AHC: USA - United States of Anarchy

Send the US into a state of anarchy/warlordism.

PoD from when?

1788 - Shays waits until the failure of the Philadelphia Convention (since no Shays' Rebellion to push for a stronger central government) before rising up in 1788 (PoD 1). Shephard decides to wait for War Sec Henry Knox's position to arm his militia (PoD 2), and thus loses the Springfield Armory to Rebels, who march on a defenceless Boston, causing massive damage along the way.

1789 - Massachusetts pleads for aid from other states, but none is forthcoming since nothing compels the other states to help. Bostonians make their own militia and destroy the rebels, who flee into New Hampshire and Vermont. Massachusetts angrily demands the return of rebel leaders. New Hampshire and Vermont say no (as in OTL). With the increased destruction of Shay's Rebellion causing emotions to run high, Boston is not about to countenance a refusal.

1790 - Massachusetts makes a secret pact with New York (which has claims) and both states set out on an expedition to 'apprehend rebel leaders', aka invade Vermont. Congress demands the states back down due to Article 6 discouraging states from forming subnational groups. Massachusetts, having received no help from Congress during Shay's Rebellion, rejects the demand as does New York. Congress declares both states in rebellion and calls for a national army to be raised (fleeing to Philadelphia in the process to avoid the Governor of New York's wrath).

1791 - Massachusetts and New York partition Vermont between them and the former also occupies New Hampshire. The impotence of the Congress is evident to all. Nobody is willing to stay on a sinking ship - the other states nominally agree to contribute forces/cash to defeat the rebellion, but in reality all states contribute regiment-sized forces (colonels are nominated by state legislatures) and argue that they need to spend money on their own militia. The US is united in name only.

1792 onwards - armed with their own forces, states start pursuing their own vendettas. 'Collection of war debts' becomes a very common pretext for invasion, second only to border 'adjustments'. White refugees flee across the Appalachians, creating small white colonial states (like reverse bantustans) in their wake. Native rebellions do not get quashed and Native American bantustans are created on what is left. Inevitably given the vicissitudes of state politics, some militia colonels will coup their state government, sparking off messy civil wars that devolve power even further.

The valleys of Appalachia, being comparatively poor and easily defensible, become prime areas to set up rebellious/independent governments - in this way, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Virginia and Maryland eventually get Balkanized. A slave-and-plantation based state eventually emerges along the Virginia-Georgia coast, its main rival being a New York City that has also taken over northern New Jersey (and is constantly at war with Philadelphia) and a Boston that lords it over the coast of New England and under semi-British protection. Appalachia is a mess and the Ohio/Tennessee/Cumberland valleys are no better. Congress withers away and dies, much like the Roman Senate it so aspired to.

France, Spain and the UK continue to control their own colonies in the Americas and tut-tut smugly at these foolish rustics, who thought they could strike it out without the firm guiding hand and benevolent tutelage of enlightened European monarchs.
 
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