Many animals in the world have a level of intelligence close to that of humans.  Chimps and Dolphins usually top the list, although as we learn more about the world around us we find that they are not the only ones.  Sadly, intelligence is not a trait that rises in evolution multiple times, and many could claim that Humans were a freak accident.  But just what if we weren't the only ones . . .

        c. 2.5 million BCE: In the forests of Western North America a strange thing occurs, a change in the Japanese and Arctic currents causes a massive die-off of trees in the area as rainfall decreases and the temperature increases.  In response to this, a group of early Raccoons leave the trees and begin to forage on the ground for food.  The Raccoons slowly make their way across the Rockies.  This climate change makes all of present-day Canada more hospitable, and Middle-America similar to the savanna's of Africa.

        c. 1 million BCE: Near present-day Idaho, the first bipedal Raccoons live the life of a hunter-gatherer, the largest of them reaching a height of one meter.  To take down the much bigger Buffalo of the area (Smaller and less hairy than the ones in OTL)  The Raccoons develop primitive stone weapons, they also eat local berries.  By this time they are far less hairy than their ancestors, their faces flattening and foreheads rising with intelligence.  The first early speech begins.

        c. 60,000 BCE: By this time the fully-evolved Neo-Raccoon has spread across all of the Americas, and has developed a diverse language.  In Central and South America, many Neo-Coon cultures have begun farming corn and potatoes, then, Neo-Coon and Human hunters begin to cross paths on and around the Bering land bridge.  The Humans call the Coon's the "Wide Faces", and the Coon's call the Humans the "Stick People".  Initially, the groups live in harmony, even trading with each other occasionally, but as more and more Coon's moved into Asia, and more and more Humans into America, disagreements arose.

        c. 50,000 BCE: Ice Age strikes the world, because of heavy competition, Humans never made it that far outside Alaska, and with the arrival of the Ice Age, return to Asia.  Neo-Coons had managed to colonize part of western Siberia, but with the arrival of the Ice Age, could do little.  Luckily, Neo-Coons breed twice as fast as humans, and have three times as many children, and are better suited to cold weather, so they survive in Siberia.

        c. 30,000 BCE: Ice Age ends, and Bering Land Bridge becomes Bering Straight.

        c. 10,000 BCE: First Neo-Coon cities in Central America and around the Great Lakes.  Dark-Skinned "Keech-c'Ha" Coons of modern day Mexico become dominant.  The domesticated wolf is bred larger instead of smaller by the Neo-Raccoons, and the Keech-c'Ha ride them into battle, giving them an advantage over their rivals.

        c. 6000 BCE: The early Caribbean civilizations become the power center of Neo-Coon civilization, the biggest trade civilization being the Cuban Coons called the Ha'Sharash, these Coons dominate trade, and have colonies on Puerto Rico and in the Bahamas.  THroughout this period, they are at odds with the very powerful land power of the Keech-c'Ha.  This stalemate happens because the Keech don't have the navy to invade the Sharesh, and the Sharesh don't have the army to invade the Keech.

        appx. 5360 BCE: The Sharesh ally with the main enemy of the Keech, the Texan Li-p'Rra, to defeat the Keech.  Although the Li don't have close to enough of a military
to defeat the Keech, Sharesh money and naval power might turn the tide against the Keech.  Hiring a large mercenary force of south american Coons, the Sharesh attack the southern Keech empire, while the Li attack in the north.  Now a word about Coon warfare.  Coons only fight guerrilla-style wars of huge numbers of small war-bands.  The idea of a concentrated attack with a single force is foreign to the nocturnal Coons.  Actually attacking the enemy usually comes after they burn and steal enemy supplies, kill the commanders, steal all the ammo, and sabotage all the equipment.  Coons are natural-born covert-ops agents.  This army is basically hundreds of packs of about five assassins, thieves, and bandits.  War isn't about taking ground for these people, it's about driving the enemy off.  Towns and cities are captured and lost on a daily basis.  This type of war means the enemy can make it all the way to your capital before you stop them.  The war goes on for three months (REALLY long from a Coon point of view and style of combat)  and in the end, the Li and Sharesh divide the Keech empire between them.  The taking of the Keech capital was a classic Coon battle.  Under the cover of noon when all were asleep, the Li and Sharesh forces put on their sun-goggles (look like Inuit snow-goggles) and attack.  The raiders then climb the walls, dodge the traps, climb the second wall (encountering light resistance from the groggy, squinting defenders) and rush in, set fire to the food and supplies, ran out, and waited for the other side to surrender. (don't understand Coon warfare?  you're not supposed to, your human.)

        5000 - 4000 BCE: Sharesh sea-empire expands all the way from the Mississippi Delta to the south tip of South America.

To be Continued, Some Day?

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