Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis: Alternate History of the U.S.
- Thread starter sampleswift
- Start date
As far as I am concerned, there is no such thing as being late with content. This is not a job nor an obligation to your readers. You should take the time it takes you to get stuff done, and make sure it does not interfere with your real life. You are doing us a favor by creating this TL.
True, this should be fun for all involved, readers and writers alike
ETA for next chapter: Next Tuesday. That's the last day of school for me. After that, probably a chapter every 2-3 days... Thanks for being patient.
Any country that I've not explored yet that you'd like to see? I'm open to requests
The Trans-Continental Railroad
I'm back. Sorry it was 20 or so days since the last chapter. They will probably be more regular now
One of the most interesting issues in the 1860s was the Transcontinental Railroad. It was chartered by the Continental Railroad Act of 1861 in which Congress passed a law that was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. This Act specified the construction of a central route that followed the Platte River in Nebraska to the South Pass in Wyoming, and it also would follow most of the Oregon Trail. This route was chosen over a more northerly route along the Missouri River because that route had more extensive winter snow and more difficult terrain. The western end was in Sacramento, and the eastern end near Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Those areas were chosen as the eastern end due to being the most direct route to the South Pass and then into California (the western terminus was Sacramento, California).
Extensive US land grants funded the project, and several railway companies built the railway. Construction started in 1862. The railway construction was arduous in many places. Harsh conditions, self-dealing (which led to a corruption scandal, the sacking of various railway personnel, and greater government oversight), and outlaws caused their own problems. Various companies such as federal marshals and other forces, and even a U.S. Army detachment that fought Native Americans, were sent to protect the railways. Soon, the outlaws ceased to be a problem, but the harsh conditions, especially due to dry summers and cold winters, remained. The situation for railway workers was not helped by their pay level, which wasn't very high. Poor working conditions and long hours also led to a plethora of injuries and deaths on the job. This maltreatment on railroad construction would eventually boil over into a railway strike in the 1870s, which led to civil unrest, but also the formation of pension plans, higher wages, and death benefits, as the labor strike grew to a proportion that the U.S. government had to do something to prevent a strike of this magnitude from happening again and almost paralyzing the U.S. economy. Increased law enforcement due to fear of riots was another consequence, along with better organization of unions.
This was only one part of the railway expansion that happened in the 1860s. Railway expansion was nothing new in the United States of America, but the 1860s had some of the greatest expansion in not just mileage of track, but of the number of trains. More railway traffic occurred as business was booming in the United States of America. It was not just cargo that was moving along the railroads; passengers were moving too. People were increasingly becoming more mobile, and no longer tied to the same area from birth until death. This increased mobility would lead to more opportunity for Americans. The railroads tended to be quicker than canals or steamboats and largely replaced them. The locomotives were also far smoother than stagecoach transportation, and largely replaced stagecoaches as well.
The Transcontinental Railroad would be finished in 1867, and open on September 18 that year. It would also mark the second phase of the railway boom, which would last until 1872 and the bursting of the speculation bubble. The Railways would also spark controversy with minorities, especially African Americans, but that would be for a different discussion. This would lead to a new stage of civil rights legislation as well. Railroads would end up being connected to the civil rights movement in several ways.
One of the most interesting issues in the 1860s was the Transcontinental Railroad. It was chartered by the Continental Railroad Act of 1861 in which Congress passed a law that was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. This Act specified the construction of a central route that followed the Platte River in Nebraska to the South Pass in Wyoming, and it also would follow most of the Oregon Trail. This route was chosen over a more northerly route along the Missouri River because that route had more extensive winter snow and more difficult terrain. The western end was in Sacramento, and the eastern end near Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Those areas were chosen as the eastern end due to being the most direct route to the South Pass and then into California (the western terminus was Sacramento, California).
