The Course of Human Events
- Thread starter Lord Grattan
- Start date
- Status
As in OTL's WWI, Germany (inc. Hanover) and Great Britain will be on different sides during TTL's Intercontinental War.
Glad to see the two updates, also I have gone through and reread the TL and have ideas and thoughts.
I would say the main area where I would like to see more info would be the Albish-centered political scene pre-1795. I say this because as you admitted in one of your own occ posts that you brushed over the true details of why Albion declared independence when they did and why they decided on a Executive/Representative Monarchal system.
The first may be more difficult to answer directly; the second I believe easier - TTL Hamilton Plan. In OTL after Virginia and NJ presented their plans at the Convention, Alexander Hamilton presented a very ¨British¨ idea. Many in attendance said it was very detailed and well thoughtout, but, ¨too British.¨ In TTL where there is less hostility between the Colonies and the Mother Country, plausibility of the idea of a King/Queen earlier in the debate as a solution is IMHO greater. In comes TTL Hamilton with all the i`s dotted and the t`s crossed and taadaa.
Secondly, because of this, and despite Washington would be well respected amongst most - but less than OTL without his heroics of the ARW - I actually could see Alexander Hamilton named the first Chancellor, of course to the dismay of his rival Madison. Someone else would obviously be named Treasurer. In OTL Hamilton saw his office, like the British First Lord of the Treasury, as that of a Prime Minister; Hamilton would oversee his colleagues under the elective reign of George Washington. Washington did request Hamilton's advice and assistance on matters outside the purview of the Treasury Department.
What to do to with the beloved Virginian? Secretary of War! During the 7 Year War he was the highest ranking officer born in the colonies and almost gained control of the army on the Continent.
Furthermore, the congress born out of the New Haven Convention, in IMHO, would be better suited to be called the Confederational Congress, as they weren`t truely official or completely independent and it appears to have been less close-knit. Thus, the new congress post-1789 would be better suited to being named the Continental Congress, if only for purpose of keeping it tied into the name of the country (CPofA) and some irony and reversal of ideas from OTL.
I have been thinking also about the coming Intercontental War (which I`ve come to guess will last somewhere between 1918 and 1922, because in your ¨semi-canonical¨ Global Games lists you have Halifax - nice to see my hometown not likely getting blown-up partially thanks to a Naval fender-bender - hosting them in 1916 and Rome in 1924 and because you said in your most recent update that the Hanovarian throne will be abdicated in `23).
1)Instead of of thinking about who are allies, I have been thinking about who definitely aren`t on the same sides. Thus, I have come to some conclusions: Slovenia Italy will likely be at odds over Dalmatia and Istria. Turkey and Russia over the Danubian regions. And Germany and Denmark over Holstein and Schlewig.
THUS:
A) Germany, Slovenia (thanks to GER`s Austrian connections in the Balkans), Hungary (Same as SLO and because in 1854 in TTL didn`t like having Russian troops along their frontier) and the Ottomans (GER and OT have had historically good relations and GER-RUS not so much)
B) Denmark, Italy (Q: When will they officially unite completely?), and Russia.
Now, Denmark being rather isolated and weak compared to the German military, will need a bigger friend to have their back. That points to Britain or France. My opinion is France, because I think that in 99% of TLs where a united strong Germany springs up, even without a Franco-Prussian War equivalent, will look at Germany as a threat against their place as the Great Power on the continent. Even in TTL France`s actions in Vietnam, its desire to jump into the Black Sea fray, and desire to be seen as the protector of Christains in China hint that they want to project power. Not to mention all three moves were not really ¨good¨ in the eyes of Britain. The only way I see Britain being openly anti-German ITTL is if they pull the moves as IOTL which I can`t see happening.
Thus, as for Great Britain; I think it depends on what France does (do they pull a Schleiffen East through southern Netherlands or Luxembourg? etc) In Asia, I see Japan acting as IOTL, not picking sides until Russia/France are either winning or losing badly; and China (Albion) only taking on Russia only if Russia strikes first.
Therefore (quickly):
A)Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Ottoman Turkey (with the Greeks, Kurds, Arabs and Armenians kicking them from behind), Finland, Poland and Galacia
B)Denmark, France, Italy, Russia (possibly with the support of the other ethnicities of SE Europe: Bulgars, Romanians, Serbs, Croats etc)
Of course it all depends on the next 40 years of the TL as well as the Scramble for Africa, which I have a feeling that Portugal will do better in. Maybe they get the Pink Map plan completed and maybe because Germany and Belguim - for obvious reasons - aren`t as active in the region.
