wrong, because I'm sure I made some missteps. For now though, I've thrown five straight hours into this and I'm not going to try to pick it up again until tomorrow.

I'll have a much better map up once I finish it, but there's the basic idea of it for now. France takes over the Austrian Netherlands, Luxembourg, and every piece of land to the Rhine, as well as the Piedmontese half of Sardinia-Piedmont. The bits and pieces of France left over will be incorporated later.

For clarification, major differences between what I've written and what happened in OTL, besides what I've pointed out as Points of Divergence are that there's no war with Spain, Britain, or the Dutch. It's limited to Austria, Prussia, and Sard.-Pied. Also, you may have noticed no mention of Napoleon. Hopefully he won't be involved in this alternate history at all.

[Van555]

Dude I missed this :eek:

cool france

[Lyly]

Sneak peek of what's next for General Washington's Regret:

http://www.hougansydney.com/resources/Toussaint.JPG
Toussaint L'Ouverture as he appears on the 20 Franc note.

[Silver]

So does the picture above mean that Haiti becomes an integral part of France? If it is that's very cool. :) How very forward thinking the French are if they do make Haiti, whose population is predominantly Black, an integral part of France. Also, will Haiti later invade its neighbor (i.e. the OTL Dominican Republic) and annex it, thus making the entire island of Hispaniola as French territory? If so, how would Americans, particularly those in the South view the existence of a Black-dominated and integral French territory existing in the Carribean? How the British, and the Spanish respectively view this particular development? Please let me know. Thank you. :)

[Lyly]

So does the picture above mean that Haiti becomes an integral part of France? If it is that's very cool. :) How very forward thinking the French are if they do make Haiti, whose population is predominantly Black, an integral part of France. Also, will Haiti later invade its neighbor (i.e. the OTL Dominican Republic) and annex it, thus making the entire island of Hispaniola as French territory? If so, how would Americans, particularly those in the South view the existence of a Black-dominated and integral French territory existing in the Carribean? How the British, and the Spanish respectively view this particular development? Please let me know. Thank you. :)
You'll know. ;):p

[LordVetinari]

Cool timeline.
Hope my state doesn't get butterflied away or something (Ohio)
Keep up the work.

[DuQuense]

So does the picture above mean that Haiti becomes an integral part of France? If it is that's very cool. How very forward thinking the French are if they do make Haiti, whose population is predominantly Black, an integral part of France. Also, will Haiti later invade its neighbor (i.e. the OTL Dominican Republic) and annex it, thus making the entire island of Hispaniola as French territory? If so, how would Americans, particularly those in the South view the existence of a Black-dominated and integral French territory existing in the Carribean? How the British, and the Spanish respectively view this particular development? Please let me know. Thank you.OTL Spain sold Santo Domingo to France in 1795. Toussaint L'Ouverture's Invasion was an attempt to restore French control.
Also, you may have noticed no mention of Napoleon. Hopefully he won't be involved in this alternate history at all.
I assume He is involved --as a Minor Capitan of Artillery.

Course this means a 1803~1804 Spanish-American War over New Orleans.

[Lyly]

OTL Spain sold Santo Domingo to France in 1795. Toussaint L'Ouverture's Invasion was an attempt to restore French control.
France gained control of Santo Domingo under the Treaty of Basel, which ended the first war with Spain. Part of that treaty gave France control over the entirety of Hispaniola. In TTL, the war with Spain didn't happen, so there was no treaty giving France Spanish colonies. Additionally, an earlier end to slavery in France and a generally more stable French Revolution prevented a lot of the revolutionary furor that overtook Haiti and led to its independence.

But as I've hinted, the full ramifications of this will be explored in the next post.

[Lyly]

Chapter V: The Traitor's War

Prelude: 1792-1800
http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2040/temprq.png

The text of a proposed Second Amendment to the Constitution was released for consideration by the states on September 11, 1791. The plan was to divide the nation into many districts from which individual members would be elected to serve in the House of Representatives. These districts would be drawn over the nation at large and would cross state borders, continuing the idea that Representatives would represent the nation as a whole, not specific states. The amendment would also provide for a method of increasing the size of the House of Representatives, an improvement over the Constitution, which stated simply that there should be a representative for every 30,000 citizens. Now there would be one for every 40,000 until it reached 200 members (the House had already surpassed 100 members), then specified only that districts would represent no more than 50,000 citizens.

