America the Fallen
My First Timeline
By IchBinDieKaiser
IntroductionBy IchBinDieKaiser
I know I don’t have much of a reason for writing this prologue, but I felt a little background to how I wrote this and why might explain a little of it.
I have been working on this Idea for quite some time. This actually came from two different ideas that were so similar that they fused into one. The original version of this timeline I had called, The American Prussia, and then I redid this poorly thought out and poorly written idea and labeled in as The American Prussia 2.0. The rewriting of it did not succeed for it too was poorly thought out and written(you can see these older threads if you search my profile).
However, I still liked the idea of the American colonies separating from Britain and then separating from each other, but it took a while before this idea of mine would reach the
Alternate History forums again. It did not come back until I was looking at other Alternate History sites. The site in particular was althistory.wikia.com, and I was looking at some of its articles. I remember seeing at the top of the screen the tab that said "Can you make this article better?", I clicked this tab and it led me to an empty article called "America the Fallen". This was based on the idea of the constitutional convention failing, and leading to the eventual destruction of the United States.
I liked this idea, and it was of the same time period as my American Prussia timeline attempt. I took these two Ideas and combined them together, and taking what I thought was the better name, and created this timeline. I released the original version of this timeline on the forums of AH.com, which had a small number of replies, although positive, did not suffice to me. So I rewrote this time and time again and released it onto AH.com. It never did extremely well, the most replies on a single one being about 12.
The last one I did I got positive feedback. They thought it was well written and plausible, but it lacked in depth detail. The lack of in depth detail was why I decided to write this revision of this timeline. I feel that this is the best version of this timeline I have done, and I hope you enjoy it.
I have been on AH.com for a little over a year now, and I have never posted something this extensive. Like many, I hope to create a timeline with the same level of prestige of Thande’s Look to the West. I’m sorry for boring you with this introduction that had little to do with the timeline. So without further ado, here is my first TRUE timeline.
Part One: Torn Asunder
"A considerable number have prevailed upon him to enter into a new covenant against us, and have torn asunder and cast behind their backs the good old covenant which their ancestors and ours entered into, and took strong hold of"…
Journals of the Continental Congress
In May of 1787, after the resounding failure of the convention in Annapolis, Maryland, it was decided that a new gathering of delegates would be required. They chose to have this gathering in Philadelphia, the birthplace of America.
As the delegates began to arrive at the Pennsylvania State House, on lookers on the streets swarmed the entrance to the building as the congregating demigods entered. Though summer was nearly in full swing, they board the windows shut and had armed men guard the doors. The delegates of this young and fragile nation feared the unrest that this meeting could stir.
This was no ordinary meeting of the confederation congress. This was a gathering of ideas to "Fix" their nations constitution, or if need be, completely discard it and start from new.
Many famous and popular names appeared in this convention such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin. Even Patrick Henry, who was originally not going to attend, for fear of monarchism in some of the more federalist leaning states, attended when news of Washington being unable to come due to illness.
George Washington would die in October 1788 from Antrax. His last words were "I only regret not having been there… I fear that I am responsible for the fate that my country has befallen".
Other great names could not attend this convention, such as John Adams, who, along with John Jay, had been crisscrossing Europe as Minister to Britain and secretary of foreign affairs respectively. Even more devastating, the author of Independence, the father of America’s freedom, Thomas Jefferson, has been taken by death’s cold grip. While in Paris as Minister to France, he caught Pneumonia, dieing in late 1786, not even having the chance to be invited to the convention.
The convention started in mid May. All the delegates debated on what they hoped would become the new constitution of the United States of America. Tensions between the different states, and even between delegates of the same state would divide the members of this congregation into two camps; the camp of the Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, and the Anti-Federalists led by Patrick Henry. The Federalists argued for strong central government, while the Anti-Federalists argued against.
The Federalists struck first with a plan developed by James Madison, and presented by the Virginia governor Edmund Randolph. They wished for a strong federal government controlled almost solely by a legislature that would be dominated by the larger more populous states.
Other Federalists struck back at their own with the New Jersey plan. This would still strengthen the central government but leave the smaller, less populous states with as much power as larger states.
