DBWI: Rhode Island ratifies the US Constitution

As we all know, Rhode Island rejected the US Constitution several times, eventually declaring itself an independent Republic. When the United States under President Jefferson tried to annex Rhode Island in 1804, (which I've read on your typical conspiracy-theory websites was supposedly a ploy to get more support in the next elections) Rhode Island appealed to Britain for help. Britain promptly sent a large part of their army, which was instrumental in the foundation of the Confederation of New England, which proved to be one of Britain's closest allies up until the Second Great War in the 1950s.

But, what would have happened if Rhode Island had ratified the Constitution to begin with? I mean, it's obvious that in the short term, Britain won't have the opportunity to reclaim some of its North American territories, but could they try later, perhaps in the 1820s? Oh, and if Rhode Island ratifies the Constitution, is there still a possibility of it un-ratifying it later? I mean, if there ever was a hotbed of anti-Americanism, it's got to be Rhode Island.

Alternatively, what would happen if Britain was tied up in another struggle in 1804? Say, against France? The US would have obviously successfully annexed Rhode Island, but would they have been able to keep it, or would there have been too much resentment?

So, yeah... Thoughts? Comments? Questions?
 
Honestly, I can see no way for Rhode Island to ratify the US Constitution. At the time, RI was pretty much doing well for itself - particularly with the industrialization working in its favour. Even with the Bill of Rights, that was essentially too little, too late from a Rhode Islander's point of view.

1804 was what pretty much sealed the deal (honestly, if you tried sending a flotilla up Narragansett Bay, at least put some effort into it - and not have a stop on Block Island because that was a bad location), so after 1804 is pretty much ASB. Before 1804, I'm not sure.
 
If RI does go in for Union, that probably nixes the British intervention in 1804. I don't know about you, but I'm certain that Nelson's fleet would have seen some action against the French and Spanish in 04-05. Not sure how that may have changed things. Other possible Napoleonic effects, with the British not distracted by an American adventure?
 
If the US had Annexed RI they probably would have just kept going. We all know what they were like when Spain looked weak.
 

birdboy2000

Banned
If RI joins the union, Vermont will probably follow; there was a large pro-American party there until they started bullying Rhode Island. Then you have New England united under American domination, with ten senators between them (who will probably vote as a bloc - it could be fourteen if Massachusetts divides up as in OTL but it's hard to see that when Massachusetts isn't the 800-pound gorilla of the union.) and a disproportionate and enormous effect on US domestic politics. Unification will probably mean more western migration from New England, and the west will have a much more Yankee character. Expect more evangelical tendencies, a stronger abolitionist movement, and a more Anglophile US, too, but beyond that it's hard to say.
 
As we all know, Rhode Island rejected the US Constitution several times, eventually declaring itself an independent Republic. When the United States under President Jefferson tried to annex Rhode Island in 1804, (which I've read on your typical conspiracy-theory websites was supposedly a ploy to get more support in the next elections) Rhode Island appealed to Britain for help. Britain promptly sent a large part of their army, which was instrumental in the foundation of the Confederation of New England, which proved to be one of Britain's closest allies up until the Second Great War in the 1950s.

But, what would have happened if Rhode Island had ratified the Constitution to begin with? I mean, it's obvious that in the short term, Britain won't have the opportunity to reclaim some of its North American territories, but could they try later, perhaps in the 1820s? Oh, and if Rhode Island ratifies the Constitution, is there still a possibility of it un-ratifying it later? I mean, if there ever was a hotbed of anti-Americanism, it's got to be Rhode Island.

Alternatively, what would happen if Britain was tied up in another struggle in 1804? Say, against France? The US would have obviously successfully annexed Rhode Island, but would they have been able to keep it, or would there have been too much resentment?

So, yeah... Thoughts? Comments? Questions?

Well to be honest, there might still be a Republic of New England later on..........particularly if an equivalent of the Commerce Act of 1840 should run into any serious problems. Otherwise, I don't know what else could happen.
 
Anything to prevent Rhode Island from experiencing the horrors of the Lovecraft regime would be nice, but I'm just not sure joining the US is plausible.
 
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