Rattenfänger von Memphis
Donor
How could history have been different if, when the Spanish colonies in the New World revolted in the years after 1810, they had became a single united nation as did the 13 American colonies rather than splintering into some 20-odd countries of the present day?
Such a Spanish-speaking superpower would have conceivably, initially at least, ranged from the Strait of Magellan in southernmost Chile and Argentina up to present-day California and Texas.
The population of this superstate would have been roughly 14,500,000 in 1800 as opposed to the United States population of approximately 6 million at the same time. Mexico alone had an 1800 population of 5,800,000.
During this same time period, the United Kingdom's population was 12.5 million, France's was 30 million and Spain's was 10.5 million.
The populations of various cities at the time were: Mexico City (130,000), Havana (96,304), New York City (96,333), Buenos Aires (45,000), Philadelphia (53,000).
In 2009, the approximate populations are: United States (305 million) and a Latin American superstate (360 million).
Could Simon Bolivar have become this superstate's leader? He had personally observed (and was repelled by) Napoleon's 1804 coronation as Emperor in Paris. In OTL, Bolivar was hard-pressed to keep New Granada together as one republic.
Might this new superstate seek a European king of its own, like Brazil did from Portugal, one who is not necessarily from the Spanish royal family?
Trade with Spain's New World colonies was highly sought after by the British, especially during the Napoleonic wars which would have supposedly allowed the new Spanish-speaking superstate to play the European powers off against one another to perserve its independence.
It seems like a lot of possibilities could arise from this scenario.
Such a Spanish-speaking superpower would have conceivably, initially at least, ranged from the Strait of Magellan in southernmost Chile and Argentina up to present-day California and Texas.
The population of this superstate would have been roughly 14,500,000 in 1800 as opposed to the United States population of approximately 6 million at the same time. Mexico alone had an 1800 population of 5,800,000.
During this same time period, the United Kingdom's population was 12.5 million, France's was 30 million and Spain's was 10.5 million.
The populations of various cities at the time were: Mexico City (130,000), Havana (96,304), New York City (96,333), Buenos Aires (45,000), Philadelphia (53,000).
In 2009, the approximate populations are: United States (305 million) and a Latin American superstate (360 million).
Could Simon Bolivar have become this superstate's leader? He had personally observed (and was repelled by) Napoleon's 1804 coronation as Emperor in Paris. In OTL, Bolivar was hard-pressed to keep New Granada together as one republic.
Might this new superstate seek a European king of its own, like Brazil did from Portugal, one who is not necessarily from the Spanish royal family?
Trade with Spain's New World colonies was highly sought after by the British, especially during the Napoleonic wars which would have supposedly allowed the new Spanish-speaking superstate to play the European powers off against one another to perserve its independence.
It seems like a lot of possibilities could arise from this scenario.