Furthermore....
I am curious to see your image of the Present Day Middle East ITTL thanks to all the butterflies. Persia, Palestine (with very few Jews), and likely Syria are going to be around along with Oman, Yemen, Dubai and Abu Dabi (who will likely be British/European colonies for awhile as IOTL). Iraq will probably be around in some form minus a portion of the north because of the independent Kurdistan. Arab will be interesting, will it be united? Controlled by a single tribal family? or a more open, democratic monarchy (ie: Albion or GB)? Lastly, the development of the religious sects/modernization and openess, nationalism, and oil exploitation will prove to be key points.
Sports: In post during the 50`s, you touched upon the development of college sports and I`ve looked into this and have wondering how sport in Albion would develope. Firstly, I see Cricket (albeit a more Albish version, along the lines of Twenty20 Cricket, at least at the professional domestic level) being ascendent over Baseball because baseball in the 1850`s IOTL was only one of many forms of stick and ball games played along the east coast, and ¨Niners¨ ball was only predominant in and around NYC and needed the help of ACW to spread its roots. Furthermore, I see it as it is here in Colombia, and that is if it can be officially codified and form a united sport; popular only along the Atlantic Seaboard. Eventually, if not the first time 1853, I see the media and thus the public will latch onto one of the series between Albion and England and mutated into a nationalistic/big brother vs little brother affair. This will almost guarentee that it will remain an important sport. Secondly, Lacrosse wasn`t codified IOTL until the 1860`s at the University of Upper Canada and the first official game was played between the Toronto and Montreal L.C´s. I see it developing in a similar fashion ITTL in Ontario and likely around Lamphere and spreads to Michigan and northern New York and then from there. Also, I see lacrosse being bigger among Francophone Laurentians than hockey/bandy. I say this because hockey was originally an anglo game, and, while depending on what OTL ¨creation story¨ you may believe, I see it first played by British soldiers on the St. Lawrence near Montreal – similar to how it may have begun in Nova Scotia – and then spreads to the English sector of the city. Because of the ¨differences between the two language groups in Montreal/Laurentia even in the 1860`s and 70`s I can see the francophones wanting to do their own thing and thus picking up lacrosse. This is actually almost what happened IOTL but the reverse. I see Rugby being big as well, similar to Australia, but I also see an Albish Football being born. Once indoor arenas begin to be built (ie: MSG1) more indoor sports will be needed to fill dates outside of Boxing, Wrestling (which I can see going down a more ¨real MMAish path¨, circuses and concerts. Because of butterflies I can`t see James Nasmith being alive to creat basketball but I can see Volleyball, handball (very similar i skill-set to basketball), indoor lacrosse/hockey being promoted and becoming more popular.
Entertainment: The film industry will likely eventually need to leave New York because of costs and space and will need to find a new hub. I do not see LA as the only option, in another TL Memphis is chosen and my suggestion is Miami. So. Florida is already very similar to So. Cal in vibe and culture, and I can see a Flagler type of character actively luring the industry there to go with a growing tourist/hotel industry.
Albish boarders: This has been the only topic that has bugged me ITTL. I think you may have been too kind especially in the south. While I know you can`t compare OTL and TTL Mexico – both needing cash aside - especially with 10-plus year difference, I don`t think they would have given up so much territory. As said in another thread, originally the Mexicans were only willing to give up some of Texas and the territory above the 37th parallel, the current OTL boarder between Arizona and New Mexico with Utah and Colorado and the areas between SF and Monterrey Bay in California. In TCOHE you have Albion getting not just West Texas and the land gained IOTL but more including Tiajuana. Really, the only reason why they would want WTX and the other areas was for a western rail route, by 1831 ITTL the railroad to the west wasn`t even in the planning stages yet. Thus, I believe the most realistic compromise would be to use the whole Nueces river as the border in TX up through southern Commanchera until where the Gila river would begin in Santa Fe and Colorado (connected by a straight line) and then running along a roughly straight line through southern California along the borders of 2 or 3 most southern state counties. This would mean that El Paso/Ciudad Juarez would be united in Mexico along with Tucson, Yuma and San Diego. This would create an opportunity for a future Mexican Railway/Highway to the Pacific as well.
Sorry for the rant and hijack, these are just some suggestions I had came across.
Best Regards,
Mike
I would say the main area where I would like to see more info would be the Albish-centered political scene pre-1795. I say this because as you admitted in one of your own occ posts that you brushed over the true details of why Albion declared independence when they did and why they decided on a Executive/Representative Monarchal system.