Supporters of the amendment pointed to this improved formula and the districting method of electing members as virtuous improvements over the previous allotment method. By January of 1792, every state but New York, Virginia, and Canada had ratified the amendment, which meant it had been approved. Over the next two months, New York and Virginia would both ratify.

Canada rejected the amendment, clearly as a political statement rather than out of actual objection to the amendment. Since the crisis of last year, Canadians had become increasingly wary of their presence in the American nation and many politicians had by now simply refused to cooperate with the Federal government. The statement they intended to send now was an objection to their very presence in the United States, or at least to their current situation. The move shocked Americans of other states and was met largely with approval in Canada itself. Though at this point there was enough support to remain a member of the United States to prevent any further anti-American movement, in time the situation would change and the next decade would see a growing movement in Canada for independence.

Before elections could take place, districts had to be drawn up first, a task that proved more politically charged than anyone could have predicted. First, a debate raged over who should map the districts. Finally, the Supreme Tribunal ruled that a select group should be assembled to divide the nation into its districts. This committee assembled in April and then set about the painfully grinding task of mapping the nation and the districts. Political squabbles and new appointments (the committee had to be enlarged to include members with knowledge of each state) and the admission of the State of Kentucky delayed the trying process but the result was produced before June. 112 districts now pockmarked the map of the United States.

The elections coincided with the second Presidential elections. George Washington had been considering retiring, but was urged to run again to provide some stability to a national government which was anything but stable. By March of 1793, George Washington had been unanimously elected President and Democratic-Republican elements had become the slight majority in the new House of Representatives. Congress reconvened in May and eagerly set about conducting the business of government again.

At the urging of now Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Congress implemented new taxes to pay off Revolutionary-era debts and signed the Pinckney Treaty, which settled disputes with Britain as well as benefitting trade between the nations. A tax in Pennsylvania was settled in 1794 after Congress permitted the gathering of state militias by the President.

The French Revolution broke out in 1795, an event which the entire world looked upon with great anxiety. The American republic heralded it as a spectacular event, the European monarchies as a disastrous one. The Canadians found themselves charged with mixed feelings. On one hand, they had supported the American Revolution against the British in the previous decade and were now accustomed to the spirit of popular sovereignty that had overtaken France, but on the other, most Canadians supported the King and Church and rumors were abound in the United States of the banishment from France of both.

With a new constitution, one that retained Louis XVI as the King of the French, Americans sighed in disappointment, Canadians breathed a sigh of relief. With the news, Canada resumed its drift from the rest of the nation and made it clear that it had little intention to submit to the Federal government by simply not sending any Delegates or Representatives. Meanwhile, communication between Canadian Patriotes and new France increased. In both Paris and Québec, the idea of a new French empire in North America had great popular support. In Canada, most felt it was only a short matter of time before the French flag replaced the American.

---------

Americans were not unaware of the rumors of French invasion and had been observing the state of affairs in France with great caution. When the state government of Canada began its hermit-like withdrawal from the rest of the union, that rest of the union jumped immediately to the conclusion that they were furtively supporting a French expedition to annex their most northerly state. In addition to repeated attempts to draw Canadians out of their shell (with some success), the United States Congress discussed the steps they would need to take to deal with France. A significant minority in the United States supported declaring war on France before they had the opportunity themselves.

The issue was one of serious contention leading up the the Presidential Election of 1800. Incumbent John Adams did not himself support going to war with France, but many prominent members of his party did and in comparison to his opponent, James Madison, who had in the past not hid his support for the French, he was the default pro-war candidate. He won handily. Americans almost universally felt war with France was now inevitable.

As it turned out, France declared war first. On May 11, the United States received the official news from France. Although the declaration had been preceded by years of diplomatic dispute and even an undeclared war at sea between French and American privateers, the United States found itself unprepared for the war when it finally came. However, they had the advantage of already controlling the territory France was after and the Atlantic would provide a useful first line of defense.

Following the Revolutionary War, the Army had been reduced to a mere 80 men and the few regiments that had been raised since then were approved by Congress mostly to serve in the West and were largely responsible for building roads and clearing forests, only occasionally taking up arms and only against Indians. The few officers remaining from the nation's first war had retired and practically all the troops were very poorly trained. Given the situation, the President and Congress considered improving their army the nation's top priority.

