I wanted to make a write-up for Dixie-4. This is what we now about Dixie-4:
Dixie-4 (Q4, curent year 1954) the Civil War occurred in 1844, the West is still Mexican and the USA and the CSA are allied against the Mexican and German Empires. Britain is neutral; the world is TL 6.
I´m a slow writer, so I post it in several chapters.
GURPS
DIXIE-4
„Der deutsche Mensch braucht Raum und Sonne, um schön und glücklich zu sein!“
(The german man needs space and sun, to be beautiful and happy)
This Quantum 4 world is a special kind of TL, compared to the other Dixie-worlds, were changes in OTL ACW occurred. But in Dixie-4, the survival of President Harrison in 1841 led to a quite different Civil War in 1844, fought about banks and tariffs, instead of slavery. Still, in the end it resulted in the split between North and South.
At present, local year 1954, Dixie-4 is still on TL 6, and CSA and USA are overshadowed by the Empire of Mexico, the only not-European great power in this world, and the
Freistaat Texas (Free State of Texas), the foothold of the German Empire in North America.
In this world European Imperialism ran unchecked, divided Brazil, Argentina and China, swallowed Japan, Paraguay and Ethiopia. Europe itself is since nearly 100 years at peace, but know the danger of a World War looms, as over-ambitious politicians in Mexico, Texas and Bavaria race to fill up the last white spots on the map. This white spots include the Confederacy and the United States.
History
A different Civil War and a different German unity
If he now avoided indian curses, wore a jacket during his inaugural address or simply didn´t drink any contaminate water, on Dixie-4 president William Harrison didn´t die 1841 after just one month in office, but lived to complete his term. His survival allowed the Whig party to push through their program, which was in the core Henry Clays “American System”. A third “Bank of the United States” was established, the tariffs raised and a federal program for infrastructure started. At the same time the Whig-Administration showed no interest in Texas joining the USA. All that alienated the supporters of the Democratic Party, which saw the heritage of Andrew Jackson and Thomas Jefferson endangered. In the four years of Harrison’s presidency the hostility between the political parties grew, leading to the hotly fought election of 1844, were (after Harrison decided not to run again) Whig-candidate Henry Clay clashed with Democrat Franklin Pierce. In the end Clay won through a small and highly disputed lead in New York. A lot of Democrats were not prepared to accept this. In December 1844 South Carolina declared secession. President Harrison tried to used the small federal garrison in Charleston to prevent this, in the end an ill-thought decision. The cry of federal tyranny were raised through the country and the Civil War broke out. But the split went more along party- instead of sectional lines. Although the South was mostly pro-democrat, states like Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina stood loyal to the Whig-Administration. On the other side, northern states like Illinois, New Hampshire and Maine joined the rebellion. Both sides were unable to reach a quick victory, Washington was conquered and reconquered several times and finally given up by both sides as a capital. 1846 both sides more or less gave up the hope to reunite the country by force. The War was now about control of disputed territories. In the same year President Clay, to prevent a british intervention, was forced for an agreement about the Oregon-Territory, which favored the British. 1848 exhaustion let to a compromise peace. Illinois, New Hampshire and Maine stayed under Union-control, Tennessee and North Carolina were forced to join the new Confederacy, the territories were divided along the northern border of Missouri.
Naturally the ACW had influence on the rest of the world too. Very important was, how the War changed, redirected and even stopped the flow of immigrants, which went IOTL to the USA. The War, less restricted to one section of the country, did already scared away a lot of this potential immigrants, but it let also to a growing nativist attitude in the USA. With the country already falling apart, it seemed dangerous to welcome more foreigners with questionable loyalty. So already during the War, the Whig-Administration passed immigration restrictions. Hardest hit by this were the Irish and the Germans. Many Of this groups large numbers now went to still independent Texas and to Brazil, but a least a number of Germans stayed home and formed a basis for future unrest.
This showed during the outbreak of the Revolution in the german states 1848.The uprisings were more violently then IOTL and even if they were still not enough to usurp the old order, they surly scared the german princes and especially the Prussian king, a lot. This seems to be the reason the king accepted in 1849 the imperial crown and the constitution out of the hands of the Frankfurter National Assembly. In the following weeks, with Austria still occupied with internal struggles, nearly all german states accepted this
kleindeutsche Lösung (lesser german solution) und Prussian leadership. But there was one notable exception. Bavaria refused to join the new German Empire, a decision of the Bavarian king, which had at least popular support in the core of
Altbayern (old Bavaria). There were pro-unity uprisings in the newer (post-1806) territories of Bavaria, but they just resulted in the break away of the rhenish exclave of Palatinate. The crisis seemed to result in a greater war, but the Great Powers of Europe enforced a settlement. The new German Empire was recognized, but had to accept Bavarias independence. The Palatinate joined the German Empire, but France achieved a border correction based on the first peace of Paris.
As the 1840th ended America was divided and Germany was partial united. Both Nations now had to find their new place in the world. Surprisingly they would clash on this way.
End of part 1
Next: Scrambles for the Americas