The first may be more difficult to answer directly; the second I believe easier - TTL Hamilton Plan. In OTL after Virginia and NJ presented their plans at the Convention, Alexander Hamilton presented a very ¨British¨ idea. Many in attendance said it was very detailed and well thoughtout, but, ¨too British.¨ In TTL where there is less hostility between the Colonies and the Mother Country, plausibility of the idea of a King/Queen earlier in the debate as a solution is IMHO greater. In comes TTL Hamilton with all the i`s dotted and the t`s crossed and taadaa.
Secondly, because of this, and despite Washington would be well respected amongst most - but less than OTL without his heroics of the ARW - I actually could see Alexander Hamilton named the first Chancellor, of course to the dismay of his rival Madison. Someone else would obviously be named Treasurer. In OTL Hamilton saw his office, like the British First Lord of the Treasury, as that of a Prime Minister; Hamilton would oversee his colleagues under the elective reign of George Washington. Washington did request Hamilton's advice and assistance on matters outside the purview of the Treasury Department.
What to do to with the beloved Virginian? Secretary of War! During the 7 Year War he was the highest ranking officer born in the colonies and almost gained control of the army on the Continent.
Furthermore, the congress born out of the New Haven Convention, in IMHO, would be better suited to be called the Confederational Congress, as they weren`t truely official or completely independent and it appears to have been less close-knit. Thus, the new congress post-1789 would be better suited to being named the Continental Congress, if only for purpose of keeping it tied into the name of the country (CPofA) and some irony and reversal of ideas from OTL.
I have been thinking also about the coming Intercontental War (which I`ve come to guess will last somewhere between 1918 and 1922, because in your ¨semi-canonical¨ Global Games lists you have Halifax - nice to see my hometown not likely getting blown-up partially thanks to a Naval fender-bender - hosting them in 1916 and Rome in 1924 and because you said in your most recent update that the Hanovarian throne will be abdicated in `23).
1)Instead of of thinking about who are allies, I have been thinking about who definitely aren`t on the same sides. Thus, I have come to some conclusions: Slovenia Italy will likely be at odds over Dalmatia and Istria. Turkey and Russia over the Danubian regions. And Germany and Denmark over Holstein and Schlewig.
THUS:
A) Germany, Slovenia (thanks to GER`s Austrian connections in the Balkans), Hungary (Same as SLO and because in 1854 in TTL didn`t like having Russian troops along their frontier) and the Ottomans (GER and OT have had historically good relations and GER-RUS not so much)
B) Denmark, Italy (Q: When will they officially unite completely?), and Russia.
Now, Denmark being rather isolated and weak compared to the German military, will need a bigger friend to have their back. That points to Britain or France. My opinion is France, because I think that in 99% of TLs where a united strong Germany springs up, even without a Franco-Prussian War equivalent, will look at Germany as a threat against their place as the Great Power on the continent. Even in TTL France`s actions in Vietnam, its desire to jump into the Black Sea fray, and desire to be seen as the protector of Christains in China hint that they want to project power. Not to mention all three moves were not really ¨good¨ in the eyes of Britain. The only way I see Britain being openly anti-German ITTL is if they pull the moves as IOTL which I can`t see happening.
Thus, as for Great Britain; I think it depends on what France does (do they pull a Schleiffen East through southern Netherlands or Luxembourg? etc) In Asia, I see Japan acting as IOTL, not picking sides until Russia/France are either winning or losing badly; and China (Albion) only taking on Russia only if Russia strikes first.
Therefore (quickly):
A)Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Ottoman Turkey (with the Greeks, Kurds, Arabs and Armenians kicking them from behind), Finland, Poland and Galacia
B)Denmark, France, Italy, Russia (possibly with the support of the other ethnicities of SE Europe: Bulgars, Romanians, Serbs, Croats etc)
Of course it all depends on the next 40 years of the TL as well as the Scramble for Africa, which I have a feeling that Portugal will do better in. Maybe they get the Pink Map plan completed and maybe because Germany and Belguim - for obvious reasons - aren`t as active in the region.
Furthermore....
I am curious to see your image of the Present Day Middle East ITTL thanks to all the butterflies. Persia, Palestine (with very few Jews), and likely Syria are going to be around along with Oman, Yemen, Dubai and Abu Dabi (who will likely be British/European colonies for awhile as IOTL). Iraq will probably be around in some form minus a portion of the north because of the independent Kurdistan. Arab will be interesting, will it be united? Controlled by a single tribal family? or a more open, democratic monarchy (ie: Albion or GB)? Lastly, the development of the religious sects/modernization and openess, nationalism, and oil exploitation will prove to be key points.