On May 24, President Adams approved an expansion of the army to 20,000 men. On June 1, Adams signed a bill that put state militias under command of the President during wartime and required them to serve outside of their home state. Benedict Arnold was made Senior Officer of the United States Army after Washington's death in 1799 and to the pleasant surprise of President Adams, he had already set about training and drilling as many troops as possible and he reported that he was confident that, given time, the US Army would be capable of defending the nation from the French. However he personally felt that the war would be won only with some luck.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/115/tempns.png

At sea, the fighting had already begun. American merchant ships had been captured by the French navy as soon as war was declared and the still very small American Navy found its task difficult (Congress had authorized the construction of six frigates only in 1794 and by 1800, only five had been launched and only a handful of other warships under the command of the Revenue Cutter Service were present to protect American waters). The first conflict of the war occurred in the Mediterranean on May 20 when the USS Congress met and captured the French frigate Africaine. This initial victory provided some hope for the Americans, but further naval encounters proved that the US Navy was outclassed by the French and the latter would greatly constrict America's effectiveness at sea for the course of the war.

Inspired by the French declaration of war, in June many Canadians rebelled, calling themselves Patriotes. Even much of the state militia aligned itself against the United States. Though the French army remained across the Atlantic, rebelling Canadians gave the land war a head start. Militia from New York, commanded by Alexander Hamilton, were the first to face off against the Patriotes at Kingston, where they were easily defeated. American victories against Canadian rebels continued into February of the following year when Patriotes in Québec were finally suppressed. However in December, Delaware Bay was blockaded by the French, followed shortly by the estuary of the Saint Lawrence and Halifax.

French troops arrived in North America in March of 1801. They variously raided or were greeted heartily by towns along the Saint Lawrence river. The Battle of Québec expelled American troops from that city on March 30, the Battle of Ville-Marie did the same on April 5. Halifax repelled French attempts to take the city, though Halifax Bay remained blockaded.

to be continued...

[Alamo]

So, this is the equivalent to the War of 1812, I take it? Keep up the good work!

[Lyly]

So hey, sorry for not updating this as much as I meant. I've never been good at starting wars, or continuing wars, or ending wars. I'm just not good at wars, so bear with me as a bash this thing out. Hopefully this update will keep the ball rolling enough to be interesting. It's not as much as I would have liked to update, but it took me about four hours of straight writing to get this, so there ya go!

Chapter V: The Traitor's War
continued

Following what was effectively the loss of Canada, Americans suddenly began seeing the war in more sober terms. The French were no longer a far away threat with a distant pining for revenge. They were on America's doorstep. Or more accurately, they had their foot firmly in the door and threatened to swing it wide open.

Following his losses at Québec and Ville-Marie, Hamilton turned south to prepare the defense of New York. The failure to take Halifax moved French motivations south as well, toward Columbia, the enemy's capital. Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, who had served on the side of the Americans in the Revolutionary War, was now the man responsible for the southern invasion of the United States. His force proceeded from Halifax to Delaware Bay.

Jourdan met a combined Marylander-Pennsylvanian militia at Dover on August 2. Defeating them, most of his force proceeded to Salisbury, where he had heard rumors American forces were gathering. Salisbury was surrendered, but a flanking force was prevented from landing at Slave Landing a few miles downstream from Salisbury. Jourdan met a larger American force than he had estimated at Noxcontown and his advance by land was routed on August 10. His remaining force had been ordered to proceed upstream to meet at Newcastle or Newport and continue to Columbia.

Barges had been positioned at strategic locations along the Delaware to harass the French naval force. Two sets of these barges, numbering 22 total were sunk near the locations of Port Penn and Hamburg Cove. American forces which had gathered at Newcastle and were joined by men from Virginia on August 11. Meanwhile, Columbia was evacuated in expectation of the coming French troops, an act which proved unnecessary as Jourdan's forces were defeated again as they attempted to take Newcastle on August 23. Columbia was saved.

The victories in Delaware greatly boosted American morale, particularly given mixed success in halting the French in New York. French forces, under the command of François Christophe de Kellermann made famous even in America for his service in the French Revolutionary War, marched south from Ville-Marie in pursuit of Alexander Hamilton. France had expected to procure supplies easily from the French Canadians, but Kellermann found himself in a peculiar situation occasionally trading with English-speaking Americans, more and more often the closer he came to New York. As a result, food and clothing were increasingly difficult to obtain. Kellermann crossed into New York along the shore of Lake Champlain.