Extensive US land grants funded the project, and several railway companies built the railway. Construction started in 1862. The railway construction was arduous in many places. Harsh conditions, self-dealing (which led to a corruption scandal, the sacking of various railway personnel, and greater government oversight), and outlaws caused their own problems. Various companies such as federal marshals and other forces, and even a U.S. Army detachment that fought Native Americans, were sent to protect the railways. Soon, the outlaws ceased to be a problem, but the harsh conditions, especially due to dry summers and cold winters, remained. The situation for railway workers was not helped by their pay level, which wasn't very high. Poor working conditions and long hours also led to a plethora of injuries and deaths on the job. This maltreatment on railroad construction would eventually boil over into a railway strike in the 1870s, which led to civil unrest, but also the formation of pension plans, higher wages, and death benefits, as the labor strike grew to a proportion that the U.S. government had to do something to prevent a strike of this magnitude from happening again and almost paralyzing the U.S. economy. Increased law enforcement due to fear of riots was another consequence, along with better organization of unions.
This was only one part of the railway expansion that happened in the 1860s. Railway expansion was nothing new in the United States of America, but the 1860s had some of the greatest expansion in not just mileage of track, but of the number of trains. More railway traffic occurred as business was booming in the United States of America. It was not just cargo that was moving along the railroads; passengers were moving too. People were increasingly becoming more mobile, and no longer tied to the same area from birth until death. This increased mobility would lead to more opportunity for Americans. The railroads tended to be quicker than canals or steamboats and largely replaced them. The locomotives were also far smoother than stagecoach transportation, and largely replaced stagecoaches as well.
The Transcontinental Railroad would be finished in 1867, and open on September 18 that year. It would also mark the second phase of the railway boom, which would last until 1872 and the bursting of the speculation bubble. The Railways would also spark controversy with minorities, especially African Americans, but that would be for a different discussion. This would lead to a new stage of civil rights legislation as well. Railroads would end up being connected to the civil rights movement in several ways.
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And there's the chapter section. I'll expand some tomorrow. Hoped you like it.
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And here's the expansion pictures
2 train companies meeting while laying down track
Train tunnel in the Old West
2 train companies meeting while laying down track
Train tunnel in the Old West
F in the chat for Canada since I don't know what to do for it. I might make a separate Canada timeline in the future.
In any case, I'd probably finish this one out. There will be updates of shorter chapters incoming.
In any case, I'd probably finish this one out. There will be updates of shorter chapters incoming.
Here's the content, sorry for the delay. More incoming today. (It's supposed to lengthen the "Canada part 1" chapter since it was undersized. It's also more Canada content).
The development of Canada was not just learning from the American Revolution, though. The British wanted to have a colony or set of colonies that would provide benefits to the British Empire. This desire to make Canada productive would shape its economic growth for a long period of time. The Coalition War in Europe, which was inconclusive and led primarily to the suppression of reforms in most European countries such as Spain, Austria, and Prussia (except for France, where they started), had allowed many Canadians to find jobs with war industries. These included building war materials, making sails, winding ropes, constructing ships, casting cannons, and providing food and other resources to the British Army and their allies (which largely wanted to minimize the number of drastic changes in Europe, as opposed to the French, who wanted to spread their reforms.) The end of the Coalition War was an uncomfortable transition for many Canadians since most of the "war jobs" disappeared.
In Upper Canada, there were large land sales and the speculation in land value that caused a large revenue source. The rapid growth of the British population up until around 1817 needed feeding, so the surplus of wheat in Canada could produce a source of wealth. However, economic uncertainty started to arise after the end of the Coalition War, which wa costly and inconclusive. Increased production of wheat in Upper Canada also led to increased competition in a reduced market size, and it led to more economic uncertainty. The formation of a colonial merchant class there that specialized in the wheat business also led to more economic improvements since the merchants usually supported infrastructure improvements that benefited their profits. This typically led to more storage facilities, docks canals, and roads.