Sports: In post during the 50`s, you touched upon the development of college sports and I`ve looked into this and have wondering how sport in Albion would develope. Firstly, I see Cricket (albeit a more Albish version, along the lines of Twenty20 Cricket, at least at the professional domestic level) being ascendent over Baseball because baseball in the 1850`s IOTL was only one of many forms of stick and ball games played along the east coast, and ¨Niners¨ ball was only predominant in and around NYC and needed the help of ACW to spread its roots. Furthermore, I see it as it is here in Colombia, and that is if it can be officially codified and form a united sport; popular only along the Atlantic Seaboard. Eventually, if not the first time 1853, I see the media and thus the public will latch onto one of the series between Albion and England and mutated into a nationalistic/big brother vs little brother affair. This will almost guarentee that it will remain an important sport. Secondly, Lacrosse wasn`t codified IOTL until the 1860`s at the University of Upper Canada and the first official game was played between the Toronto and Montreal L.C´s. I see it developing in a similar fashion ITTL in Ontario and likely around Lamphere and spreads to Michigan and northern New York and then from there. Also, I see lacrosse being bigger among Francophone Laurentians than hockey/bandy. I say this because hockey was originally an anglo game, and, while depending on what OTL ¨creation story¨ you may believe, I see it first played by British soldiers on the St. Lawrence near Montreal – similar to how it may have begun in Nova Scotia – and then spreads to the English sector of the city. Because of the ¨differences between the two language groups in Montreal/Laurentia even in the 1860`s and 70`s I can see the francophones wanting to do their own thing and thus picking up lacrosse. This is actually almost what happened IOTL but the reverse. I see Rugby being big as well, similar to Australia, but I also see an Albish Football being born. Once indoor arenas begin to be built (ie: MSG1) more indoor sports will be needed to fill dates outside of Boxing, Wrestling (which I can see going down a more ¨real MMAish path¨, circuses and concerts. Because of butterflies I can`t see James Nasmith being alive to creat basketball but I can see Volleyball, handball (very similar i skill-set to basketball), indoor lacrosse/hockey being promoted and becoming more popular.
Entertainment: The film industry will likely eventually need to leave New York because of costs and space and will need to find a new hub. I do not see LA as the only option, in another TL Memphis is chosen and my suggestion is Miami. So. Florida is already very similar to So. Cal in vibe and culture, and I can see a Flagler type of character actively luring the industry there to go with a growing tourist/hotel industry.
Albish boarders: This has been the only topic that has bugged me ITTL. I think you may have been too kind especially in the south. While I know you can`t compare OTL and TTL Mexico – both needing cash aside - especially with 10-plus year difference, I don`t think they would have given up so much territory. As said in another thread, originally the Mexicans were only willing to give up some of Texas and the territory above the 37th parallel, the current OTL boarder between Arizona and New Mexico with Utah and Colorado and the areas between SF and Monterrey Bay in California. In TCOHE you have Albion getting not just West Texas and the land gained IOTL but more including Tiajuana. Really, the only reason why they would want WTX and the other areas was for a western rail route, by 1831 ITTL the railroad to the west wasn`t even in the planning stages yet. Thus, I believe the most realistic compromise would be to use the whole Nueces river as the border in TX up through southern Commanchera until where the Gila river would begin in Santa Fe and Colorado (connected by a straight line) and then running along a roughly straight line through southern California along the borders of 2 or 3 most southern state counties. This would mean that El Paso/Ciudad Juarez would be united in Mexico along with Tucson, Yuma and San Diego. This would create an opportunity for a future Mexican Railway/Highway to the Pacific as well.
Sorry for the rant and hijack, these are just some suggestions I had came across.
Best Regards,
Mike
Having skimmed over this TL again, Lord Grattan, I think it deserves a revival.
BTW, if you'd like me to help you think of some ideas every so often, just send me a PM and I'll see what I can do for you.
BTW, if you'd like me to help you think of some ideas every so often, just send me a PM and I'll see what I can do for you.
I'm glad I have not been the only one thinking this. I would also be willing to help out in order to get this TL back to life. I'm sure that LG is plenty busy with real life like many of us, but maybe a joint effort is what is necessary to get this going again.
Having skimmed over this TL again, Lord Grattan, I think it deserves a revival.