Kellermann entered Plattsburgh on May 21 and was met with limited resistance. Hamilton's troops had moved on ahead of the French and only local militia defended the town, which was surrendered after 20 minutes. Hearing that Hamilton had moved west into Macomb's Purchase, Kellermann wasted little time and resumed the pursuit. Hamilton simultaneously received the news from Plattsburgh and prepared his defenses in Massena, a community on the New York side of the Saint Lawrence and New Johnston, an American community on the Canada side.

Planning to resist the French in Massena and retreat into New Johnston if necessary, Hamilton had several barges and boats prepared and cannon was set up across the river. During his retreat through upper New York, Hamilton's forces had increased considerably as he was joined by troops from New York. He had also received correspondence from George Rogers Clark, famed Revolutionary War veteran who had organized militia from throughout Kentucky and the Northwest and Ohio territories and was now marching north to join Hamilton.

The Battle of Massena began on June 10 and lasted four days. Kellermann was surprised at the American resistance and preparedness. On the night of June 14, Hamilton began his movement across the Saint Lawrence. While the battle was a loss, The organized retreat conserved loss of troops and since cannon was already placed across the river, he was able to sustain fire against the French into the morning when removed themselves from range. Now Hamilton tracked Kellermann's force to Frontenac, another largely American community on the Canadian side of the Saint Lawrence. Hamilton relayed messages to the city to prepare its defenses and arrived several days ahead of Kellermann. The resulting battle (July 9-10) was the first American victory on the northern theater as he prevented Kellermann from even crossing the river. However Hamilton would also be prevented from pursuing Kellermann for several days.

[FDW]

Glad to see this back.

[Umbric Man]

I freaking cannot believe Delaware is a major battleground.

[Lyly]

Chapter V: The Traitor's War
continued

While the French had failed to take major targets such as Halifax or the capital, Columbia, the nevertheless controlled the seas and by mid-summer, the entire coast of America was under a state of blockade. With control of much of Canada, the French were in a position to decide where the war would be fought.

American commanders were still scrambling at this stage to erect defenses and train troops. A significant number of Revolutionary veterans had returned to service, but their prime was decades past and so the majority were recruited for training the younger generation, the sons of the original Patriots.

With their grasp tightening on New York, American leaders predicted that New York City would be the French's next target. François Christophe de Kellermann was loose in upper New York with Alexander Hamilton in pursuit but with limited ability to stop his march. French troops under the command of Jean-Baptiste Jourdan withdrew from the Delaware River and set out for the Hudson Bay.

Jourdan arrived in New York Harbor's Lower Bay on August 31st and began landing near the town of Gravesend. Cannon fire from a hill on the site of modern day Fort Hamilton (OTL Dyker Heights) interrupted the landing temporarily. The mostly symbolic resistance there was suppressed and landing resumed on October 2nd. The towns of Gravesend and New Utrecht were occupied by the French and the former would serve as their base of operations for the siege of New York, which would linger into the winter.

Clark's Kentucky forces arrive in New York in the early weeks of August and Hamilton hoped to stall Kellerman far enough away from New York to make good use of Clark's troops. Following a week of particularly aggressive encounters by Hamilton, Clark announced he was in position to engage on August 21st. Hamilton and Clark met Kellerman north of the town of Lumberland (near OTL Liberty, NY) on the 23rd.

Kellerman began the battle in a poor position with Hamilton firing down from a series of hills overlooking the French forces. Though outnumbered, Hamilton's better positioning allowed for better use of his artillery and even the capture of French artillery early in the battle. Kellerman made slight gains along the American flanks, driving Hamilton's men up the hill throughout the afternoon. Clark's forces did not arrive on the field until the evening, but the sight of reinforcements closing on his rear forced Kellerman to retreat.