The development of Canada was not just learning from the American Revolution, though. The British wanted to have a colony or set of colonies that would provide benefits to the British Empire. This desire to make Canada productive would shape its economic growth for a long period of time. The Coalition War in Europe, which was inconclusive and led primarily to the suppression of reforms in most European countries such as Spain, Austria, and Prussia (except for France, where they started), had allowed many Canadians to find jobs with war industries. These included building war materials, making sails, winding ropes, constructing ships, casting cannons, and providing food and other resources to the British Army and their allies (which largely wanted to minimize the number of drastic changes in Europe, as opposed to the French, who wanted to spread their reforms.) The end of the Coalition War was an uncomfortable transition for many Canadians since most of the "war jobs" disappeared.
In Upper Canada, there were large land sales and the speculation in land value that caused a large revenue source. The rapid growth of the British population up until around 1817 needed feeding, so the surplus of wheat in Canada could produce a source of wealth. However, economic uncertainty started to arise after the end of the Coalition War, which wa costly and inconclusive. Increased production of wheat in Upper Canada also led to increased competition in a reduced market size, and it led to more economic uncertainty. The formation of a colonial merchant class there that specialized in the wheat business also led to more economic improvements since the merchants usually supported infrastructure improvements that benefited their profits. This typically led to more storage facilities, docks canals, and roads.
With the defeat of the "Storm Riders" and other hate organizations, rates of lynching dropped precipitously in the United States of America. The US branches were largely arrested or killed. The "British Columbian" branches were driven back. Some of the worst cases of "Storm Rider" violence occurred in Missouri. The "Storm Riders" became such a problem that local police forces were unable to effectively deal with them, and were declared a terrorist organization. As a result, various federal marshals, including William Sherman had received authorization to apprehend the "Storm Riders" by force if necessary due to the wanton destruction carved out by these "Storm Riders", especially of black-owned businesses. It was not all that difficult for the federal marshals to follow the trail of corpses left behind by the "Storm Riders". The successful defeat of the "Storm Rider" organizations would not be the only civil rights victory of the Lincoln era. He was also influential in the passage of the 13th Amendment in 1863. (NOTE: resembles the OTL 14th Amendment since the ticking time bomb on slavery already ended in 1836).
Congress and the state legislatures were able to get passage of the 13th Amendment which mandated equal protection under the law, among other factors. Congress could also pass laws protecting and enforcing this amendment. It was now unlawful to discriminate in places of public accommodation.
Congress and the state legislatures were able to get passage of the 13th Amendment which mandated equal protection under the law, among other factors. Congress could also pass laws protecting and enforcing this amendment. It was now unlawful to discriminate in places of public accommodation.
Sneak peek: I'm thinking of doing a vignette project as well, chronicling a family from the beginning of this timeline...
Based on the results of your poll, I think it should be eventual independence, only to discover that it isn't going all too well and thus try to merge with the US after.
Experimental Vignette
Long vignette: Trying something new...
Vignettes: Jonson
The date was January 5th, 1864.
Elroy Jonson rode his brown horse “Bullock” down a dirt path in the “British Columbian” countryside. He was on a countryside trip, supposed to catalog the “British Columbian” wildlife for study at the University of Georgia. He was also supposed to collect mineral samples for chemical analysis should he find any. He reflected on the partly cloudy sky, the grass, and the magnolia trees near that path. His horse whinnied as it stopped galloping and they came to a stop. Elroy Jonson dismounted. The University of Georgia was one of the most prominent Universities in “British Columbia”, with only the University of North Carolina being more prestigious, and the University of South Carolina not far behind. A few other less prestigious universities and colleges existed in other areas of “British Columbia”, as well as the colleges and universities in the United States of America.
