The Commonwealth of America: A Collaborative Worldbuilding Project.

A few years ago, I decided to launch a project entitled the Yankee Dominion. The project sputtered out, but I've been keen on revisiting the concept ever since. I am trying one more time to launch a collaborative parliamentary America project similar to Yankee Dominion, True North, and the American Commonwealth. This project is largely a reboot of Yankee Dominion, but with a more Anglophile slant - many features of the original timeline have been altered, while th e bulk of the world remains the same. I owe an enormous amount of credit to a number of contributors to the original project, including @GBehm, @CosmicAsh, @Oryxslayer, @RileyUhr, @Pokemon Master, @aaa, and many many many others for giving me ideas and assistance along the way with this project and others.

Some key differences and retcons from the original Yankee Dominion:
  • The homegrown monarchy of the original project is retconned and replaced by the Governor-General, who represents the Queen as head of state of the Commonwealth of America.
  • Rather than Confederation taking place in the 1780s following a failed American Revolution, the actual independence of the Commonwealth is pushed back to the 1860s. Between 1785 and 1860, Britain begins forming colonial "confederations" of colonies - an idea I borrowed from Lord Caedus's second variation of the American Commonwealth project. These regional confederations enjoyed a relative degree of autonomy within the framework of the Empire, before being merged together into the Commonwealth of America in 1860 after a series of revolts and a revival of the colonial troubles.
  • The party system, list of Prime Ministers, and internal politics will be tweaked.
  • The internal provincial boundaries will be adjusted slightly. This will be posted soon enough.

Country Infobox.png
Born from the nexus of history and philosophy, the Commonwealth of America is the foremost economic and military powerhouse on the North American continent and one of the most critical member states of the British Empire. Extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic sea with a population of just over 250 million citizens, the Commonwealth is the predominant English speaking nation on the North American continent. The capital is located in the city of Philadelphia, though other prominent cities include Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Calgary, Caernarfon, Charleston, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Halifax, Liverpool, Miami, Minneapolis, Montreal, New Orleans, New York, Pittsburgh, Quebec, Seattle, Toronto, and Winnipeg.

A highly developed nation, the Commonwealth boasts an abundance of natural resources and a long tradition of industry. With the highest GDP per capita and ranked first by the Human Development Index, the Commonwealth of America is both the foremost economic power of both North America and the broader British Empire. Its advanced economy, the fourth largest in the world, relies on well-developed trade networks, agricultural and industrial export, finance, technology, and tourism. America is part of several major international and intergovernmental institutions or groupings including the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the G7 (formerly G8), the Group of Ten, the G20, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

The Commonwealth of America is a federal parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy, with Queen Elizabeth II reigning as head of state, though executive powers are wielded through the Governor-General, who is appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister. The American Parliament is a bicameral legislative body, with the lower chamber, the House of Commons, allocating its seats in proportion to population whereas the Senate consists of only two members for each province. The Commonwealth is an autonomous realm within the British Empire, and is officially bilingual. It ranks among the highest in international measurements of government transparency, civil liberties, quality of life, economic freedom, and education. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many other countries.

Various indigenous peoples have inhabited what is now the American Commonwealth for thousands of years prior to European colonization. Beginning in the 16th century, British and French expeditions explored, and later settled, along the Atlantic coast. As a consequence of various armed conflicts, France ceded nearly all of its colonies in North America in 1763. What followed after was a period of unrest over taxation, colonial autonomy, and corruption led to the ultimate Confederation of Britain’s continental holdings. This began an accretion of provinces and territories and a process of increasing autonomy from the United Kingdom. This widening autonomy was highlighted by the Statute of Westminster of 1931 and culminated in the British North America Act of 1981 which severed the last vestiges of legal dependence on the British parliament, except for the power to amend its constitution.


1654884257762.png

And we're off! All contributions or inquiries about lore are welcomed! Credit to @Oryxslayer and @Riley Uhr for the world map. More info to come in the coming days.
 

Gabingston

Kicked
This looks interesting, although I'm not a fan of using people from our timeline in a timeline with a point of divergence nearly 250 years ago. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what this has to offer.
 