While Hamilton's more professional New York and New England forces had been fighting all year and training for months before, the men from Kentucky had little to no training and had fought only Native Americans prior to the battle. Their inexperience showed the following day as great losses accompanied limited advancements against the French. As the battlefield moved, Hamilton's artillery positions became less and less advantageous and the French's superior skill began to shine through, inflicting great damage to the Americans over the course of the week-long battle. By the 28th, the Battle of Lumberland was a clear French victory, despite the early gains by the Americans. It was a huge loss, as Hamilton's forces had been the main army in the North outside of New York City itself and its numbers now dwindled. The loss at Lumberland preceded the beginning of the Siege of New York and Kellerman's forces would now have little opposition in their march southward.

http://www.historicmapsrestored.com/media/maps/citymapsj-r/new-york-ny-30-mile-radius-b.jpg

Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary War hero, former Secretary of War and former Senior Officer of the Army, had been placed in command of the defense of New York. His challenge was great. The United States had very little naval power to oppose the French entry to the harbor and they were now well positioned to advance on the Heights of Guan. Arnold focused much of his energy on blocking the passes through these wooded hills which had last seen battle in 1776. Militia and professional troops from the surrounding states as far as Maryland had gathered in New York to give Arnold a sizable force. Nevertheless, by Arnold's calculations (and in reality), the French would heavily outnumber him.

The French found the initial occupation of Long Island's two southernmost towns simple, and a naval blockade of Manhattan and the surrounding countryside towns was quickly implemented, but acquiring food became a major problem. In Canada, French forces had been able to buy food at reasonable prices. In northern New York, it was more difficult, but plausible. Benedict Arnold had ordered no one to sell to the French on any condition and so Jourdan was forced to obtain food by force, which (logically) contributed to Arnold's growing militia from the cities and towns around New York.

to be continued...

[Lyly]

You'd think that for the amount of hate I have for writing about wars and battles would reflect in my timelines and I would then have very little violence. But no, instead, I have to spend ages working my way through drawn out wars that I constantly fear will be called out for being grossly unrealistic, while my real love of the contemporary politics gets nudged off to the side. Oh well, I hope even a small update like this is entertaining.

[Leistungsfähiger Amerikan]

You'd think that for the amount of hate I have for writing about wars and battles would reflect in my timelines and I would then have very little violence. But no, instead, I have to spend ages working my way through drawn out wars that I constantly fear will be called out for being grossly unrealistic, while my real love of the contemporary politics gets nudged off to the side. Oh well, I hope even a small update like this is entertaining.

Very entertaining. I am following this with interest! And if you don't like writing about wars, why don't you just butterfly them all away!:rolleyes:

[Super_Cool]

I have a question. Isn't Britain at war with France right now as well? How did French troops manage to cross the ocean?

[Lyly]

I have a question. Isn't Britain at war with France right now as well? How did French troops manage to cross the ocean?
No, Britain did not go to war with France. France is only at war with the United States right now.

[Van555]

Oh I love it so

[Shevek23]

No, Britain did not go to war with France. France is only at war with the United States right now.

But-mightn't this be a good time for Britain to suddenly be at war with France?

If they can cut the French expedition off from the sea, they can probably kill two birds with one stone--cut the French fleet down and cost France the army sent to America, and get concessions from the Americans. Like:

"If you're not using Canada, we'll just take it off your hands then!"

[SavoyTruffle]

Oh, I've returned to reading this, and I'm interested again. :D

A Revolutionary France that kept the Bourbons, if in a much weakened role? And Poland-Lithuania not being eaten up entirely?

And the XYZ Affair from OTL escalating into a War of 1812 analogue?

Keep it up.

[Vexacus]

This SO needs another update

[Turquoise Blue]

agreed with that.

[Jason I]

Very good read, hope to see an update soon. :)

[JJohnson]

Canada, despite being a part of the United States after the Treaty of Paris, did not send representatives to the Philadelphia Convention or any other gathering of states representatives and when their legislature received a copy of the Constitution, they rejected it. The Canadians feared that if they joined the United States, the other states would institute laws similar to those before the Quebec Act. Only after being convinced that they would be allowed to choose their own state government without interference from the federal government did they finally approve the constitution.


If the Canadians were concerned about federal intervention in their state affairs, then why is there a power to veto state decisions by the House of Delegates? Wouldn't this power by the HoD mean they would not join or be very very wary of joining?

[SilverSwimmer]

I just read through this TL...wow! Im very impressed, especially with the altered Constitution, very original. Concerning the legislature, I wonder how the changes, especially in the House of Representatives, will affect political science and representation in the future.

[Iserlohn]

Oh my... The Traitor's War is bloody.

I really enjoyed this TL thus far. Just a minor question: What happened to von Steuben?

[CT23]

Any chance for an update?

[Marcus Licinius Crassus]

i have to bump this thread. I hope it is not dead.