The University of Georgia wanted Elroy Jonson to write his findings about the workings of the local ecosystems, and how they worked. There was also the feared topic of the “educational gap”. The British Empire needed to be the first in the world in not just territorial gain but science. It would not be replaced by some upstart in either Germany or in the United States of America. Already, German and American scientists were threatening the British Empire’s scientific dominance with groundbreaking developments of their own. This scientific expertise could lead to greater productivity of Germany and America as well as more effective engineering and weapons of war that could threaten the British Empire’s place atop the world. The Empire must be smart as well as strong, the and its dominions and holdings would help there. Already the Indian and Australian scientists had made great strides in the cataloguing of their fauna and flora. It seemed like “British Columbia” was the laggard of the dominions and holdings in terms of science, and this could not stand.
He was very curious at the state of affairs, and he regularly purchased a newspaper in his town whenever he could. The newspaper reported local news, but it also had a section about happenings in other places; other parts of “British Columbia”, back home in Great Britain, and in the other sections of the British Empire. Occasionally there was news from the United States of America, which seemed to be changing every time he found news about it. Most memorably, all the “Gray Knights”, “Storm Riders”, and other “gentlemen’s clubs” down in “British Columbia” had received an influx of new members. (In truth, those were the ones in the United States that had fled to “British Columbia”. To avoid causing an international incident, they were not pursued further so long as they did not cause problems for U.S. citizens). Elroy Jonson had tried to join one of these “gentlemen’s clubs” to gain more connections—who you knew was often as important as what you knew. This helped Jonson, as he was trying to gain more social connections; he did not know what those clubs did exactly, though.
He found another person, and he greeted that person.
“What’s your name?”
“Douglass Wilde. I am here visiting family.”
“Elroy Jonson, pleased to meet you.”
I’m here recently, and I was wondering how things are in “British Columbia”. My family lives close to here. Much has happened where I come from. It seems like the whirlwind of history is unfolding before us. A swirl of events, how everything is unfolding
Jonson thought about all the quick turns of events that happened to the north, in the United States of America. He had known of them through a newspaper, the Atlanta Phoenix. The authorization of the Transcontinental Railroad; a law banning workplace segregation; the railway strikes; the “Dream” speech of Frederick Douglass; the passage of the 13th Amendment. It seemed awfully quick for him. He wondered what kinds of people would be accustomed to such rapid developments. Contrast this to the rather slow-paced “British Columbia”, where the only big news seemed to be the assassination of a royal governor in Alabama (may he rest in peace—his name was Robert Cobb) in 1860. This was a big scandal, with a dominion-wide manhunt for the killer. The killer was eventually found but shot himself to avoid arrest. Since then, the lack of big news almost seemed welcome. At least nothing catastrophic was happening…
“Well, not much is happening here. It’s almost… quiet. Not much happening in “British Columbia” so far.”
One reason why progress was so slow in “British Columbia” was due to its dominion status. It had only limited autonomy, and its dominion status was similar to Australia. India would one day be like this, but there was still rebuilding from the disastrous Anglo-Indian War. The black heart of imperialism, that “heart of darkness” that lay underneath the veneer of respectability in the British Empire. It started supposedly when the Sepoys (native Indian troops who followed Indian princes who supported the British) thought the British Empire was trampling their religious practices. Missionaries and the introduction of a European education system were two factors that assisted the process of westernization. British officials also caused problems for the Indian people in the colonization process where many of their native industries were supplanted. As a result, many people lost their jobs. The put many people out of jobs. The British dominance of India, present since the 1820s and 1830s, became far more prevalent by the outbreak of war in the 1858. Much of the Indian aristocracy ended up replaced, often by British officials. The war began when many of the Sepoys started to rebel against their British overlords. The British Empire sent armies ashore to deal with the problem. Much of the fighting had dire consequences for the population due to the British armies foraging for food in the countryside and in some places, causing an “artificial famine” especially due to a worse monsoon season. The burning of many Indian villages and towns did not help either. Several of these massacres had their origins in the “Butcher of Delhi” (real name: Sir Colin Campbell. Butcher of Delhi is an allusion to how meat is served in a deli, and a butcher carves it up. The Americans derisively called him this after Delhi went up in smoke—Campbell accepted it, citing “War is always hell; shortening it is the best course of action”.) An entire city ended up desolated when an invading British army attempted to clear it of rebels. This seemed awfully like the “Sack of Charleston” in the British Columbian War—once again, British technology, military discipline, and ferocity in combat won the day.
