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Aight, I appologize if this is the wrong are to put this thread in, but seeing as this will be discussing the 19th century mostly, I thought it was the best place.

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Anyway, I have a question. I plan to start a quasi-TL, based off a Victoria USA Grand Campaign, so it will be starting in 1836. The question I have, is how will the Butterfly Effect affect this TL, I am quite confused. Basically, the general plan is to create a new political party, sort of like the Lincoln Republicans, that come to power some time in the mid 1840's. All the main players in this party will be completely fictional, but will be joined later on by early Republicans. They are anti slavery (which is the issue I'm having, how to get an abolitionist party elected in the mid 1840's US), and pro-military, pushing the 54-40 or fight issue where eventually the US takes over Canada, but that is not the issue.

The main thing I am confused by is the Butterfly Effect. I get it...sorta, I know that after the PoD, depending on how big it is, people will not be born, and end up having other people take their place that where not born OTL. The part I do not get is, how much this will effect my TL. If slavery is abolished in the mid 1840's, and the Civil War takes off in the late 40's early 50's, and the Union wins, will this totally butterfly away people such as Patton, MacArthur, Rommel, Einstein, Grant, Sherman, etc, pretty much anyone does anything consequential during the 19th-20th centuries? Will I end up having to start making up characters to replace these people, and if so, when should I start? Around 1860, 1870? Should everyone who is born after the Civil War in...say 1848, be completely different than who they were OTL?

Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated, and I apologize for how confusing I may have written this. Thanks so much ahead of time!
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