BTW, if you'd like me to help you think of some ideas every so often, just send me a PM and I'll see what I can do for you.
Thank you; I am giving your generous offer some thought and will be in touch. Have you been able to reconstruct the paragraphs to Stars & Stripes that you lost last month? S&S is an engaging story!
Yes, RL has been busy. I have also been digesting your comments & thoughts you posted above (wow - almost 8 months ago
). Thanks for sharing your observations.This Suspension Act may go away as I rethink the Intercontinental War scenario. The dukedom will none the less go extinct sometime mid-century and Albion's kings will be the Heads of the royal house of Welf-Este.
Additionally, I have been at work fleshing out and giving greater depth to the early decades of CoHE. Here are a couple of examples:
From post #37:
In June 1788, Prince Edward and the leadership of the 11th Continental Congress reached agreement on wording for an ordinance that would spell out how Indian land claims would be settled and White settlement regulated in the Continental Crown Lands after independence from Great Britain. They also agreed upon how the vast crown lands would be divided into territories and administered after independence. That fall, the Continental Congress adopted the Continental Crown Lands Land Ordinance and acted to divide the lands into territories. The Territory of Augusta (encompassing the Crown Lands territory north of the Ohio River and surrounding the Great Lakes not part of the Province of Ontario) was created. The territory of Mississippi (encompassing the Crown Lands territory south of the Province of Kentucky and north of the Floridas) was established. The Territory of St. Lawrence (encompassing the Crown Lands territory along the SE side of the St. Lawrence River) was created.
Now:
In April 1788, Edward Augustus signed a letter of intent stating his commitment to turning “title and all rights to the Continental Crown Lands over to the Federal Government of Albion prior to March 4, 1789.” Two months later, the Prince and the leadership of the Continental Congress conferred and developed a draft framework for the governance of the Continental Crown Lands under the new Federal Government. Their “Plan for Establishing and Governing the Western Territories of Albion” was presented to the Continental Congress when it convened that November. Formally introduced as “An Ordinance for the Governance of the Territory of Albion West of the Appalachian Mountains and the Proclamation Line of 1763,” the legislation was given close scrutiny and engendered lively debate before being passed by an overwhelming majority vote on December 5.
Arguably one of the more significant pieces of legislation passed during the any of the Continental Congresses, this ordinance, commonly referred to as the Western Ordinance, established the precedent by which the Realm would expand westward across North America. The ordinance divided the former Continental Crown Lands into three territories: Augusta (north of the Ohio River and surrounding the Great Lakes), Mississippi (south of the Province of Kentucky and north of the Florida Provinces), and St. Lawrence (southeast of the St. Lawrence River), and established a government structure for them. Detailed procedures for addressing and resolving Indian land claims and for regulating White settlement in these territories were laid out in it as well. The ordinance authorized the Federal Congress to establish new territories in the region by splitting-up existing ones, and to create new provinces within the region once a particular territory has achieved a population of 60,000 within its bounds. Additionally, Slavery was banned from the territories established by the ordinance and from any territory or province established in the future from within the region covered by the ordinance. This ordinance was, according to Ruth Griffin-Carter (Historian of the Albion Senate 1977-1986), “not merely legislation that could later be amended by Congress, but rather a compact between the original Provinces in the Realm and also their people, and all new Provinces in the said territories and their People, a compact which is and shall forever remain unalterable.”
An additional expansion of post #37 (which originally said simply, "The establishment of an official currency was authorized") gives greater detail about early Albish coinage:
Both the British Pound Sterling and Spanish Dollar were designated as legal tender in the realm by an Act of Congress in 1789.
On February 19, 1792 King Edward I signed a measure creating a federal mint and coinage of the realm into law. Known as the Mint and Coinage Act, this legislation established the Albion Mint and the dollar as the realm's "money of account". The act further directed that all accounts of the federal government be kept in dollars, dimes, cents and mills (a mill being one-tenth of a cent or one-thousandth of a dollar), and stated that any person could bring gold or silver bullion and have it coined free of charge, or later for a small fee, exchange it immediately for an equivalent value of coin. Additionally, this act authorized construction of a mint building in Philadelphia. This was the 1st federal building erected under the 1789 Constitution. The act also defined the proportional value of gold and silver for each coin of the realm and set the value of the Albion Dollar at 1/5 of a British Pound Sterling (or 4 British shillings).
