AH Challenge: American Revolution Reign of Terror

Glen

Moderator
IOTL, there were some unfortunate bouts of violence against Loyalists during the ARW, but by and large the nation settled down after the ARW.

Here, your challenge is to have more radical elements of the American Revolution come into power enough to start a Reign of Terror somewhat akin to that of the French Revolution.
 

HueyLong

Banned
It would require the conflict to be more wide-ranging socially. More entrenched landholders or merchant monopolies would be a start.
 
You'd probably also need a more centralized colonial government. To have a wide spread Reign of Terror in the loose Confederation would strike me as unlikely.

(OT:Hello there AH.com. :p)
 

Thande

Donor
You'd probably also need a more centralized colonial government. To have a wide spread Reign of Terror in the loose Confederation would strike me as unlikely.
Exactly. There was a fair amount of backlash against landed Loyalists after the war was lost in OTL, but it wasn't state-organised - there wasn't a state to organise it!

The individual colonial governments could have tried, I suppose, but that wouldn't produce anything comparable with the French Reign of Terror.
 

Glen

Moderator
Exactly. There was a fair amount of backlash against landed Loyalists after the war was lost in OTL, but it wasn't state-organised - there wasn't a state to organise it!

The individual colonial governments could have tried, I suppose, but that wouldn't produce anything comparable with the French Reign of Terror.

True, all true, but that might be a way to have it start. In fact, get a few of the most powerful states really riled up, and they might insist on a trans-state Committee of the Revolution to deal with those pesky Loyalist sympathizers crossing state lines to avoid deserved retribution, since there's no central authority 'up for the job'.

I will accept a decentralized Reign of Terror, just so long as it is particularly bloody and eventually drunk on its own power (even if only regional power).
 

Glen

Moderator
Ooh, oooh! Part of the reason you might have a decentralized Reign of Terror implode would be when Committees of Public Safety (or whatever the mechanism is called) in different states start citing rival Committees in other states as threats to the Revolution!:cool:
 
Here, your challenge is to have more radical elements of the American Revolution come into power enough to start a Reign of Terror somewhat akin to that of the French Revolution.

What about an ARW the previous century? Say a storm in 1688 wrecks William of Orange's fleet, and it takes a further decade of civil war to dethrone King James. In the meantime, Governor Andros is trying to enforce ever higher taxes, backer up by ever fewer ships and soldiers. Soon the Revolution comes, led by the Rev. Increase Mather...
 
A lack of landed nobility and catholic or protestant hierarchy was the main reason that there was no bloody backlash during the ARW. Most wealthy landowners had earned their property through business and not centuries long inheritance, and the religion of the colonies was more personal and diverse (almost the exact opposite of 1789 France).
 
Simple.

Have the British abandon all of North America to the rebels. With no easy place for the Loyalists to emigrate to, they stand and fight the rebels.
 

Glen

Moderator
What about an ARW the previous century? Say a storm in 1688 wrecks William of Orange's fleet, and it takes a further decade of civil war to dethrone King James. In the meantime, Governor Andros is trying to enforce ever higher taxes, backer up by ever fewer ships and soldiers. Soon the Revolution comes, led by the Rev. Increase Mather...

A lack of landed nobility and catholic or protestant hierarchy was the main reason that there was no bloody backlash during the ARW. Most wealthy landowners had earned their property through business and not centuries long inheritance, and the religion of the colonies was more personal and diverse (almost the exact opposite of 1789 France).

Simple.

Have the British abandon all of North America to the rebels. With no easy place for the Loyalists to emigrate to, they stand and fight the rebels.

Interesting ideas, but not quite on point with regard to this AH Challenge. Keep trying, though, guys!
 
OOC: The nation had too many problems at that early stage to go cracking down on anyone, especially since a lot of the loyalists left America after the war anyways.
 

Glen

Moderator
OOC: The nation had too many problems at that early stage to go cracking down on anyone, especially since a lot of the loyalists left America after the war anyways.

I'm not saying you are wrong, metalstar, but remember, this is not a 'WI' but rather an Alternate Hsitory Challenge. It makes not a whit of difference to say that the challenge is improbable, we know that, its what makes it a challenge.

The real question is, can you find some plausible pathway to meet the challenge....
 
It would require the conflict to be more wide-ranging socially. More entrenched landholders or merchant monopolies would be a start.

I dunno.

By 1779 and 1780, tensions were flaring. Washington warned about how the excesses of the elite were going to doom the Revolution, and there were riots in Philadelphia. It's not too hard for me to see this spiralling out of control.
 

Glen

Moderator
I dunno.

By 1779 and 1780, tensions were flaring. Washington warned about how the excesses of the elite were going to doom the Revolution, and there were riots in Philadelphia. It's not too hard for me to see this spiralling out of control.

Interesting. What did Washington say?
 
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