This looks interesting, although I'm not a fan of using people from our timeline in a timeline with a point of divergence nearly 250 years ago. Still, I'm looking forward to seeing what this has to offer.
See, my issue with fictional characters is that they ultimately become colored names on a list. I prefer using OTL politicians to give a feel of relatability in the onset, than build from there.

Overall, this will be WAYYYY more divergent from the other project, which as noted was really more of an ISOT than anything else.
 
Prime Ministers of the Commonwealth of America.
1860-1865: Abraham Lincoln (Liberal-Conservative) (1)**

1860 (Maj): Liberal-Conservative (Abraham Lincoln) def. Confederation (Edward Everett), Southern Anti-Commonwealth (Jefferson Davis), Northern Anti-Commonwealth (Joseph Howe)
1864 (Maj): Liberal-Conservative (Abraham Lincoln) def. Confederation (Edward Everett)

1865-1868: John MacDonald (Liberal-Conservative) (2)
1868-1876: Horatio Seymour (Liberal) (3)

1868 (Maj): Liberal (Horatio Seymour) def. Conservative (John MacDonald)
1872 (Maj): Liberal (Horatio Seymour) def. Conservative (John MacDonald)

1876-1880: James Blaine (Conservative) (4)
1876 (Maj): Conservative (James Blaine) def. Liberal (Horatio Seymour)
1880-1884: Edward Blake (Liberal) (5)
1880 (Maj): Liberal (Edward Blake) def. Conservative (James Blaine)
1884-1892: James Garfield (Conservative) (6)
1884 (Maj): Conservative (James Garfield) def. Liberal (Edward Blake), Farmers (James Weaver)
1888 (Maj): Conservative (James Garfield) def. Liberal (Adlai Stevenson I), Farmers (James Weaver)

1892-1900: Adlai Stevenson I (Liberal) (7)
1892 (Maj): Liberal (Adlai Stevenson I) def. Conservative (James Garfield),
1896 (Maj): Liberal (Adlai Stevenson I) def. Conservative (William McKinley)

1900-1901: William McKinley (Conservative) (8)**
1900 (Maj): Conservative (William McKinley) def. Liberal (Adlai Stevenson I), Populist (William Jennings Bryan), Socialist (Eugene Debs)
1901-1912: Joseph Cannon (Conservative) (9)
1905 (Maj): Conservative (Joseph Cannon) def. Liberal (Wilfrid Laurier), Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt), Populist (William Jennings Bryan), Socialist (Eugene Debs)
1910 (Min): Conservative (Joseph Cannon) def. Liberal (Wilfrid Laurier), Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt), Populist (William Jennings Bryan), Socialist (Eugene Debs)

1912-1919: Woodrow Wilson (Liberal) (10)*
1912 (Maj): Liberal (Woodrow Wilson) def. Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt), Conservative (Robert Borden), Populist (William Jennings Bryan), Socialist (Eugene Debs)
1916 (Maj): Liberal (Woodrow Wilson) def. Conservative (Charles Evan Hughes), Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt), Populist (William Jennings Bryan), Socialist (Eugene Debs)

1919-1920: Thomas Marshall (Liberal) (11)
1920-1923: Warren Harding (Conservative) (12)*

1920 (Maj): Conservative (Warren Harding) def. Liberal (Thomas Marshall), Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt), Socialist (Norman Thomas)
1923-1930: Calvin Coolidge (Conservative) (13)
1924 (Maj): Conservative (Calvin Coolidge) def. Liberal (Thomas Walsh), Progressive (Robert LaFollette), Socialist (Norman Thomas)
1928 (Maj): Conservative (Calvin Coolidge) def. Liberal (Thomas Walsh), Progressive (Hiram Johnson), Socialist (Norman Thomas)

1930-1932: Richard Bennett (Conservative) (14)
1932-1945: Franklin Roosevelt (Liberal) (15)*

1932 (Maj): Liberal (Franklin Roosevelt) def. Conservative (Richard Bennett), Commonwealth (Huey Long), Progressive (Thomas Crerar), Socialist (Norman Thomas)
1936 (Maj): Liberal (Franklin Roosevelt) def. Conservative (Charles Curtis), Progressive (Theodore Roosevelt Jr.), Commonwealth (Thomas Coughlin), End Poverty in the Commonwealth (Upton Sinclair)
1940 (Maj): Liberal (Franklin Roosevelt) def. Progressive Conservative (John Bracken), Democratic (Norman Thomas), Social Credit (John Blackmore)
1944 (Maj): Liberal (Franklin Roosevelt) def. Progressive Conservative (Theodore Roosevelt Jr.), Democratic (Norman Thomas), Social Credit (John Blackmore)