The act authorized the production of the following coins:
Sovereigns, $10 – 247 4/8 grain pure or 270 grain standard gold
Half Sovereigns, $5 – 123 6/8 grain pure or 135 grain standard gold
Quarter Sovereigns, $2.50 – 61 7/8 grain pure or 67 4/8 grain standard gold
Dollars, $1 – 371 4/16 grain pure or 416 grain standard silver
Half Dollars, $0.50 – 185 10/16 grain pure or 208 grain standard silver
Quarter Dollars, $0,25 – 92 13/16 grain pure or 104 grains standard silver
Dimes, $0.10 – 37 2/16 grain pure or 41 3/5 grain standard silver
Half Dimes, $0.05 – 18 9/16 grain pure or 20 4/5 grain standard silver
Cents, $0.01 – 11 pennyweights of copper
Half Cents, $0.005 – 5 1/2 pennyweights of copper
Through the early 20th century here are the Albion Mint's branch locations:
Auraria, GA - "A": In production 1836-1864
Charlotte, NC - "C": In production 1838-1889
Lattimer City, NV - "L": In production 1869-1891
New Orleans, LA - "N": In production 1837-1903
Philadelphia, PA - "P" (since 1919): In production since 1793
Oak Ridge, SE - "O": In production since 1855-
FYI - Lattimer City, Nevada is located in the vicinity of OTL Carson City, Nevada and Oak Ridge, Sierra is OTL Oakland, California.
I've also written about John Kendrick's 1792 "discovery" of the Oregon [OTL Columbia] River aboard the Cordelia and about the naming of the Sentinel Range a year earlier by George Vancouver. In OTL Vancouver never officially named the mountains he saw from Puget Sound, the range we know as the Cascades. With this added material I need to change some maps which refer to to a Columbia River and Columbia Territory. The river is now the Oregon and the territory and province that will follow will be known as Tahoma.
From post #37:
In June 1788, Prince Edward and the leadership of the 11th Continental Congress reached agreement on wording for an ordinance that would spell out how Indian land claims would be settled and White settlement regulated in the Continental Crown Lands after independence from Great Britain. They also agreed upon how the vast crown lands would be divided into territories and administered after independence. That fall, the Continental Congress adopted the Continental Crown Lands Land Ordinance and acted to divide the lands into territories. The Territory of Augusta (encompassing the Crown Lands territory north of the Ohio River and surrounding the Great Lakes not part of the Province of Ontario) was created. The territory of Mississippi (encompassing the Crown Lands territory south of the Province of Kentucky and north of the Floridas) was established. The Territory of St. Lawrence (encompassing the Crown Lands territory along the SE side of the St. Lawrence River) was created.
Now:
In April 1788, Edward Augustus signed a letter of intent stating his commitment to turning “title and all rights to the Continental Crown Lands over to the Federal Government of Albion prior to March 4, 1789.” Two months later, the Prince and the leadership of the Continental Congress conferred and developed a draft framework for the governance of the Continental Crown Lands under the new Federal Government. Their “Plan for Establishing and Governing the Western Territories of Albion” was presented to the Continental Congress when it convened that November. Formally introduced as “An Ordinance for the Governance of the Territory of Albion West of the Appalachian Mountains and the Proclamation Line of 1763,” the legislation was given close scrutiny and engendered lively debate before being passed by an overwhelming majority vote on December 5.
Arguably one of the more significant pieces of legislation passed during the any of the Continental Congresses, this ordinance, commonly referred to as the Western Ordinance, established the precedent by which the Realm would expand westward across North America. The ordinance divided the former Continental Crown Lands into three territories: Augusta (north of the Ohio River and surrounding the Great Lakes), Mississippi (south of the Province of Kentucky and north of the Florida Provinces), and St. Lawrence (southeast of the St. Lawrence River), and established a government structure for them. Detailed procedures for addressing and resolving Indian land claims and for regulating White settlement in these territories were laid out in it as well. The ordinance authorized the Federal Congress to establish new territories in the region by splitting-up existing ones, and to create new provinces within the region once a particular territory has achieved a population of 60,000 within its bounds. Additionally, Slavery was banned from the territories established by the ordinance and from any territory or province established in the future from within the region covered by the ordinance. This ordinance was, according to Ruth Griffin-Carter (Historian of the Albion Senate 1977-1986), “not merely legislation that could later be amended by Congress, but rather a compact between the original Provinces in the Realm and also their people, and all new Provinces in the said territories and their People, a compact which is and shall forever remain unalterable.”
