AHC: A North American "Guarani"

The Mississippi basin interests me quite a bit as it superficially resembles the Paraná. Therefore one could create a "Paraguay" within the basin's reaches where a native based language is likely to be used by a growing mixed society. This state would have a greater area to expand into compared to other examples, so long as the east coast is divided or dominated by unstable regimes.

Yeah, I guess an unstable enough East Coast, maybe with lesser British colonisation, might be able to combine with a stronger Late Mississippian cultures and create something like this. Maybe make the severe droughts a bit less severe or something to get those stronger Mississippian cultures when European influence shows up (it might honestly be a bit hopeless with a 1400 POD barring the introduction of some new and useful crop). Now that I think of it, the Louisiana/MS region might be one of the worst for this, simply because of the role of *New Orleans in trade and the huge slave economy--Buenos Aires with massive amounts of slavery, basically. Unless, of course, you found some way to make New Orleans as minor as possible until as late in time in possible, as Buenos Aires. Or maybe New Orleans is the best place, since you could get this post-colonial, mixed society far earlier than you could elsewhere in the trans-Appalachia region.

Still, that Cherokee idea posted above might be a bit similar to what I have in mind if you don't want to put it along the Gulf. You could put in Middle Tennessee/West Tennessee if you wanted slavery to be a major part of it (and easier access to the rivers, of course). The main difference is I'd have this hypothetical nation speaking Yuchi instead of Cherokee, presumably because these Mississippians are strong enough to absorb those groups when they moved through rather than the opposite.

A Neo-Cahokian state, based out of the settlements which I believe are considered to be founded by the descendents of Cahokians after that site's abandonment, is a very cool idea, but it's also probably a bit too distant from the coast and thus really, really hard. Unless we want to set our POD back a few centuries earlier and actually give de Soto a civilisation he can conquer and impose Spanish rule (rather than just marauding through and destroying at will) and thus probably creating something that would be far more of a Paraguay-equivalent.
 
Speaking of Florida, I imagined that most of them could speak Muskogean languages, with Mobilian Jargon as the lingua franca.
Mobilian Jargon or its possible daughter languages would work perfectly for an ATL Florida or Gulf state. It could even tie in with the Mississippian idea from earlier, spreading further inland compared to OTL along the river. It may gain a substantial minority of speakers in other countries surrounding the Gulf even if only one embraces *Mobilian as an official language.

i actually had literally the exact same idea and was scrolling down to see if anyone else had suggested it.

i think there are a number of northern indigenous languages that could potentially become a national language of a part of what is now canada by being a trade language of the fur trade.... ojibwe, cree, maybe chinook??
Hmm, I'm curious which POD(s) would be best to make Chinook Jargon an official language of an independent or autonomous northwestern state. It is the westernmost possibility mentioned so far. In a world where no single power comes to dominate the region or push westward from the east, Chinook could be embraced as a national tongue to distinguish itself from its neighbors. It seems to have been really successful in its heyday considering the vast diversity of peoples who spoke it.

I know the LORAG culture you're talking about, though the name of the group escapes me. If New England is divided among multiple powers who's settlements proceed more slowly due to lighter focus or an unfavorable political climate at home, a maroon/palenque or "civilized tribe" equivalent could likely survive even without an upending new plague. I guess it is the specific details to how this occurs is the harder partt to formulate. If the situation you describe arises than any confederations or related societies encompassing the Northwest Territory mentioned by Nixon are much more viable, especially with the maroon society as an example.

I also think Central America, if it was placed in a similar situation to the way New England was described above, could see a Miskito-like Maroon state emerge. With the benefit of tropical diseases and a likely tumultuous circumstance in central Mexico (brought about by contested claims here as well) a plethora of mixed languages may develop among the common inhabitants. Each one isn't likely to have a state of its own, but at least one would remain strong enough to be a national language. Or with a later POD the Miskito Coast or a part thereof could remain an independent state, at least the size of Belize.

Central Mexico too could also wind up in a similar state if different powers arrive there at the same time. Perhaps lacking a treaty marking sphere of influence combined with a slower advance in the Greater Antilles (I'm thinking conflicts between contesting states) leads to a cold war between the various powers, with the Triple alliance, its possible successors, and other native states allying with whoever's most convenient. The political landscape would remain quite chaotic, but if no one power succeeds in dominating the whole region, a native language would likely have more staying power. This is just a very broad outline of course.

Yeah, I guess an unstable enough East Coast, maybe with lesser British colonisation, might be able to combine with a stronger Late Mississippian cultures and create something like this. Maybe make the severe droughts a bit less severe or something to get those stronger Mississippian cultures when European influence shows up (it might honestly be a bit hopeless with a 1400 POD barring the introduction of some new and useful crop). Now that I think of it, the Louisiana/MS region might be one of the worst for this, simply because of the role of *New Orleans in trade and the huge slave economy--Buenos Aires with massive amounts of slavery, basically. Unless, of course, you found some way to make New Orleans as minor as possible until as late in time in possible, as Buenos Aires. Or maybe New Orleans is the best place, since you could get this post-colonial, mixed society far earlier than you could elsewhere in the trans-Appalachia region.

Still, that Cherokee idea posted above might be a bit similar to what I have in mind if you don't want to put it along the Gulf. You could put in Middle Tennessee/West Tennessee if you wanted slavery to be a major part of it (and easier access to the rivers, of course). The main difference is I'd have this hypothetical nation speaking Yuchi instead of Cherokee, presumably because these Mississippians are strong enough to absorb those groups when they moved through rather than the opposite.

A Neo-Cahokian state, based out of the settlements which I believe are considered to be founded by the descendents of Cahokians after that site's abandonment, is a very cool idea, but it's also probably a bit too distant from the coast and thus really, really hard. Unless we want to set our POD back a few centuries earlier and actually give de Soto a civilisation he can conquer and impose Spanish rule (rather than just marauding through and destroying at will) and thus probably creating something that would be far more of a Paraguay-equivalent.
Probably something in the middle would work towards the goal. *New Orleans/Louisiana develops rather slowly allowing the Native based lingua franca and a mixed culture to further develop. The trade inland that eventually grows is dominated by the mixed society from the outset. I guess the main issue is being sure the most common language is actually indigenous in origin and not a European based creole. What's required is a relatively rapid development of this *Louisiana Métis culture while simultaneously slowing the growth of the colony. If this group can remain strong throughout the life of the colony (basically making up the bulk of its inhabitants), it likely won't loose its position after colonial rule ends. Centralized administration from *New Orleans, specifically against the language, would be the biggest threat going forward. Tolerance and encouragement of the language for nationalistic purposes would go a long way.

...

Does anyone know any possibilities for the area encompassing the American southwest, northern Mexico, or Texas? Another poster and I mentioned the remnant Pueblans, and Navajo but I wouldn't say my idea is very plausible without creating a completely different dynamic in the area from OTL. I feel the eastern coast outside of Florida/Appalachians would run into a similar problem.
 
Top