Vignettes: Jonson
The date was January 5th, 1864.
Elroy Jonson rode his brown horse “Bullock” down a dirt path in the “British Columbian” countryside. He was on a countryside trip, supposed to catalog the “British Columbian” wildlife for study at the University of Georgia. He was also supposed to collect mineral samples for chemical analysis should he find any. He reflected on the partly cloudy sky, the grass, and the magnolia trees near that path. His horse whinnied as it stopped galloping and they came to a stop. Elroy Jonson dismounted. The University of Georgia was one of the most prominent Universities in “British Columbia”, with only the University of North Carolina being more prestigious, and the University of South Carolina not far behind. A few other less prestigious universities and colleges existed in other areas of “British Columbia”, as well as the colleges and universities in the United States of America.
The University of Georgia wanted Elroy Jonson to write his findings about the workings of the local ecosystems, and how they worked. There was also the feared topic of the “educational gap”. The British Empire needed to be the first in the world in not just territorial gain but science. It would not be replaced by some upstart in either Germany or in the United States of America. Already, German and American scientists were threatening the British Empire’s scientific dominance with groundbreaking developments of their own. This scientific expertise could lead to greater productivity of Germany and America as well as more effective engineering and weapons of war that could threaten the British Empire’s place atop the world. The Empire must be smart as well as strong, the and its dominions and holdings would help there. Already the Indian and Australian scientists had made great strides in the cataloguing of their fauna and flora. It seemed like “British Columbia” was the laggard of the dominions and holdings in terms of science, and this could not stand.
He was very curious at the state of affairs, and he regularly purchased a newspaper in his town whenever he could. The newspaper reported local news, but it also had a section about happenings in other places; other parts of “British Columbia”, back home in Great Britain, and in the other sections of the British Empire. Occasionally there was news from the United States of America, which seemed to be changing every time he found news about it. Most memorably, all the “Gray Knights”, “Storm Riders”, and other “gentlemen’s clubs” down in “British Columbia” had received an influx of new members. (In truth, those were the ones in the United States that had fled to “British Columbia”. To avoid causing an international incident, they were not pursued further so long as they did not cause problems for U.S. citizens). Elroy Jonson had tried to join one of these “gentlemen’s clubs” to gain more connections—who you knew was often as important as what you knew. This helped Jonson, as he was trying to gain more social connections; he did not know what those clubs did exactly, though.
He found another person, and he greeted that person.
“What’s your name?”
“Douglass Wilde. I am here visiting family.”
“Elroy Jonson, pleased to meet you.”
I’m here recently, and I was wondering how things are in “British Columbia”. My family lives close to here. Much has happened where I come from. It seems like the whirlwind of history is unfolding before us. A swirl of events, how everything is unfolding
Jonson thought about all the quick turns of events that happened to the north, in the United States of America. He had known of them through a newspaper, the Atlanta Phoenix. The authorization of the Transcontinental Railroad; a law banning workplace segregation; the railway strikes; the “Dream” speech of Frederick Douglass; the passage of the 13th Amendment. It seemed awfully quick for him. He wondered what kinds of people would be accustomed to such rapid developments. Contrast this to the rather slow-paced “British Columbia”, where the only big news seemed to be the assassination of a royal governor in Alabama (may he rest in peace—his name was Robert Cobb) in 1860. This was a big scandal, with a dominion-wide manhunt for the killer. The killer was eventually found but shot himself to avoid arrest. Since then, the lack of big news almost seemed welcome. At least nothing catastrophic was happening…
“Well, not much is happening here. It’s almost… quiet. Not much happening in “British Columbia” so far.”