An additional expansion of post #37 (which originally said simply, "The establishment of an official currency was authorized") gives greater detail about early Albish coinage:
Both the British Pound Sterling and Spanish Dollar were designated as legal tender in the realm by an Act of Congress in 1789.
On February 19, 1792 King Edward I signed a measure creating a federal mint and coinage of the realm into law. Known as the Mint and Coinage Act, this legislation established the Albion Mint and the dollar as the realm's "money of account". The act further directed that all accounts of the federal government be kept in dollars, dimes, cents and mills (a mill being one-tenth of a cent or one-thousandth of a dollar), and stated that any person could bring gold or silver bullion and have it coined free of charge, or later for a small fee, exchange it immediately for an equivalent value of coin. Additionally, this act authorized construction of a mint building in Philadelphia. This was the 1st federal building erected under the 1789 Constitution. The act also defined the proportional value of gold and silver for each coin of the realm and set the value of the Albion Dollar at 1/5 of a British Pound Sterling (or 4 British shillings).
The act authorized the production of the following coins:
Sovereigns, $10 – 247 4/8 grain pure or 270 grain standard gold
Half Sovereigns, $5 – 123 6/8 grain pure or 135 grain standard gold
Quarter Sovereigns, $2.50 – 61 7/8 grain pure or 67 4/8 grain standard gold
Dollars, $1 – 371 4/16 grain pure or 416 grain standard silver
Half Dollars, $0.50 – 185 10/16 grain pure or 208 grain standard silver
Quarter Dollars, $0,25 – 92 13/16 grain pure or 104 grains standard silver
Dimes, $0.10 – 37 2/16 grain pure or 41 3/5 grain standard silver
Half Dimes, $0.05 – 18 9/16 grain pure or 20 4/5 grain standard silver
Cents, $0.01 – 11 pennyweights of copper
Half Cents, $0.005 – 5 1/2 pennyweights of copper
Through the early 20th century here are the Albion Mint's branch locations:
Auraria, GA - "A": In production 1836-1864
Charlotte, NC - "C": In production 1838-1889
Lattimer City, NV - "L": In production 1869-1891
New Orleans, LA - "N": In production 1837-1903
Philadelphia, PA - "P" (since 1919): In production since 1793
Oak Ridge, SE - "O": In production since 1855-
FYI - Lattimer City, Nevada is located in the vicinity of OTL Carson City, Nevada and Oak Ridge, Sierra is OTL Oakland, California.
I've also written about John Kendrick's 1792 "discovery" of the Oregon [OTL Columbia] River aboard the Cordelia and about the naming of the Sentinel Range a year earlier by George Vancouver. In OTL Vancouver never officially named the mountains he saw from Puget Sound, the range we know as the Cascades. With this added material I need to change some maps which refer to to a Columbia River and Columbia Territory. The river is now the Oregon and the territory and province that will follow will be known as Tahoma.
My question is how do you type with "old English" script? I would like to use that as well. Please explain how this is done. Thanks Hojo
Thanks! Yes, I've managed to reconstruct that part of the story as I had originally thought it up.
Though I've also been working on DoD stuff so I've had that to deal with as well(I'm hoping my efforts haven't gone to waste). That, and the power went out in my neighborhood yesterday after we had some REALLY nasty storms coming through; it came back on after a few hours but I only got my internet access back for a short time before it went down again; I just got it back up again very recently and don't know how long it'll last, so I'm trying to use up my time as efficiently as possible. Yes, RL has been busy. I have also been digesting your comments & thoughts you posted above (wow - almost 8 months ago
Yep. I have to be honest, I've never been the biggest fan of 'monarchial America' stuff, but this was definitely an exception to the rule, due to how well written it has been, as well as some of the unique twists(Jewish Deseret? Now you don't see that every day.
) . In short, IMO: a good TL that deserves more attention.
My question is how do you type with "old English" script? I would like to use that as well. Please explain how this is done. Thanks Hojo
I copied and pasted directly from the file on my computer. I was using Internet Explorer at the time so the fonts copied exactly. I've since started using Chrome and have discovered that I can no longer do this.
Thanks! Yes, I've managed to reconstruct that part of the story as I had originally thought it up.
Yep. I have to be honest, I've never been the biggest fan of 'monarchial America' stuff, but this was definitely an exception to the rule, due to how well written it has been, as well as some of the unique twists(Jewish Deseret? Now you don't see that every day.
In short, IMO: a good TL that deserves more attention.
Thanks for the complement and encouragement. I hope that you have no more bad storms this spring.
