Dominion of Southern America - Updated July 1, 2018

[Glen]

Wow! a *lot* fewer presidents in TTL. In OTL, we got to number 18 in 1869 (Grant). Only one assassination, and nobody dying in office of illness.

Yep. IOTL, in the same period, there were four deaths in office, two of natural causes (one rather freakish one at that - dying of pneumonia from your inauguration) and two from assassinations (one a direct result of the US Civil War, which was absent ITTL). I would argue that the 'normal' attrition should have been about two, of which we're one shy. But hey, sometimes things work out that way!

 

[Glen]

And about half of presidents has served two terms and there is very stabil party system. In OTL lasted many decades before current party system of US had formed.

Yes - in fact it was somewhat of a tradition that the president served two terms, no more, no less, up until the mid 1800s (the party out of office didn't usually run their strongest candidates against the incumbant, and given America's relative peace and prosperity, no one felt particularly like rocking the boat - it was the no incumbant elections that were really hard fought by both parties. This trend some might say was broken by the assassination of Tullis, as after that it became more expected that presidents might only serve one term, and especially when the Panic of 1881 turned everything on it's head people wanted results and turned out anyone not providing them.

As for the stability of the party system in the USA, I will provide one name (or lack thereof) - Andrew Jackson.

 

[Glen]

I think it's time for a Quebec separatist movement (one that's eventually successful) - just to make things more interesting. There's not much exiting happening in the USA.

First, let me congratulate you on posting this thread's 4000th post!

Second, no, there's no Quebec separatist movement, and especially none that would succeed. Might as well wish for a Louisiana separatist movement IOTL. Quebec is one of the original states in the Union and is deeply embedded in the fabric of the nation.

As for excitement, we do have the Indian Wars in the West....

 

[Glen]

This post will place us even with Decades of Darkness in number of posts - so who among you will place us over the top?

 

[IchBinDieKaiser]

This post will place us even with Decades of Darkness in number of posts - so who among you will place us over the top?

It will be I.

 

[Abhakhazia]

It will be I.

And I will give us a more comfortable lead.

 

[Glen]

It will be I.

Don't you mean 'Ich'?

 

[Glen]

And I will give us a more comfortable lead.

Thanks for the assist!

 

[Glen]

We are now the second largest thread in Before 1900 in terms of posts, and the third most viewed. Thank you to all my great posters and viewers for their role in making this a top, active timeline at AH.com!

 

[naraht]

As for the stability of the party system in the USA, I will provide one name (or lack thereof) - Andrew Jackson.

I'm not sure that removing Andrew Jackson is the key to keeping a stable party system, I think removing the War of 1812 (when the Federalist Party completely screwed itself up) is much more necessary.

 

[Glen]

I'm not sure that removing Andrew Jackson is the key to keeping a stable party system, I think removing the War of 1812 (when the Federalist Party completely screwed itself up) is much more necessary.

Oh, I agree - I just thought that answer was fun (though to be truthful, Jackson was certainly a big wildcard in the party formation of the nation). In the DSA timeline the War of 1812, indeed any analogue of it, is averted.

 

[naraht]

Oh, I agree - I just thought that answer was fun (though to be truthful, Jackson was certainly a big wildcard in the party formation of the nation). In the DSA timeline the War of 1812, indeed any analogue of it, is averted.

So the USA-DSA border by 1900 looks a lot like the USA-Canada border of the same time...

Also, *pretty please with sugar on top* tell me that the USA and the DSA use the same rail gauge...

 

[Glen]

So the USA-DSA border by 1900 looks a lot like the USA-Canada border of the same time...

Yes - it is my AH exception to the 'no straight borders' rule.

Also, *pretty please with sugar on top* tell me that the USA and the DSA use the same rail gauge...

Sorry but they do not. The US has a standardized rail gauge for major lines. The DSA uses a range of different ones, though the predominant one is the 'Imperial' standard. There are a number of moderate sized cities on the USA/DSA border that owe their existence to being at a change-over point between USA/DSA for rail transport.

 

[Glen]

So the USA-DSA border by 1900 looks a lot like the USA-Canada border of the same time...

Also, *pretty please with sugar on top* tell me that the USA and the DSA use the same rail gauge...

The DSA is actually a little bit more standardized than I recalled, but it is still on a different standard from the USA. The development of rail gauge standards are found here.

 

[Falastur]

Sorry but they do not. The US has a standardized rail gauge for major lines. The DSA uses a range of different ones, though the predominant one is the 'Imperial' standard. There are a number of moderate sized cities on the USA/DSA border that owe their existence to being at a change-over point between USA/DSA for rail transport.

Please tell me that the Imperial standard is Broad Gauge? I have somewhat of a strong dislike for Standard Gauge.

 

[Glen]

Please tell me that the Imperial standard is Broad Gauge? I have somewhat of a strong dislike for Standard Gauge.

Please expand - give precise gauge measures in your discussion.

 

[naraht]

The DSA is actually a little bit more standardized than I recalled, but it is still on a different standard from the USA. The development of rail gauge standards are found here.

Why then in OTL did the Canadians end up on the same gauge as the US?

 

[naraht]

Yes - it is my AH exception to the 'no straight borders' rule.

By looks like, I don't mean straight, I mean the general level of lots of people cross the border, customs are a little different, almost zero military on the border, etc...

BTW, what does your average European think about the fact that ITTL, the United States has managed to avoid *any* war for over a century. (Are the wars displacing the Indians in the USA more bloody or less than OTL?)

 

[Glen]

Why then in OTL did the Canadians end up on the same gauge as the US?

You tell me.

 

[FleetMac]

Let me say that this TL is one of the most comprehensive, interesting and entertaining ones I've read on this site by a large margin. One thing that I've tried to figure out though is why Virginia remained part of the US instead of joining the other Southern states (sorry, provinces) in the DSA. Is that just due to a stronger desire to be independent short of anything else?

Other than that, I love this TL; the Great War has been a ton of fun to read, and I get a kick out of the little cultural entries you've put in here and there