1945-1953: Harry S. Truman (Liberal) (16)
1948 (Maj): Liberal (Harry S. Truman) def. Progressive Conservative (Thomas Dewey), Democratic (Henry Wallace), Social Credit (Solon Earl Low),
1953-1962: Harold Stassen (Progressive Conservative) (17)
1953 (Maj): Progressive Conservative (Harold Stassen) def. Liberal (Harry S. Truman), Democratic (Glen Taylor), Social Credit (Solon Earl Low)
1957 (Maj): Progressive Conservative (Harold Stassen) def. Liberal (Adlai Stevenson II), Democratic (Major James Coldwell), Social Credit (Solon Earl Low)

1962-1968: Hubert Humphrey (Liberal) (18)**
1962 (Maj): Liberal (Hubert Humphrey) def. Progressive Conservative (Harold Stassen), Democratic (Tommy Douglas), Social Credit (Robert Thompson)
1965 (Maj): Liberal (Hubert Humphrey) def. Progressive Conservative (Nelson Rockefeller), Democratic (Tommy Douglas), Social Credit (Robert Thompson)

1968-1973: Nelson Rockefeller (Progressive Conservative) (19)
1968 (Min): Progressive Conservative (Nelson Rockefeller) def. Liberal (Hubert Humphrey), American Heritage (George Wallace), Democratic (Tommy Douglas), Social Credit (Robert Thompson)
1973-1976: Hubert Humphrey (Liberal) (20)
1973 (Maj): Liberal (Hubert Humphrey) def. Progressive Conservative (Nelson Rockefeller), Democratic (George McGovern), American Heritage (George Wallace), Social Credit (Real Caouette)
1976-1979: Pierre Trudeau (Liberal) (21)
1976 (Min): Liberal (Pierre Trudeau) def. Progressive Conservative (Gerald Ford), Democratic (George McGovern), American Heritage (George Wallace), Social Credit (Real Caouette)
1979-1981: George Bush (Progressive Conservative - Social Credit coalition) (22)
1979 (Min): Progressive Conservative (George Bush) def. Liberal (Pierre Trudeau), Democratic (George McGovern), American Heritage (Jesse Helms), Social Credit (Steve Symms)
1981-1985: Walter Mondale (Liberal) (23)
1981 (Maj): Liberal (Walter Mondale) def. Progressive Conservative (George Bush), Democratic (Jesse Jackson), American Heritage (Jesse Helms), Social Credit (Steve Symms)
1985-1993: Brian Mulroney (Progressive Conservative) (24)
1985 (Maj): Progressive Conservative (Brian Mulroney) def. Liberal (Walter Mondale), Democratic (Jesse Jackson), American Heritage (John Rarick)
1988 (Maj): Progressive Conservative (Brian Mulroney) def. Democratic (Jesse Jackson), Liberal (Chuck Robb), Libertarian (Ron Paul)

1993-1993: Lynn Martin (Progressive Conservative) (25)
1993-1998: Bill Clinton (Liberal) (26)
1993 (Maj): Liberal (Bill Clinton) def. Reform (Pat Buchanan), Democratic (Jesse Jackson), Bloc Quebecois (Lucien Bouchard), Progressive Conservative (Lynn Martin), Libertarian (Ron Paul)
1996 (Maj): Liberal (Bill Clinton) def. Reform (Pat Buchanan), Progressive Conservative (Bob Dole), Democratic (Paul Wellstone), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Libertarian (Ron Paul)

