This is just a very rough concept; I'm wondering if it seems semi-plausible, and what anyone things might make it more plausible/interesting. I'm hoping for a timeline that leads to a smaller United States--yet just as powerful.
The small but powerful USA
The Louisiana Purchase doesn’t happen; only New Orleans and vicinity are bought. This begins a tradition of territorial acquisition based on what the country needs, not what’s simply there for the taking.
Americans still move into Texas, and Texas becomes the Republic of Texas in short order. In time, Texas joins the Union. And, in time, the USA still goes to war with Mexico, securing the Texas boundary at the Rio Grande. California succeeds from Mexico, and at the peace treaty ending the US-Mexican war, the USA makes California’s independence stick—the beginning of a long and friendly relationship between the countries.
The Civil War still happens, perhaps a bit earlier or later, but it happens—tensions about slavery could perhaps be prevented—but in this case, aren’t.
Texas didn’t succeed, and had its own mini-civil war, but the Unionists prevailed.
Aft4er several biter years of war, both sides were exhausted, and war weariness led the Union to offer a deal, based on the status quo at the time. It was clear that, with more time, the USA would be able to dismember the CSA—but it was questionable if there was sufficient will to do so.
The peace terms could be considered harsh, but the alternative to them was the total conquest of the CSA. Additionally, the threat of treason trials for CSA officials and high ranking officers was hinted at.
The final terms gave the Union ownership of much of the territory it held at the time, which included several major cities, as well as Louisianna. (Current plan for American enclaves include Jacksonville, Tallahassee, The Florida Keys, and Norfolk, Virginia—and possibly Charlestown, SC. Sufficient land surrounding the cities was attached to them to ensure a good defensive perimeter and room for expansion.
The CSA also had to pay for the Federal facilities commandeered before the war. Facilities taken in battle were not required to be paid for.
The terms left the CSA free, but broke.
As the North began freeing slaves, the south clamped down on the black population. Of course, this led to more former slaves seeking to escape, either to the north or to what became known as “The Free Cities,” the American enclaves in Dixie. Although they are not free cities in the traditional meaning, the term has come to mean American enclaves in CSA territory.)
People that wanted to move to the CSA were allowed to—and anyone that was a US citizen before the war had to swear allegiance to the USA or depart. Plantations within the free city zone were confiscated.
Incoming blacks—including former soldiers—caused the free cities to swell enormously. Knowing that they would have more motivation to defend the USA than anyone else, blacks were allowed—and encouraged—to remain in the army. Colored regiments were stationed in all the free cities and Louisiana. (Some of the colored troops, along with their white officers, were massacred after surrender by the Rebels.)
The CSA was allowed to arm, but limited by treaty in the size of its armed forces. The nation was free, but would never be allowed to be a serious danger to the United States.
The years after the war saw the industrialization of the USA, and a war with France resulting from the French support of Maximillian’s regime. That war saw the US Navy quickly humiliated—although the American invasion of Mexico in the second Mexican War was sufficient to see the Habsburgs ousted from power. The USA took a nice corridor west of the Mississippi, about 100-200 miles west of the river, finally connecting Texas and Louisiana to the rest of the nation. French passage from the Missouri river to New Orleans was granted in the treaty.
From then until the Great European War, the United States Navy was no longer allowed to languish, keeping a small, but up to date, force ready—until the situation in Europe stated to get serious. Then, new battleships were built, new large cruisers, and an underwater force to go with it.
When war in Europe was looming, the possibility of it expanding to North America was ever present, but President XXXXXX averted it. He informed the European powers that North America was not a battlefield, and that American ships were expected to retain the rights of neutrals. In a gesture aimed at enforcing this doctrine, he made an offer to the CSA: If the CSA stayed neutral—rigorously neutral—then Confederate merchant ships would be treated as American ones. In return, the CSA would close its ports to any foreign power that violated CSA or American neutrality. And—if the CSA didn’t stay neutral, the United States would take appropriate action.
With neutrality backed up by American battleships, the USA made out well selling anything to anyone that wanted to buy. By war’s end, the Pound Sterling was no longer the world’s currency—the American dollar was.
In the years between the War of Southern Succession and the Great War, the USA was very firm about keeping Europe out of the Americas, enforcing the Monroe Doctrine as much as possible. Rather than allow a European power to build a canal, the United States negotiated for, and began building, a canal in Central America.
By the time of the Great War, the CSA was no longer totally impoverished—but the citizens’ good standard of living was on the backs of poor farmers and, especially, the black population. There were also great barriers around the Free Cities to prvent an excess of refugees from escaping.
The USA had a program in place for refugees. If they had the wherewithal to become gainfully employed, then they were set. If not, there was a job/education program to assist them in getting on their feet—but it involved benefits that were phased out over time. The idea was to get them working, helping build a better country, not draining from it.
At the time, the franchise was limited in some ways, depending on states. When people became nervous about paupers voting, some states passed laws, soon becoming quite popular: To vote, you had to pay more in taxes (by a penny, minimum) as you received from public aid.
