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The Aftermath: North America
The Aftermath: North America
United States of America:
The USA is arguably the biggest loser from the war. What they had hoped would be a relatively quick war with increased access to the Pacific had resulted in them being utterly cut off from the Pacific. For instigating such a "needless war," America was very much punished. The British pushed for the return of their pre-1818 territories, as well as all land north of the Minnesota River. The upper peninsula of Michigan is taken from America and is attached via a small strip of land to these new territories, which Britain intends to turn into an "Indian Protectorate" as they had promised more than 30 years earlier.
The border dispute at where the Maine and Quebec border lay is resolved in favour of Britain, with "Madawaska" being awarded to New Brunswick. A portion of New York State from the 44th Parallel North was awarded to the British/Canadians, with Watertown's city limits being added as an exception. America held on to a much reduced Texas, with its area being hemmed in between the Red River and the Rio Grande east of 100 degrees W longitude [1].
Worse still, the free and slave states had begun speculating about future states to be acquired from territories they felt almost assured of in the earliest days of the war. It was bitter and sectarian, and made all the worse when only a small portion of what Texas claimed in territory was retained by America. New US President Zachary Taylor and his staunch position and unwillingness to compromise, as well as the heightened tensions between free and slave states, ultimately pushes America to civil war in 1851 [2].
President Zachary Taylor.
Taylor would live to see the advent of the American Civil War.
Commonwealth of Canada:
In the wake of the war with the United States, the Commonwealth of Canada had a surging of pride and a sense of an emerging national identity. Canada itself had acquired some disputed territory, and there was a sense that with good planning, training, troops, and cooperation, then Canada could initially and largely hold off American advances. Though this isn't exactly true, it is the mythos that begins to emerge. The war also served as proof that the colonies were better off united than remaining divided.
With the British holding the San Francisco Bay area as well as areas as far south as Carmel, they recognize their advantageous position and approached Mexico's Santa Anna with a deal. Since Britain helped intervene on Mexico's behalf and Mexico was already indebted to them to begin with, Britain would forgive all of Mexico's debt if it let them hold onto a wedge-shaped portion of northern California (that was already ostensibly under British occupation anyway) for a nominal price. Santa Anna being Santa Anna, agreed to these terms. Britain hoped that the Commonwealth would grow to include the Columbia District and California, providing further wealth and prosperity to the Crown. [3]
The 'Lone Star' flag of California.
This flag was provisionally used as the flag of recently purchased British California in place of the rebellious 'Bear Flag'.
Mexico:
While most Mexicans are angered at the surrendering of a good chunk of territory and the relinquishing of claims on Texas, the anger dissipates and/or is redirected to Santa Anna. The new provisional President Manuel de la Peña y Peña starts a campaign using American propaganda to explain the extent of territory Mexico could have lost without British help in the war. Though this helps, it doesn't stop many Mexicans from feeling that they've lost even though they were on the winning side. As a result, Santa Anna essentially becomes persona non grata in Mexico. Pena's provisional government almost immediately sends settlers (voluntary or forced) to settle the sparsely populated northern, central, and northwestern areas of their remaining northern territories. [4]
Manuel de la Peña y Peña
Following this transitional period, Jose Joaquin de Herrera is elected the new President of Mexico. Britain's California "purchase" (which was essentially trading territory for significant debt reduction), has helped lessen a post-war financial crisis, and many Mexicans find work in the Columbia District and California working in mines or as lumberjacks [5].
Propaganda circulated by Peña in an attempt to show what Mexico could have lost in the war
Mexico also experiences its own gold rush in their part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, helping bring more Mexican citizens into Alta California. Mexico also receives a strange boon in the form of displaced Mormons who were forced to flee what became British California. They desire to create a Mormon state of Deseret that occupies Mexico north of the Colorado River and east of the Muddy River. Needing settlers anyway, Mexico allows their request though they do remain suspicious of their intentions and loyalty [6].
And while Mexico's financial problems appear to be more or less under control, her political and cultural problems are about to come to a historic and violent head.
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[1] This is a very different Texas border, though it retains all the 'important' parts of Texas. It is also technically larger than the Mexicans wanted anyway, so this can be counted as a win for Texas and the USA.
[2] The PODs are no illness (or alleged poisoning attempt) for Taylor, and a lack of acquired territories from Mexico. This makes a 'Compromise of 1850' impossible and therefore results in an earlier civil war.
[3] Since it's the British ITTL that help crush the Bear Flaggers/Americans in Alta California, they see an opportunity to acquire a strategic part of California that they've previously considered as a British imperial aim.
[4] Since Mexico still retains a good chunk of sparsely-populated territory that they lost OTL, they encourage and force settlers into the area. America may have had a Wild West, but Mexico is going to have a Nutty North.
[5] POD - This helps prevent the return of Santa Anna in 1853 following an OTL financial crisis. The mining of gold deposits in the remaining parts of Mexican California also helps lessen the financial strain and helps the economy.
