AHC: Pacific states of America

The Civil War seems a bit late for a sudden emergence of Pacific nationalism. The idea of making all of Oregon independent had been around for a while, though. Jefferson envisioned a "Republic of the Pacific", to be the home of a "great, free and independent empire", populated by American settlers, but separate from the United States politically and economically.

In May of 1843 the European settlers in Oregon established a Provisional Government. Several months later the Organic Act (5th of July 1843) was drawn up to create a legislature, an executive committee, a judicial system and a system of subscriptions to defray expenses. George Abernethy was elected the first (and only) Provisional Governor, but the opposing faction led by Osborne Russell favored Independence. Russell proposed that the Oregon Territory not join the United States, but instead become the Pacific Republic that Jefferson had imagined.

So. Suppose Oregonian nationalism is just a little bit stronger from the outset. A minir change in the 1810s or 1820s would be enough for that. Come 1843, Russell (or some similar pro-independence leader) is elected, and Oregon opts to remain independent. It is not divided between Britain and the US, but becomes a separate nation. To prevent each other from annexing the whole, Britain and the US agree to both recognize Oregonian independence, and not to annex the country or to interfere with it.

As for California: well, the people there might just be inspired by the Oregonian success. The California Republic is established in 1846, and simply... doesn't join the US right away. Doesn't rule it out, but wants to consider the options. And hey... one of the other options is forming an alliance with Oregon. That might just be a good idea. And eventually, that alliance could become a union...

...called the Pacific States of America.

There you go. :)
 

FDW

Banned
Depends on what kind of POD you're talking about here. It might be more doable if it's either a native state (meaning an independent development of agriculture), or an Asian state (meaning Colonization by a state in East Asia).
 
Here's an ass-pull:

During the Napoleonic Wars, Britain acquires a portion of Alta California whose southern border extends west from Monterey Bay to the Rio Grande. This territory, combined with the Oregon Country, comes to be known as the British Pacific. The region remains lightly populated until the discovery of gold in 1830, whereupon it is inundated with Yankee prospectors, along with hordes of Irish, Chinese, Mexicans, and Mormons.

In 1850, a revolt in San Francisco spreads north to Portland and Vancouver, eventually leading to de facto independence of all British territory south of the 52nd parallel north. Americans in San Francisco establish the "Pacific States of America", and hope for eventual annexation to the United States. The Whig-controlled US government, fearful of provoking war with Britain, refuses to even recognize the PSA. This outrages Democrats, slave-owners, and other advocates of Manifest Destiny. In 1851 the southern states secede and form a confederacy advocating the annexation of the PSA as a slave territory and the formation of the Transcontinental States of America (TSA).

In 1852 the congress of the PSA votes to join the TSA, though a majority of the population opposes an alliance with the Slave Power and prefers Pacific independence. A British blockade isolates the Pacific from maritime commerce, resulting in a period of isolation and economic stagnation. In the mountainous interior there is scattered fighting with Union troops, in which Mormons play a major role as allies of San Francisco.

In the east, an alliance of the USA and Britain gradually wears down the slave states. By 1853 the tide has turned against the south. Britain, hoping to end the war by political means, offers independence to the PSA in exchange for a free trade agreement and a constitutional prohibition on annexation. The Pacific elections of 1854 result in a pro-treaty majority, which votes to sever relations with the slave states and draft a new Pacific Constitution, enshrining free soil and "perpetual independence" as central tenets of the republic.

With the TSA dissolved, the slave states negotiate an end to the war and a restoration of the union. According to the Compromise of 1855, the United States Constitution is amended to prohibit both the abolition and the expansion of slavery.

The PSA develops a close economic and military alliance with Britain. Divided from the United States by the Rocky Mountains, and possessing large numbers of Chinese, Mexicans, and Mormons, it soon develops a very different cultural identity, distinct both from the United States and from the remainder of British North America.

1855compromise.PNG
 
Needs to be more specific. DC would never let them go peaceably.

While the concept of Manifest Destiny was prevalent, there was also the thought of many of the time that the Rocky Mountains were a natural border to represent the western end of the United States. Somehow I believe Sen. Thomas Hart Benton was part of this group.

I also believe that Henry Clay envisioned the west shared by the US and an independent Texas and California.
 

TFSmith121

Banned
Push it back farther - have an independent California republic

arise from a stronger Californio "liberal revolt" in 1836, which itself stemmed from California's status as a territory, rather than a department, in the Mexican Constitution of 1824, as well as secularization of the missions...

1836 (rather than 1846) allows for involvement and support by US citizens and interests, but at a time the "Californios" were still strong enough to (presumably) form a criollo elite, since it predates the Gold Rush emigration by a significant period; it also predates the conflicts between the US, Britain, and Russia over the Oregon Country and their various outposts; most importantly, the US border is far enough away in 1836 that a Republica de Alta California probably has a decade or more to gell as a homogenous and "free" society, as required under the Mexican Constution (which doesn't mean the survivors of the indigenous tribes still don't get indentured; this is not that a-historical).

Although having said that, if Alvarado et al are willing to come to terms with Estanislao et al in return for support against the central Mexican government and their loyalists (such as it, and they, were in 1836), the end result may be a slightly more tolerant society than historically, and a "California" that looks more like Peru than Chile, for example.

If the Californios are smart, and willing to accept both the "indios" initially, and are then open to emigrants from both (former) Spanish America, the U.S., and Europe, no matter their religion, in the long run, they can (possibly) both grow the population and keep it in balance between the (various) "sending" states, so they avoid a situation like Texas (or the Transvaal, later in the century).

When the Anglo-American conflict over the Oregon Country comes to a head, if the Californios side with the US, their independence is strengthened, and their boundaries may grow to the north; likewise, if a Mexican-US war breaks out over the Texas-Mexico border and the Southwest, if the Californios again side with the US, their independence is presumably assured, and the Republic's boundaries may grow to the east; which means that if the geopolitical situation is relatively stable in the mid-1840s, to the point that the Republic can possibly absorb the tremendous demographic changes the Gold Rush brings.

If the Republic sides with the US in the Civil War, sending troops (and specie) east, then the basic situation of large power and a smaller "allied" regional one (akin to Australia and New Zealand, presumably) is in place for the remainder of the Nineteenth Century, and presumably the Twentieth. Economic integration would follow (a transcontinental railroad being the obvious initial project), as would diplomatic (not political) integration/allignment, and I could see a mutual defense treaty being signed and honored very early (Nineteenth Century, even), but political integration would remain a concept of political scientists.

The end result will be that the 20th Century "Republic of California" is very much part of the US "sphere", but Spanish will remain an official language, and the "Rancho" mythos (Ramona, Zorro, etc.) will be as much a part of Californio cullture as cowboying is in Texas.

If the above series of events comes off, there are all sorts of potential butterflies, including where the Republic's boundaries are drawn; probably not the entire Pacific Coast, but something different than the historical US state boundaries. If (and it is a big if) the Californios reach into the Pacific, it is possible that Hawaii becomes part of the Republic's territory, for example.

There is the possibility of something closer to the elements of the Argentine-Chilean relationship here as well; it might not be as friendly as Australia-New Zealand, but still stop short of hostilities.

Interesting possibilities to consider.

Best,
 
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