Chaos theory is well-known to most writers of alternate history (allohistorians,) the phrase "sensitivity to initial conditions" is well known, especially for us "for want of a nail" types.
But another effect of chaos is non-linearity. Take this example: one would expect that, if the American Revolution was lost, that the ATL Americans would use standard British spelling: colour, flavour, honour etc. What if this is not the case? That ATL American spelling is even more radical and phonetic than our Noah Webster dreamed, that we'd spell flavour as flevor? That we'd use the old Gothic letters: edh, thorn, ash, yogh etc?
But another effect of chaos is non-linearity. Take this example: one would expect that, if the American Revolution was lost, that the ATL Americans would use standard British spelling: colour, flavour, honour etc. What if this is not the case? That ATL American spelling is even more radical and phonetic than our Noah Webster dreamed, that we'd spell flavour as flevor? That we'd use the old Gothic letters: edh, thorn, ash, yogh etc?