Albish PNW
I assume that with the edit Albion's Pacific North-West will include Tahoma, Oregon, Boise, Montana and Indiana by TTL's 2012, correct? Bordering Borealia's New Caledonia and Athabasca provinces?
Truely glad to see a mini-update,
Mike
I assume that with the edit Albion's Pacific North-West will include Tahoma, Oregon, Boise, Montana and Indiana by TTL's 2012, correct? Bordering Borealia's New Caledonia and Athabasca provinces?
Truely glad to see a mini-update,
Mike
I love your TL Mr. Lord Grattan and I'm subscribed to this.
You're also partly an inspiration to my America TL and I've used one feature of your TL in mine: The Treaty of Free Association with Great Britain, which the United States was a bit forced to sign after the disaster of the War of the Second Coalition and also as a cost to the British-American cooperation to subdue the Butlerite rebels in the seceding Southern states, the expedition to the rebelling French Haiti and the annexations of Spanish Florida and Louisiana.
So yes, it's an Ameriwank. Since in my mind, the default America is the 1783 territory. And in my mind, OTL is an Ameriwank too. But I'm planning on something bigger in a plausible manner.
I have to admit though that I don't like the name "Albion" and just prefer the name "America" for the colonies asking for independence. Just the "Continental States of America" or even "The United States of America" just like OTL. They're colonies asking to become "Free and Independent States" right? So, just The United States of America, BUT with a King. But it's like "that's so normal, let's have something different THAN THAT".
A question: Will Albion join an ATL Commonwealth of Nations?? That would be interesting. And I'm seeing Albion's increasing influence in world affairs have a hand in a better decolonization of the British Empire. Dominion status for a united but confederated India? Stuff like that.
I'm trying to warm myself up to the name "Albion" though.
You're also partly an inspiration to my America TL and I've used one feature of your TL in mine: The Treaty of Free Association with Great Britain, which the United States was a bit forced to sign after the disaster of the War of the Second Coalition and also as a cost to the British-American cooperation to subdue the Butlerite rebels in the seceding Southern states, the expedition to the rebelling French Haiti and the annexations of Spanish Florida and Louisiana.
So yes, it's an Ameriwank. Since in my mind, the default America is the 1783 territory. And in my mind, OTL is an Ameriwank too. But I'm planning on something bigger in a plausible manner.
I have to admit though that I don't like the name "Albion" and just prefer the name "America" for the colonies asking for independence. Just the "Continental States of America" or even "The United States of America" just like OTL. They're colonies asking to become "Free and Independent States" right? So, just The United States of America, BUT with a King. But it's like "that's so normal, let's have something different THAN THAT".
A question: Will Albion join an ATL Commonwealth of Nations?? That would be interesting. And I'm seeing Albion's increasing influence in world affairs have a hand in a better decolonization of the British Empire. Dominion status for a united but confederated India? Stuff like that.
I'm trying to warm myself up to the name "Albion" though.
I'm gonna bump this again; this is a rather well executed timeline, and, in fact, one that's also made me a little more open minded about monarchism in North America, I must admit.
I realize this may come close to a necro, but I have something quite important to ask:
What might be the status of drugs in Albion ITTL? I imagine traditional Southern agricultural interests have taken a bigger hit from the earlier banning of slavery, and so, mainly thanks to this Big Tobacco might not have remained as influential as it was IOTL, I would guess. Maybe it could have helped make it harder for drugs such as marijuana to be banned on a national level? And does something like Prohibition ever come about for alcohol, or any other drug? It would be interesting to see if you ever consider it.
And another thing I've wondered about, too, is how the auto industry develops. Is there a Henry Ford analogue, or is the industry perhaps more like that of OTL's Britain, where several major companies did dominate but there was more of an even distribution of market share, as compared to OTL's America, in which only three carmakers received about 90% of sales overall by the 1960s?
What might be the status of drugs in Albion ITTL? I imagine traditional Southern agricultural interests have taken a bigger hit from the earlier banning of slavery, and so, mainly thanks to this Big Tobacco might not have remained as influential as it was IOTL, I would guess. Maybe it could have helped make it harder for drugs such as marijuana to be banned on a national level? And does something like Prohibition ever come about for alcohol, or any other drug? It would be interesting to see if you ever consider it.
And another thing I've wondered about, too, is how the auto industry develops. Is there a Henry Ford analogue, or is the industry perhaps more like that of OTL's Britain, where several major companies did dominate but there was more of an even distribution of market share, as compared to OTL's America, in which only three carmakers received about 90% of sales overall by the 1960s?
- Status