1998-2003: Jean Chretien (Liberal) (27)
2000 (Maj): Liberal (Jean Chretien) def. Conservative (John McCain), Democratic (Paul Wellstone), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Libertarian (Ron Paul), Grassroots (Ralph Nader)
2003-2008: John McCain (Conservative) (28)
2003 (Maj): Conservative (John McCain) def. Liberal (Jean Chretien), Democratic (Jack Layton), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Libertarian (Ron Paul), Grassroots (Ralph Nader)
2008-2010: Hillary Clinton (Liberal - Democratic coalition) (29)
2008 (Min): Liberal (Hillary Clinton) def. Conservative (John McCain), Democratic (Jack Layton), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Libertarian (Ron Paul), Grassroots (Elizabeth May)
2010-2015: Willard Romney (Conservative) (30)
2010 (Min): Conservative (Willard Romney) def. Liberal (Hillary Clinton), Democratic (Jack Layton), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Libertarian (Ron Paul), Grassroots (Elizabeth May)
2015-2021: Justin Trudeau (Liberal - Democratic coalition) (31)
2015 (Min): Liberal (Justin Trudeau) def. Conservative (Willard Romney), Democratic (Bernie Sanders), Libertarian (Gary Johnson), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), Grassroots (Elizabeth May)
2019 (Min): Liberal (Justin Trudeau) def. Conservative (John Kasich), Democratic (Bernie Sanders), Libertarian (Justin Amash), Grassroots (Elizabeth May), Bloc Quebecois (Gilles Duceppe), People's (Maxime Bernier)

*Died in office.
**Assassinated.

Parties as of 2022:
American Action (Andrew Yang):
Social credit economics, populism, anti-corruption, centrism. Formed by businessman Andrew Yang, American Action is promoting the idea of a guaranteed minimum income as well as sweeping reforms to the government and economy. The new party is hoping to field candidates in ridings across the country ahead of the 2023 federal election, with Yang's laid back style and personal popularity largely driving the small nascent party forward into the future.

Bloc Quebecois (Mario Beaulieu): Quebec separatism, social democracy, Francophone issues, left-wing nationalism. Originally the creation of a coalition of Quebecois Tories, Liberals, Democrats, and other radicals in favor of independence, the Bloc has evolved into a solidly left-wing, reliably separatist party that continues to be a federal presence in American politics.

Conservative (Paul Ryan): Conservatism, federalism, economic liberalism, center-right. Born from the merger of the rump Progressive Conservatives and the Pat Buchanan-less Reform Party, the Conservatives are the predominant political force of the American right. However, the rise of Bernier's populist People's Party threatens their hegemony, particularly in the southern provinces, and there is doubt whether Paul Ryan's brand of neoliberal economics and libertarian leaning conservatism can sustain the Tories going forward.

Democratic (Elizabeth Warren): Social democracy, trade unionism, socialism, left-wing populism. The Democrats are unmistakably left-wing in their political orientation, and have often propped up Liberal governments in the past. Having experienced a significant surge under the late Jack Layton and later Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Party is hoping to capitalize on growing discontent over Trudeau's record to achieve a major breakthrough in the next election. But questions remain over whether Elizabeth Warren, the party's newly elected leader, can truly compete with the charismatic Trudeau for the support of left-leaning voters.

Grassroots (Annamie Paul): Environmentalism, community politics, eco-socialism, left-wing populism. The Grassroots Party was formed in the early 1990s by consumer activist and attorney Ralph Nader, who won election to the House in 2000 after two strong showings in the 1993 and 1996 elections. Despite later being defeated in 2004, Nader's successor Elizabeth May was returned to parliament in 2010. Since then, the Grassroots Party has maintained a steady, single seat in the House, but May's efforts to expand the party have largely been unsuccessful under the shadow of Jack Layton and Bernie Sanders. But the optimistic members of the party believe that increased concerns about climate change will boost their party's expansion efforts, and the 2020 election of Annamie Paul to the leadership has increased interest in the party as of late as concerns over climate change mount.

Liberal (Justin Trudeau): Social liberalism, progressivism, internationalism, centrism. The oldest active party in Parliament, the Liberals tend to run more stable, if somewhat shorter lived governments. The party under Justin Trudeau has weathered many scandals and managed to cling on to power with a reduced minority in 2019, relying once again on the support of the Democrats to keep their government afloat. But while Trudeau has maintained an economic vision of "progressive capitalism," his party's increasing reliance on identity politics is proving to be divisive, with many wondering if Trudeau can win a third election in the coming years.