One reason why progress was so slow in “British Columbia” was due to its dominion status. It had only limited autonomy, and its dominion status was similar to Australia. India would one day be like this, but there was still rebuilding from the disastrous Anglo-Indian War. The black heart of imperialism, that “heart of darkness” that lay underneath the veneer of respectability in the British Empire. It started supposedly when the Sepoys (native Indian troops who followed Indian princes who supported the British) thought the British Empire was trampling their religious practices. Missionaries and the introduction of a European education system were two factors that assisted the process of westernization. British officials also caused problems for the Indian people in the colonization process where many of their native industries were supplanted. As a result, many people lost their jobs. The put many people out of jobs. The British dominance of India, present since the 1820s and 1830s, became far more prevalent by the outbreak of war in the 1858. Much of the Indian aristocracy ended up replaced, often by British officials. The war began when many of the Sepoys started to rebel against their British overlords. The British Empire sent armies ashore to deal with the problem. Much of the fighting had dire consequences for the population due to the British armies foraging for food in the countryside and in some places, causing an “artificial famine” especially due to a worse monsoon season. The burning of many Indian villages and towns did not help either. Several of these massacres had their origins in the “Butcher of Delhi” (real name: Sir Colin Campbell. Butcher of Delhi is an allusion to how meat is served in a deli, and a butcher carves it up. The Americans derisively called him this after Delhi went up in smoke—Campbell accepted it, citing “War is always hell; shortening it is the best course of action”.) An entire city ended up desolated when an invading British army attempted to clear it of rebels. This seemed awfully like the “Sack of Charleston” in the British Columbian War—once again, British technology, military discipline, and ferocity in combat won the day.
If including character-based vignettes with the posts helps with your creativity I'd say go for it.
Thank you for your support. I will take this into consideration.
A sneak peek into the future
This isn't the next chronological chapter, but it will be a sneak peek into the future. The content in between will be analyzed later.
Flash Forward
The Trap of Thucydides
The Trap of Thucydides was a phenomenon that occurred when a national power felt it was supplanted by another. In this case, the British Empire thought its position as the world’s foremost power was being supplanted by other powers. In this case, the rivals were the United States of America being the main rival, and Germany as the lesser rival. Germany was industrializing rapidly and had a large army—and was quickly building its navy as well. The United States of America had staggering amounts of resources, industries, and manpower. Many people in this period thought that a war was inevitable, especially due to the formation of proto-alliances between France and Britain; Russia wanting in on this teamup; and, the closening ties of Germany and the US to “protect freedom from British imperialists”.
A speech by Victoria Woodhull in the 1870s, decrying imperialism as the greatest enemy of freedom and liberty, would prove to be prescient for Americans and their government’s foreign policy. The connections between imperialism and racism (especially in Africa and Asia in the areas governed by Britain and France) definitely struck home for an American public that thought it had conquered its own racism and finally established that “all were treated equal”—but the search for equality and living up to the ideals of the Founders was a constant journey. The “Roaring 1880s” (in reality, 1880-1889), after the massive civil rights gains in the Lincoln era and the recovery from the Panic of 1873 that occurred relatively quickly since the U.S. government stepped in—left the United States of America in a mighty position. The relative complacency of the 1880s and early 1890s had seen primarily the further building of the United States economy, but with less civil rights development since many people thought the journey was over. The presidents in the 1880s and early 1890s were often seen as mediocrities—not fit to wipe the boots of their predecessor
While the British Empire of this era was nothing like the “Black Legion” era government that would be found later, it was still not a pleasant place to live in. Many of the democratic reforms championed by previous administrations in the 1860s and 1870s had disappeared. The main problem here was rampant imperialism abroad leading to various atrocities across the globe. There was also a marginalization of many reformers due to “media droughts”. An “American scare” occurred where people accused of being too “American” or having “American leanings” often winded up with their careers in ruins. There was also a certain aristocratic sentiment, exacerbated by the extreme power of corporations. The term "gilded age" (although historians now prefer the term "façade age") was used to describe this increasing concentration of wealth into fewer hands during this point of British history, and it came at the expense of the working class.