[6] Brigham Young's Mormons were American, and thus the British did not trust them in their easternmost portion of California. A brief conflict kicks them out forcing them to move further south to what would become Provo. This is still a part of Mexico ITTL.
United States of America:
The USA is arguably the biggest loser from the war. What they had hoped would be a relatively quick war with increased access to the Pacific had resulted in them being utterly cut off from the Pacific. For instigating such a "needless war," America was very much punished. The British pushed for the return of their pre-1818 territories, as well as all land north of the Minnesota River. The upper peninsula of Michigan is taken from America and is attached via a small strip of land to these new territories, which Britain intends to turn into an "Indian Protectorate" as they had promised more than 30 years earlier.
The border dispute at where the Maine and Quebec border lay is resolved in favour of Britain, with "Madawaska" being awarded to New Brunswick. A portion of New York State from the 44th Parallel North was awarded to the British/Canadians, with Watertown's city limits being added as an exception. America held on to a much reduced Texas, with its area being hemmed in between the Red River and the Rio Grande east of 100 degrees W longitude [1].
Worse still, the free and slave states had begun speculating about future states to be acquired from territories they felt almost assured of in the earliest days of the war. It was bitter and sectarian, and made all the worse when only a small portion of what Texas claimed in territory was retained by America. New US President Zachary Taylor and his staunch position and unwillingness to compromise, as well as the heightened tensions between free and slave states, ultimately pushes America to civil war in 1851 [2].
President Zachary Taylor.
Taylor would live to see the advent of the American Civil War.
Commonwealth of Canada:
In the wake of the war with the United States, the Commonwealth of Canada had a surging of pride and a sense of an emerging national identity. Canada itself had acquired some disputed territory, and there was a sense that with good planning, training, troops, and cooperation, then Canada could initially and largely hold off American advances. Though this isn't exactly true, it is the mythos that begins to emerge. The war also served as proof that the colonies were better off united than remaining divided.
With the British holding the San Francisco Bay area as well as areas as far south as Carmel, they recognize their advantageous position and approached Mexico's Santa Anna with a deal. Since Britain helped intervene on Mexico's behalf and Mexico was already indebted to them to begin with, Britain would forgive all of Mexico's debt if it let them hold onto a wedge-shaped portion of northern California (that was already ostensibly under British occupation anyway) for a nominal price. Santa Anna being Santa Anna, agreed to these terms. Britain hoped that the Commonwealth would grow to include the Columbia District and California, providing further wealth and prosperity to the Crown. [3]
The 'Lone Star' flag of California.
This flag was provisionally used as the flag of recently purchased British California in place of the rebellious 'Bear Flag'.
Mexico:
While most Mexicans are angered at the surrendering of a good chunk of territory and the relinquishing of claims on Texas, the anger dissipates and/or is redirected to Santa Anna. The new provisional President Manuel de la Peña y Peña starts a campaign using American propaganda to explain the extent of territory Mexico could have lost without British help in the war. Though this helps, it doesn't stop many Mexicans from feeling that they've lost even though they were on the winning side. As a result, Santa Anna essentially becomes persona non grata in Mexico. Pena's provisional government almost immediately sends settlers (voluntary or forced) to settle the sparsely populated northern, central, and northwestern areas of their remaining northern territories. [4]
Manuel de la Peña y Peña
Propaganda circulated by Peña in an attempt to show what Mexico could have lost in the war
Mexico also experiences its own gold rush in their part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, helping bring more Mexican citizens into Alta California. Mexico also receives a strange boon in the form of displaced Mormons who were forced to flee what became British California. They desire to create a Mormon state of Deseret that occupies Mexico north of the Colorado River and east of the Muddy River. Needing settlers anyway, Mexico allows their request though they do remain suspicious of their intentions and loyalty [6].
And while Mexico's financial problems appear to be more or less under control, her political and cultural problems are about to come to a historic and violent head.
Map of North America after the Pan American War:
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[1] This is a very different Texas border, though it retains all the 'important' parts of Texas. It is also technically larger than the Mexicans wanted anyway, so this can be counted as a win for Texas and the USA.
[2] The PODs are no illness (or alleged poisoning attempt) for Taylor, and a lack of acquired territories from Mexico. This makes a 'Compromise of 1850' impossible and therefore results in an earlier civil war.
[3] Since it's the British ITTL that help crush the Bear Flaggers/Americans in Alta California, they see an opportunity to acquire a strategic part of California that they've previously considered as a British imperial aim.
[4] Since Mexico still retains a good chunk of sparsely-populated territory that they lost OTL, they encourage and force settlers into the area. America may have had a Wild West, but Mexico is going to have a Nutty North.
[5] POD - This helps prevent the return of Santa Anna in 1853 following an OTL financial crisis. The mining of gold deposits in the remaining parts of Mexican California also helps lessen the financial strain and helps the economy.
[6] Brigham Young's Mormons were American, and thus the British did not trust them in their easternmost portion of California. A brief conflict kicks them out forcing them to move further south to what would become Provo. This is still a part of Mexico ITTL.
- Coyote Knight
- Word Count: 1.1k