A Shining Valley - The Great Desert Lake in California
- Thread starter Planita13
- Start date
Just for a nitpick: in the total of causalities you forgot to put the "margin" as to show that the 616k deaths are only the minimum, in the wikipedia article to the OTL war it is "up to 1.000.000+ causalities".
But sincerely, it's an amazing post not matter what
EDIT: On other matters, what happened with Hawaii?
But sincerely, it's an amazing post not matter what
EDIT: On other matters, what happened with Hawaii?
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Thank you very much for the criticism and the complement.
So for Hawaii, they basically got Filibustered where some ex-Confederates and adventurists got funded by sugar magnates to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii and establish what amounts to a banana republic. The thing is that they don't want to be annexed by the United States and the National Union is rather anti-imperialist so it never really happens. So it ends up at first is as a safe haven for less than legal activity that is profitable enough for the United States to look the other way. Of course though, its firmly within the United States sphere and allows to US to own Pearl Harbor, but otherwise it never gets annexed; in fact it develops its own national identity and its interests want it to stay that way. These days it has shifted away from plantation based economy and more toward tourism and being a tax haven or the rich.
Good question! When Lincoln called for the ceasefire, the rebels were slowly losing ground although their hit and run tactics were quite effective. The US could easily still continue the war and eventually win, but the Civil War was just about to kick off so Lincoln wanted to wrap this up as quickly as possible. So Lincoln decided to offer generous terms so the rebels had an incentive to stand down. The basic terms of the treaty is as follows.
1) Blanket pardon for those who participated in the revolt, especially for the rebel leadership. The idea is that they were rebelling against actions the traitor President Joseph Lane rather than the US government as a whole. The only ones who could be punished are those who committed atrocities.
2. California would be governed as a military Departmentb while it sounds bad it just means that the US Army is just administrating on behalf of the federal government. While the executive is appointed by the military, the legislature is entirely self elected by Californios and the justice system follows local laws. The Army can't interfere with the local goverance for the most part especially in cultural and economic affairs. Plus the Californios would be exempted from the war effort, as the Civil War is literally starting as they negotiate it. This includes providing taxes and manpower.
3. The US Army will station some troops in the Department and are allowed to travel within the state. A California led milita is allowed to be formed within a year.
4. Land seized from settlers is to be returned unless they were slave owners or secessonists.
It's quite generous terms for people who literally rose up in arms against the federal government. But Lincoln do be like that.
IcyCaspian
Banned
What is the rest of North America like? Is there a Unified Central America or Caribbean? Does Gran Colombia still exist?
It's more or less OTL, with a few exceptions to the borders. The main difference is that the governments are way more stable than OTL.
IcyCaspian
Banned
Wait so does Cuba still go Communist, and does the U.S. "own" Guantanamo Bay still? did the Cuban Revolution still happen? Did the Banana Republics still exist?
Loving the timeline, but also loving the beautiful picture of the California poppy included in the last update.
Thank you! I've actually decided to switch out the original picture with one that I took a couple months ago, because I just realized I had one on hand.
Thank you!
Californian-American War
I've decided to redo this infobox because of the new population numbers and the fact that I needed to re do the years.
James Buchanan aspired to be a President like George Washington. However he was long overshadowed by his predecessor Lewis Cass, who led the United States against the successful war against Mexico. He aspired for such glory and more, so when when word reached Washington about an uprising by American settlers in the independent Republic of California, he saw his chance. in 1854, he recognized the break away Republic of Eureka and protested the Californian attempts to "rob gold miners and fortune seekers of their wealth" and openly began to call for a war. The United States, still in a nationalistic fervor following the territory gained from the Mexican Cession, mostly supported the war, except for notable anti-imperialists. However, their criticism was drowned out by the common sentiment among Americans that Manifest Destiny was not complete; since California was in the way, the country did not have enough access to the Pacific. In addition, men like William Seward, a prominent Whig, thought war would unify the country together in a time when sectionalism was rising over slavery. Besides, many thought that such a little small state with a population of only 500 thousand people would be easy to conquer...
The war began with the United States under prepared and overconfident that California would kneel over easily. Instead the well armed Californios beat back incursions by Eurekian militias and the first detachments of US Army forces., winning important battles at Monterey, Capo Sur, and Santa Cruz as well as laying siege to Ohlone. However American reinforcements from the East and better organized forces in the West forced the Californios to fall back, and California proper was invaded in December 1854. The number of American forces were so large, that the Californios rarely fought on conventional terms. Instead the Californio Army and volunteers used an unconventional tactic; first they attackedand looting American supply lines, used the terrain to mask large troop movements, and baited forces into ambushes using the stolen weapons. This strategy proved notoriously effective, especially among the inexperienced militiamen from Eureka, who died from the lack of supplies as often those killed from direct combat. However the Americans were still able to push onward and captured San Gabriel and other major cities by June 1855. However California refused to surrender, and the militia and the leadership went into hiding among a sympathetic population, turning completely to guerrilla warfare which would rage on for another year...