The issues of slavery were complex as well. Though most of the Virginian delegates thought of slavery as immoral, they still practiced the ownership of Africans for forced labor. The Carolina’s and Georgia allied together to prevent the northern manufacturing based economies from trying to stop the slave trade, a market that was very lucrative for them, being the only states that still allowed it.
Ben Franklin, the sage of the convention, tried to submit a compromise between the Small and the large states. This plan would create a legislature that would represent both equally and populously for the states. However, this plan was not received well by Madison, who along with many of his Virginian counter parts refused go along with this part of the constitution.
By September 7th they had a document that the convention would vote on. The fifty-five delegates voted. To pass this document, they needed three fourths of the states to agree. Rhode Island refused to send delegates, so they only need 9 of the 12 voting states to approve this legislation. Each state had one vote that would be decided by the delegates of the state.
Virginia’s vote came in first with a resounding no. Only John Blair and James Madison of Virginia would vote in favor of this new constitution.
The next vote counted was Pennsylvania, who unlike Virginia, had the exact opposite answer, a resounding yes from all of their delegates.
Despite the measures of anti-slavery in this constitution, South Carolina still voted yes on the new government.
New Jersey also voted yes, with the only delegate not to sign the document being William Houston, who left the convention earlier due to failing health.
New York nearly abstained from voting, which would have left the convention only needing 8 of 11 votes to pass. But the two anti-federalist delegates of New York, Robert Yates, and John Lansing Jr., were convinced to stay and vote no due to persuasion from Patrick Henry and George Mason of Virginia. Despite the Federalist leader Alexander Hamilton representing New York, his state would vote No on the constitution.
Next came North Carolina, who’s votes were very close. Richard D. Spaight and Hugh Williamson both voted yes, while William R. Davie, and Alexander Martin, a federalist, voted no. This left the states decision up to William Blount, a known advocate of states rights, who also had a desire for a stronger central government. He was eventually worn down, and decided to vote no in the convention.
Maryland was a close call as well. Being the middle colony, the bridge between North and South, it’s opinion was too desired. It ended with a 3 to 2 vote in favor of the constitution, with Luther Martin and John F. Mercer voting against.
When Massachusetts was to vote, their four delegates were deadlocked in a 2 to 2 tie. This resulted in Massachusetts abstaining its vote. Needing only 8 of 11 votes to pass now, they were at 4 votes in favor 3 against, they still need the remaining 4 states to vote yes.
New Hampshire voted yes unanimously, as did Delaware and Connecticut.
The deciding vote came down to Georgia. One vote for either side would either pass this draft of the constitution or fail it. Georgia had 4 delegates, two of them, William Houston and William Pierce voted no, while the third delegate John Dickinson voted yes, it was up to Abraham Baldwin, the Georgian delegate from Connecticut.
If he voted yes, it would lead to an abstention of Georgia’s vote, passing the constitution. If he voted no, it would fail the constitution, and most likely the convention. It wasn’t until September 12 that Baldwin made his decision. He, against his nature and his home state, voted no. This led to the vote being 7 in favor, and 4 against, with 2 abstaining.
The constitution did not pass, and the convention failed. Delegate Alexander Hamilton called for another convention to be held in New York in November, but it was too late. The most important state, Virginia, refused to attend the convention.
Unlike Rhode Island who had refused to attend the Philadelphia convention, Virginia WAS important. Being the most populous state, they could not afford to have Virginia not attend. It was too late. Virginia’s delegates refused to attend any further conventions. And so it began, the disolvement of the union.
Virginia seceded from the confederation in October of 1787, followed by New York in December. Georgia seceded in February of 1788, followed by North Carolina and Maryland. Delaware, feeling threatened by new enemy nations chose to secede in April. Also seceding in April were South Carolina and New Jersey. And in May Pennsylvania seceded. Being driven out, the only remaining members of the American Confederation were; Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. These remaining states would not for long remain the United States.
The United States is no more, they have been torn a sunder. What kind of world will this lead to? What kinds of international relations and conflicts will arise from this catastrophe?
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