Libertarian (Justin Amash): Libertarianism, constitutionalism, economic liberalism, center-right. Under the leadership of Ron Paul, the Libertarians enjoyed a steady if marginal presence in the House of Commons. But the tenure of Gary Johnson as leader of the party resulted in the Libertarian Party nearly fracturing as the Idaho MP failed to balance the radical and pragmatist wings of his party like his predecessor had done. With Justin Amash rising in the wake of Johnson's resignation, the party looks forward to, as Amash put it, "getting their mojo back."

People's (Maxime Bernier): Paleoconservatism, nationalism, libertarianism, right-wing populism. The People's Party is the newest party to gain representation in parliament, after Maxime Bernier launched it as a breakaway party for disaffected Tories who view the Conservative Party as being too bound to the politics of consensus. Though Bernier held his seat in 2019's federal election, his party has yet to make the breakthrough he's been aiming for. Current polling suggests that the post-pandemic political environment may give his newly founded party a chance to thrive.

Socialist Alliance (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez): Democratic socialism, republicanism, trade unionism, left-wing populism. The Socialist Alliance was formed by a breakaway group of Democratic MPs from the party's urban radical wing who had grown disenchanted with the more conservative approach of the party's dominant labor/rural wing. The new party is hoping to displace the Democrats in the major cities by appealing to voters on a platform of economic, environmental, and social justice. It is the only openly major republican party in Parliament.

Governor-Generals of the Commonwealth of America.
1860-1868: Charles Monck, 4th Viscount Monck
1868-1872: John Young, 1st Baron Lisgar
1872-1885: Sir Ulysses S. Grant
1885-1888: Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne
1888-1893: Sir William Rosecrans
1893-1898: John Hamilton Gordon, Earl of Aberdeen
1898-1904: Sir Nelson Miles
1904-1911: Albert Grey, 4th Earl Grey
1911-1916: Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn
1916-1921: Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire
1921-1926: Sir John Pershing
1926-1941: Sir Herbert Hoover
1941-1946: Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone
1946-1969: Sir Dwight Eisenhower
1969-1974: William Westmoreland
1974-1979: Sir James Gavin
1979-1985: Stansfield Turner
1985-1995: John Turner, 1st Earl of Twickenham
1995-2000: Katherine Graham
2000-2010: Collin Powell
2010-2015: Michaelle Jean
2015-2021: Julie Payette
2021-20XX: Sally Yates
Credit to @aaa for most of the Governor-Generals list!
 
Last edited:
Whereabouts did/does Rick Perry represent? His family has been in Texas for almost two centuries now; was he born there and moved to America in this timeline, or was he never Texan in the first place?
 
Whereabouts did/does Rick Perry represent? His family has been in Texas for almost two centuries now; was he born there and moved to America in this timeline, or was he never Texan in the first place?
Haha, good catch. That was supposed to be John Kasich and I just happened to see Rick Perry on Fox News while channel surfing and must have mindlessly typed that. Rick Perry in this universe is indeed a Tejan politician.
 
I look forwards to seeing how this TL develops.

Is there any reason why each state/province/whatever has two senators each, as opposed to some other number (whether they have an equal number or not)?
 
I think it's a holdover from OTL
It’s also easier than trying to compute the numbers needed to replicate the complicated Canadian Senate of OTL. The Senate in this ATL consists of members who serve life terms, appointed by the provincial Lt. Governors on the advice of the provincial premiers. It is the less powerful body in American politics similar to Canada in OTL.
 
Is there a "dirtbag left" where do the Chapo types fall in their support? Would it be for the Democratic Party, Grassroots, or Socialist Alliance?
 
Is there a "dirtbag left" where do the Chapo types fall in their support? Would it be for the Democratic Party, Grassroots, or Socialist Alliance?
Like in OTL, I'd imagine it'd be largely fractured. In OTL, those who support the People's Party project (Nina Turner, etc) would likely fit into the newly formed Alliance, which is a collection of already existing socialist micro-parties and small trade unions/social justice organizations. Others would migrate to the Grassroots Party, while most would continue to remain within the Democratic Party fold.
 
Haha, good catch. That was supposed to be John Kasich and I just happened to see Rick Perry on Fox News while channel surfing and must have mindlessly typed that. Rick Perry in this universe is indeed a Tejan politician.
NGL, I hate the "Tejan". Frankly, it should be "Texas", especially if Mexico is spelled with an X
 
Top