The American experiment had mixed results throughout the globe. Some areas did have governments similar to the United States of America—especially Germany and in Latin America. Other countries, like Sweden and Norway, had very good relationships with the USA. Not all would be willing to join the United States in a war, though. The topic of the epoch was imperialism. Frightening stories arose from Africa and India about the horrid treatment of native populations by the British overlords. France was also guilty of this, (to a slightly lesser extent) in other parts of Africa as well as in parts of Southeast Asia. Fear gripped the globe in many places. The United States of America thought that the British Empire and its lackies were trying to snuff out freedom across the globe. Germany thought its place in the sun would end. France feared its own irrelevance, and Russia feared the spread of American ideas. Many colonial governments feared American ideas as well since that could cause disgruntled natives to revolt. In fact, some natives such as those in Africa and Southeast Asia were trying to use American ideas to incite their people against colonial overlords. Something big was going to happen, and it seemed like any spark could set the world aflame
The downfall of segregation in the United States of America had caused some of the American reformers to spread their belief in “a more perfect union” beyond their borders. This was a second wave of the American spiritualists. The first wave was so called because they had wanted to spread “the spirit of liberty” and equality for all in a different era—and they succeeded in Germany, and to a lesser extent China and Japan. This second wave had included many African Americans, and even some Chinese Americans (who came in two waves: one following the gold rushes, and the other fleeing the Pan-China War). The “good neighbor policy” had attempted to originally protect the Central and South American nations from Europeans, but also to help stabilize their economies. Various reformers in the US, and more importantly, many reformers in those countries) also wanted to have a US-style government to prevent abuses of power. The U.S. had sponsored democratic movements against various strongmen, or caudillos (little better than dictators), in various Central and South American countries such as Guatemala, Chile, and Peru.
“British Columbia” might have had the tensest atmosphere. It was a British dominion, like India and Australia, but it was right on the border with the United States of America. The British fear of being supplanted by the Americans was even more prevalent in “British Columbia” where the Americans were right next door. Some of this fear was racial. The rapid pace of civil rights development in the United States of America had caused fear in “British Columbia”. Many of its residents had feared that the tide of civil rights would move there and threaten their privileged positions in society. Disenfranchised people (especially blacks) might see the example of the United States of America and try to do something similar in "British Columbia"--in fact, some protest movements did occur, although they had little success at first. This would be a common trend in history—the whenever people fear losing their privileges, they will often stop at nothing to regain them. There was this fear of an upheaval in society; traditionally, “British Columbians” had always feared upheaval since the inception of that region. Those American reformers trying to spread liberty and equality had been concerning for many “British Columbians”. Racial conservatism played a part, as did plain old racism.
Flash Forward
The Trap of Thucydides
The Trap of Thucydides was a phenomenon that occurred when a national power felt it was supplanted by another. In this case, the British Empire thought its position as the world’s foremost power was being supplanted by other powers. In this case, the rivals were the United States of America being the main rival, and Germany as the lesser rival. Germany was industrializing rapidly and had a large army—and was quickly building its navy as well. The United States of America had staggering amounts of resources, industries, and manpower. Many people in this period thought that a war was inevitable, especially due to the formation of proto-alliances between France and Britain; Russia wanting in on this teamup; and, the closening ties of Germany and the US to “protect freedom from British imperialists”.