The last remaining Californian forces surrendered in September 1856, ending what was supposed to be a short and glorious war to fully achieve Manifest Destiny. Instead it turned into a quagmire for two and a half years, far longer than the Mexican-American War and with significantly more causalities. The war killed 6 times more men than the Mexican-American War in a shorter period, with around the same number of deaths from battle and from lack the supply. The war at first was popular, even with the setbacks, until the beginning of guerilla warfare. From then on, as the casualties mounted, opinion turned against the war and divided the country. Rumors that slavery was to be expanded to California outraged abolitionists and Whigs, further dividing the country...
While British Empire only supported California with the delivery of arms, the British government, looked to North America with concern. Twice now the revolts of American settlers was used as the pretext for an invasion by the United States. Furthermore Buchanan threw the previous treaty with California to the wind; Lewis Cass had signed that treaty along with the Oregon Treaty with the British. Authorities in Canada looked to the increasing number of American settlers in the Columbia District with a growing sense of dread...
Disgraced, James Buchanan announced that he would not stand in the 1856 Presidential Election, his dreams of glory dashed to pieces. The unpopular war saw the Whigs sweep to power under Millard Fillmore and the beginning of the break up of the Democratic Party...
James Buchanan aspired to be a President like George Washington. However he was long overshadowed by his predecessor Lewis Cass, who led the United States against the successful war against Mexico. He aspired for such glory and more, so when when word reached Washington about an uprising by American settlers in the independent Republic of California, he saw his chance. in 1854, he recognized the break away Republic of Eureka and protested the Californian attempts to "rob gold miners and fortune seekers of their wealth" and openly began to call for a war. The United States, still in a nationalistic fervor following the territory gained from the Mexican Cession, mostly supported the war, except for notable anti-imperialists. However, their criticism was drowned out by the common sentiment among Americans that Manifest Destiny was not complete; since California was in the way, the country did not have enough access to the Pacific. In addition, men like William Seward, a prominent Whig, thought war would unify the country together in a time when sectionalism was rising over slavery. Besides, many thought that such a little small state with a population of only 500 thousand people would be easy to conquer...
The war began with the United States under prepared and overconfident that California would kneel over easily. Instead the well armed Californios beat back incursions by Eurekian militias and the first detachments of US Army forces., winning important battles at Monterey, Capo Sur, and Santa Cruz as well as laying siege to Ohlone. However American reinforcements from the East and better organized forces in the West forced the Californios to fall back, and California proper was invaded in December 1854. The number of American forces were so large, that the Californios rarely fought on conventional terms. Instead the Californio Army and volunteers used an unconventional tactic; first they attackedand looting American supply lines, used the terrain to mask large troop movements, and baited forces into ambushes using the stolen weapons. This strategy proved notoriously effective, especially among the inexperienced militiamen from Eureka, who died from the lack of supplies as often those killed from direct combat. However the Americans were still able to push onward and captured San Gabriel and other major cities by June 1855. However California refused to surrender, and the militia and the leadership went into hiding among a sympathetic population, turning completely to guerrilla warfare which would rage on for another year...
The last remaining Californian forces surrendered in September 1856, ending what was supposed to be a short and glorious war to fully achieve Manifest Destiny. Instead it turned into a quagmire for two and a half years, far longer than the Mexican-American War and with significantly more causalities. The war killed 6 times more men than the Mexican-American War in a shorter period, with around the same number of deaths from battle and from lack the supply. The war at first was popular, even with the setbacks, until the beginning of guerilla warfare. From then on, as the casualties mounted, opinion turned against the war and divided the country. Rumors that slavery was to be expanded to California outraged abolitionists and Whigs, further dividing the country...
While British Empire only supported California with the delivery of arms, the British government, looked to North America with concern. Twice now the revolts of American settlers was used as the pretext for an invasion by the United States. Furthermore Buchanan threw the previous treaty with California to the wind; Lewis Cass had signed that treaty along with the Oregon Treaty with the British. Authorities in Canada looked to the increasing number of American settlers in the Columbia District with a growing sense of dread...
Disgraced, James Buchanan announced that he would not stand in the 1856 Presidential Election, his dreams of glory dashed to pieces. The unpopular war saw the Whigs sweep to power under Millard Fillmore and the beginning of the break up of the Democratic Party...
-Excerpts from Us, Americans.
The History of these United States with Sources
Volume 1: From Colonization to 1866.
The History of these United States with Sources
Volume 1: From Colonization to 1866.
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