Just a VERY rough concept…
Thoughts appreciated...
The small but powerful USA
The Louisiana Purchase doesn’t happen; only New Orleans and vicinity are bought. This begins a tradition of territorial acquisition based on what the country needs, not what’s simply there for the taking.
Americans still move into Texas, and Texas becomes the Republic of Texas in short order. In time, Texas joins the Union. And, in time, the USA still goes to war with Mexico, securing the Texas boundary at the Rio Grande. California succeeds from Mexico, and at the peace treaty ending the US-Mexican war, the USA makes California’s independence stick—the beginning of a long and friendly relationship between the countries.
The Civil War still happens, perhaps a bit earlier or later, but it happens—tensions about slavery could perhaps be prevented—but in this case, aren’t.
Texas didn’t succeed, and had its own mini-civil war, but the Unionists prevailed.
Aft4er several biter years of war, both sides were exhausted, and war weariness led the Union to offer a deal, based on the status quo at the time. It was clear that, with more time, the USA would be able to dismember the CSA—but it was questionable if there was sufficient will to do so.
The peace terms could be considered harsh, but the alternative to them was the total conquest of the CSA. Additionally, the threat of treason trials for CSA officials and high ranking officers was hinted at.
The final terms gave the Union ownership of much of the territory it held at the time, which included several major cities, as well as Louisianna. (Current plan for American enclaves include Jacksonville, Tallahassee, The Florida Keys, and Norfolk, Virginia—and possibly Charlestown, SC. Sufficient land surrounding the cities was attached to them to ensure a good defensive perimeter and room for expansion.
The CSA also had to pay for the Federal facilities commandeered before the war. Facilities taken in battle were not required to be paid for.
The terms left the CSA free, but broke.
As the North began freeing slaves, the south clamped down on the black population. Of course, this led to more former slaves seeking to escape, either to the north or to what became known as “The Free Cities,” the American enclaves in Dixie. Although they are not free cities in the traditional meaning, the term has come to mean American enclaves in CSA territory.)
People that wanted to move to the CSA were allowed to—and anyone that was a US citizen before the war had to swear allegiance to the USA or depart. Plantations within the free city zone were confiscated.
Incoming blacks—including former soldiers—caused the free cities to swell enormously. Knowing that they would have more motivation to defend the USA than anyone else, blacks were allowed—and encouraged—to remain in the army. Colored regiments were stationed in all the free cities and Louisiana. (Some of the colored troops, along with their white officers, were massacred after surrender by the Rebels.)
The CSA was allowed to arm, but limited by treaty in the size of its armed forces. The nation was free, but would never be allowed to be a serious danger to the United States.
The years after the war saw the industrialization of the USA, and a war with France resulting from the French support of Maximillian’s regime. That war saw the US Navy quickly humiliated—although the American invasion of Mexico in the second Mexican War was sufficient to see the Habsburgs ousted from power. The USA took a nice corridor west of the Mississippi, about 100-200 miles west of the river, finally connecting Texas and Louisiana to the rest of the nation. French passage from the Missouri river to New Orleans was granted in the treaty.
From then until the Great European War, the United States Navy was no longer allowed to languish, keeping a small, but up to date, force ready—until the situation in Europe stated to get serious. Then, new battleships were built, new large cruisers, and an underwater force to go with it.
When war in Europe was looming, the possibility of it expanding to North America was ever present, but President XXXXXX averted it. He informed the European powers that North America was not a battlefield, and that American ships were expected to retain the rights of neutrals. In a gesture aimed at enforcing this doctrine, he made an offer to the CSA: If the CSA stayed neutral—rigorously neutral—then Confederate merchant ships would be treated as American ones. In return, the CSA would close its ports to any foreign power that violated CSA or American neutrality. And—if the CSA didn’t stay neutral, the United States would take appropriate action.
With neutrality backed up by American battleships, the USA made out well selling anything to anyone that wanted to buy. By war’s end, the Pound Sterling was no longer the world’s currency—the American dollar was.
In the years between the War of Southern Succession and the Great War, the USA was very firm about keeping Europe out of the Americas, enforcing the Monroe Doctrine as much as possible. Rather than allow a European power to build a canal, the United States negotiated for, and began building, a canal in Central America.
By the time of the Great War, the CSA was no longer totally impoverished—but the citizens’ good standard of living was on the backs of poor farmers and, especially, the black population. There were also great barriers around the Free Cities to prvent an excess of refugees from escaping.
The USA had a program in place for refugees. If they had the wherewithal to become gainfully employed, then they were set. If not, there was a job/education program to assist them in getting on their feet—but it involved benefits that were phased out over time. The idea was to get them working, helping build a better country, not draining from it.
At the time, the franchise was limited in some ways, depending on states. When people became nervous about paupers voting, some states passed laws, soon becoming quite popular: To vote, you had to pay more in taxes (by a penny, minimum) as you received from public aid.
Just a VERY rough concept…
Thoughts appreciated...