Anglo-American Rivalry - US presidential election

[oshron]

hey, all. once again, im exploring possibilities for Anglo-American Rivalry.

now, i'll have to explain a bit of this first, but there's not much.

• in terms of american presidents, the first POD is that Hamilton kills Burr during their duel instead of the other way around; due to butterflies, Hamilton gets elected in 1808 instead of Madison, but only serves one term
• i decided to simply push Madison's presidency back one term as a consequence of the Hamilton presidency, but if this is too implausible, then i'll revise it
• as part of Anglo-American Rivalry, the War of 1812 lasts four years longer than IOTL; in 1814, when Washington is burned down by British soldiers IOTL, its instead captured and Madison is actually taken prisoner (but now executed) in the occupied White House. he stays in British custody until 1818 when the capital is retaken, but this means that he's still president through the 1816 election. i decided that the election is postponed because of the war and Madison's incarceration (James Monroe is acting-president during much of this time, as Elbridge Gerry dies in office and Monroe was secretary of state). however, does anyone else think this is plausible or otherwise reasonable? the capital is also completely occupied at the time the election WOULD occur. i decided that they just call off the election and Madison unofficially maintains his presidency while captive, and after the capital is retaken, he's allowed to finish his term up to the 1820 election
• i currently have it set that Monroe is elected afterwards, but after the longer war and Monroe's de facto presidency already, is this plausible? what other democrat--or federalist--could take over after Madison otherwise?

 

[IchBinDieKaiser]

Interesting idea, but does the war of 1812 have to start in 1812? A Hamilton Presidency would be far friendlier to the British than one of Madison in the 1808-1812 period, making the chances of war less likely.

Plus IOTL the political career of Burr was ruined by his duel with Hamilton, and Hamilton's political and economic ideas were seen as vindicated due to his apparent martyrdom. So I would think that if Hamilton won the duel with Burr, his political career would be ruined and Burr's political and economic ideas would receive historical vindication.

 

[oshron]

a fair point. i could always revise it so that hamilton wins the duel, but burr survives

alternatively, hamilton could be elected earlier (before the greater animosity towards the british) and butterfly the duel away entirely. though i had kinda wanted jefferson to be president then, sort of to ensure the louisiana purchase, though i guess that that doesnt really require a jefferson presidency, since it was monroe and livingston who actually arranged it; the first POD is September 4 1783 (with few/no immediate and apparent changes) but the War of 1812 is where its really supposed to start diverging. changes beforehand are really minor ones that i made just to set up the hatred between the two, such as a historical fire that destroyed detroit being blamed on british canadians by paranoid americans and the british feeling snubbed when washington decides to accept an ambassador from revolutionary france

 

[IchBinDieKaiser]

Actually you would probably had a better chance of Hamilton becoming President if the duel didn't occur at all and then have Burr and Madison split the Republican vote in 1808, allowing Hamilton to with with the Federalists.

 

[oshron]

sounds good to me. the duel's out then. what do you think would be some immediate changes due to hamilton's presidency? i also kinda want to keep the war starting in 1812 (or perhaps starting a little later the same year due to butterflies) so that it coincides with the napoleonic wars as ive already written up (i actually dont want to change much that ive written up to 1820 because it would just be extra work )

 

[IchBinDieKaiser]

sounds good to me. the duel's out then. what do you think would be some immediate changes due to hamilton's presidency? i also kinda want to keep the war starting in 1812 (or perhaps starting a little later the same year due to butterflies) so that it coincides with the napoleonic wars as ive already written up (i actually dont want to change much that ive written up to 1820 because it would just be extra work )

The Embargo Act of 1807 needs to be more strictly enforced, causing more disdain from northern states who rely on trade with England. Hamilton and whoever would be his V.P. could win the election against Burr and Madison, provided that they are not both on the ticket and are instead splitting the Democratic-Republicans votes.

The first action of a Hamilton Presidency would be to repeal the embargo act. For him to have just a single term you would need for the US to take several embarresments from the British or others abroad. Under Hamilton the US might go back to paying tribute to the Barbary Pirates. It was done under Adams and Adams did it because every European Nation did it and it would make the US more accepted by Europe. Hamilton would also have to give in to several demands of the British. Or another possibility is to have the US enter into the Napoleonic Wars on the side of the British but with a huge public backlash against it, causing Hamilton to lose in 1812. This can all happen simultaneously while Hamilton allows the British to keep impressing American ships.

When Madison or Burr (either would work in this scenario) are elected to the Presidency, they begin undoing what Hamilton did, possibly re-instate the embargo act. Then when British ships attempt to impress an American vessel, the Americans refuse, a fight brakes out, one of the two ships is sunk, the side that had its ship sunks declares war, and there you have an Anglo-American war in 1813.