Suppose the American Revolution was crushed, Britain wins and puts its colonies in line. This would probably mean there would be a large military occupation, and the leaders of the revolution would be executed. This ends the revolution. Assuming that technological and industrial levels of America are a bit more advanced because of continual ties with Great Britain. Could a Sucessful war of independance be achieved by the American colonies in 1848?
American Revolution 1848
- Thread starter IchBinDieKaiser
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Hm, it seems a fairly large assumption to say that the 1848 revolutions happen as per OTL, though.
Thande
Donor
Yeah, for a start, if the American Revolution is defeated that will significantly alter the character of the French Revolution - for example, in OTL Thomas Paine was in France and was influential in the Rights of Man; in TTL there might be countless other founding fathers living there in exile who might be important.
And the 1848 revolutions are ultimately predicated on the character of the French Revolution and what happens in the ensuing wars.
Interesting idea though...
Whatever makes the Americans revolt will play a large part in what happens. Butterflies aside for the moment, say its abolition. The British abolished slavery in something like 1830 from what I remember. So either they make a special case for the Americans -being heavily agricultural in the south and that being a major part of the Empire's economy- until around or in 1848 when they force the Americans to likewise free their slaves, or maybe they abolish slavery in America at the same time and the resentment explodes in 1848. Well, with that, you're probably only going to have the South still with slaves and hence the South is going to be the only region with an axe to grind. Hence, its only a regional effort and I'm going to posit it'll collapse rather quickly. Taxes as an issue enough to push rebellion would likely get all Americans, but I don't know as if the Americans could pull it off and I don't know why the British would need to tax the Americans heavily. Hell, in the OTL the increase that led to revolution wasn't heavy, it was just that the Americans were used to paying near no taxes at all so when they did get taxed, they went into a tantrum (and this is from an American).
Only thing I can think of that would spark a Revolution in America in 1848 is the election. Even then it's a big stretch as the US is just coming off a victorious war with Mexico.
One of the big issues in the election was the expansion of slavery into the Western territories.
Now, two things would need to happen in order for some rift to be exploited. Zachary Taylor doesn't run. He was getting rather old at the time, so maybe it's plausible?
So say Henry Clay gets the Whig nomination again. Likely would've happened if Taylor wasn't involved. Then the Democratic Party splits between Van Buren and Calhoun.
Now have Van Buren win and proclaim that slavery won't expand at all, which naturally angers the South. Calhoun and South Carolina proclaim seccession followed by the Deep South... maybe?
I'm stretching it a lot here... but hey I tried.
One of the big issues in the election was the expansion of slavery into the Western territories.
Now, two things would need to happen in order for some rift to be exploited. Zachary Taylor doesn't run. He was getting rather old at the time, so maybe it's plausible?
So say Henry Clay gets the Whig nomination again. Likely would've happened if Taylor wasn't involved. Then the Democratic Party splits between Van Buren and Calhoun.
Now have Van Buren win and proclaim that slavery won't expand at all, which naturally angers the South. Calhoun and South Carolina proclaim seccession followed by the Deep South... maybe?
I'm stretching it a lot here... but hey I tried.
I think you missed the part of there being no USA prior to an 1848 rebellion. There is not going to be a Mexican-American War or a presidential election in 1848, and policy decisions regarding slavery will be made primarily in London. Clay, Taylor, Van Buren, Calhoun et.al. will be serving sovereign & and realm elsewhere -- or rebelling against them.
Okay. How about when the British Empire abolishs slavery in the Empire that means the Americas too. Then later, near 1848, a Tax on exporting goods to foreign nations is placed. I think this would get all the colonies angry enough to revolt.
I dont think this is going to necessarily be a popular revolution in the vein of the 1848 revolutions as you seem to be trying to go for, but abolition combined with a sudden form of imperial preference might (if done despite colonial objections) be enough to spark a revolt.
But a key question is what happens to end the American revolution that we knew. Was it stillborn, say with Samuel Adams overplaying the aftermath of the Boston Massacre? Was there a political settlement, with American MPs or devolution of certain powers or some other solution? Or was the British supremacy maintained by occupation? Because how and why there is no American revolution is very important in understanding the makeup of the colonies nearly 75 years down the road.
This is a very rough timeline, but my PoD is the Americans loosing the Battle of Saratoga, therefore not getting support from the French. Benedict Arnold is captured during the battle and executed afterwards for treason against the Empire. By 1780, after a long loosing streak, Washington is Finally captured in New York. He is executed along with all the members of the Rebelling Government.