A speech by Victoria Woodhull in the 1870s, decrying imperialism as the greatest enemy of freedom and liberty, would prove to be prescient for Americans and their government’s foreign policy. The connections between imperialism and racism (especially in Africa and Asia in the areas governed by Britain and France) definitely struck home for an American public that thought it had conquered its own racism and finally established that “all were treated equal”—but the search for equality and living up to the ideals of the Founders was a constant journey. The “Roaring 1880s” (in reality, 1880-1889), after the massive civil rights gains in the Lincoln era and the recovery from the Panic of 1873 that occurred relatively quickly since the U.S. government stepped in—left the United States of America in a mighty position. The relative complacency of the 1880s and early 1890s had seen primarily the further building of the United States economy, but with less civil rights development since many people thought the journey was over. The presidents in the 1880s and early 1890s were often seen as mediocrities—not fit to wipe the boots of their predecessor
While the British Empire of this era was nothing like the “Black Legion” era government that would be found later, it was still not a pleasant place to live in. Many of the democratic reforms championed by previous administrations in the 1860s and 1870s had disappeared. The main problem here was rampant imperialism abroad leading to various atrocities across the globe. There was also a marginalization of many reformers due to “media droughts”. An “American scare” occurred where people accused of being too “American” or having “American leanings” often winded up with their careers in ruins. There was also a certain aristocratic sentiment, exacerbated by the extreme power of corporations. The term "gilded age" (although historians now prefer the term "façade age") was used to describe this increasing concentration of wealth into fewer hands during this point of British history, and it came at the expense of the working class.
The American experiment had mixed results throughout the globe. Some areas did have governments similar to the United States of America—especially Germany and in Latin America. Other countries, like Sweden and Norway, had very good relationships with the USA. Not all would be willing to join the United States in a war, though. The topic of the epoch was imperialism. Frightening stories arose from Africa and India about the horrid treatment of native populations by the British overlords. France was also guilty of this, (to a slightly lesser extent) in other parts of Africa as well as in parts of Southeast Asia. Fear gripped the globe in many places. The United States of America thought that the British Empire and its lackies were trying to snuff out freedom across the globe. Germany thought its place in the sun would end. France feared its own irrelevance, and Russia feared the spread of American ideas. Many colonial governments feared American ideas as well since that could cause disgruntled natives to revolt. In fact, some natives such as those in Africa and Southeast Asia were trying to use American ideas to incite their people against colonial overlords. Something big was going to happen, and it seemed like any spark could set the world aflame
The downfall of segregation in the United States of America had caused some of the American reformers to spread their belief in “a more perfect union” beyond their borders. This was a second wave of the American spiritualists. The first wave was so called because they had wanted to spread “the spirit of liberty” and equality for all in a different era—and they succeeded in Germany, and to a lesser extent China and Japan. This second wave had included many African Americans, and even some Chinese Americans (who came in two waves: one following the gold rushes, and the other fleeing the Pan-China War). The “good neighbor policy” had attempted to originally protect the Central and South American nations from Europeans, but also to help stabilize their economies. Various reformers in the US, and more importantly, many reformers in those countries) also wanted to have a US-style government to prevent abuses of power. The U.S. had sponsored democratic movements against various strongmen, or caudillos (little better than dictators), in various Central and South American countries such as Guatemala, Chile, and Peru.
“British Columbia” might have had the tensest atmosphere. It was a British dominion, like India and Australia, but it was right on the border with the United States of America. The British fear of being supplanted by the Americans was even more prevalent in “British Columbia” where the Americans were right next door. Some of this fear was racial. The rapid pace of civil rights development in the United States of America had caused fear in “British Columbia”. Many of its residents had feared that the tide of civil rights would move there and threaten their privileged positions in society. Disenfranchised people (especially blacks) might see the example of the United States of America and try to do something similar in "British Columbia"--in fact, some protest movements did occur, although they had little success at first. This would be a common trend in history—the whenever people fear losing their privileges, they will often stop at nothing to regain them. There was this fear of an upheaval in society; traditionally, “British Columbians” had always feared upheaval since the inception of that region. Those American reformers trying to spread liberty and equality had been concerning for many “British Columbians”. Racial conservatism played a part, as did plain old racism.
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