Loving the TL so far. I'm especially curious as to what's going on in the US with their monarchy and everything. Could we perhaps get an update on the US since we've been focused on Europe and the happens there? Keep up the good work! Here's hoping we get to see a long lasting Bonaparte France!
Empire of Freedom: The History of the American Empire
- Thread starter Kaiser of Brazil
- Start date
I was just wrapping up the European situation, hopefully we can cross the Atlantic back to Philadelphia now.
XXXV: THE PEOPLE’S MONARCH
XXXV: THE PEOPLE’S MONARCH
Emperor Thomas I
Emperor Thomas I
The period between the end of the Civil War and the rise of Andrew Jackson as a political figure is seen by many historians as a period of calm in American History, with the Empire mostly staying uninvolved on foreign affairs, and also a period of growth with the arrival of the Industrial Revolution. The truth is that it was a period of profound social changes, with the creation of the American Imperial Church that would guide the spirituality of most the Americans, the arrival of industrialization that would change the work relations and cities of America, and the changes that Thomas I would give to the figure of the Monarch and it’s place in American society.
Between 1809 and 1825, the industrial output in America would receive a boom provided by the effects of the war and protectionist tariffs. The restrictions to foreign markets due to the blockade and the sharp rise in the demand for clothing and weapons would see the rise of American industry. The market would react to that demand by the rise of textile industry in New England and New York, only to suffer a terrible shock in the form of the southern secession, cutting the Empire from the rising cotton industry, except for Louisiana. Only after the war could the industry access southern markets again, albeit under heavy tariffs, while adopting the factory system, centralizing work in a single location, and the greatest example of the first American Industrial boom was the creation of the Eire Canal, connecting the Great Lakes and the Hudson River, allowing easier access from Minnesota and Northern Canada to New York.
Meanwhile, American society was also experiencing a religious revival, spearheaded by evangelical priests across the nation during the 1810s and 1820s. Baptist and Methodist priests would roam across the nation in a Grand reaction against the skepticism and hopelessness of the enlightenment and the war. This surge of moralism and religious fervor would be used by Emperor Thomas I who, on the Easter of 1818, would create a official church for America. The American constitution at first didn’t have any mention of an official church, until George Washington met with Hamilton on the night before the draft was finished, threatening him of refusing the crown if it wasn’t specified that the American Empire was a “Christian Nation”. It was using that wording that Thomas would rally a crowd in the City of Columbia (which was still under reconstruction), showing up during a Baptist cult to make his call. The Emperor spent 9 years ever since the Battle of Richmond studying the Bible and Protestant writings, dwelling deeply into God’s teachings to prepare the “Perfect Doctrine”, an evangelical branch of Christianity known as “American Protestantism” would be born that night, with Thomas’ charisma and fervor converting the first thousands followers, including even the Priest. On the next day, he would meet Prime Minister Henry Clay, winning another follower who would work tirelessly to sell the idea to other congressmen and senators. On the 18th of May of 1818, the “Imperial American Church” (IAC) would be declared the State Church by an Imperial decree, with it barely passing a Parliamentary veto, with the Emperor as the Head of the Church.
Charlotte Bonaparte was the daughter of the Hungarian King Lucien I, Napoleon’s brother, marrying Thomas in 1817, being known to be a kind and generous woman, with Thomas’ first son John being born on the 1st of December of 1818, and his second son Thomas on the 8th of June of 1821.
Beautiful, beautiful update. It makes me feel happy that the empire is still doing well.
I'm trying to remember, which nations are now ruled by Bonapartes? Obviously France and apparently Hungary. I've been reading a few Napoleon TLs lately so I've kinda gotten them mixed up with this one.... If I remember correctly, didn't the American Civil War end up with an independent Southern republic led by Jefferson? I'll have to reread certain updates. Anyways, great update!
I can see it now. Baptists vs Americanists (Or Thomasites, or Imperialists, or whatever they will be called.)
Heh heh, I see you threw in a couple references to Columbia for me. 
It's nice to see the monarch trying to shore up goodwill to regular people with charity and goodwill for sure, but I'm extremely curious on any differences the Imperial Church has versus other Protestant sects since I doubt very much it's as different from any other Christian subdivision as Mormonism is. I'm also pleased as punch the Erie Canal's been made. The entire north's now indisputably connected to one another, that's going to be a hell of a boom.
Any cities that have different names versus OTL outside of Washington becoming Columbia? You could probably have Cincinnati become "Washington" based on Fort Washington there being a major fortress and to let Washington have a major burg in the nation since I doubt the Society of the Cincinnati exists (also because I'm a sucker for more straightforward Anglo names and less classical ones in any America )
It's nice to see the monarch trying to shore up goodwill to regular people with charity and goodwill for sure, but I'm extremely curious on any differences the Imperial Church has versus other Protestant sects since I doubt very much it's as different from any other Christian subdivision as Mormonism is. I'm also pleased as punch the Erie Canal's been made. The entire north's now indisputably connected to one another, that's going to be a hell of a boom.
Any cities that have different names versus OTL outside of Washington becoming Columbia? You could probably have Cincinnati become "Washington" based on Fort Washington there being a major fortress and to let Washington have a major burg in the nation since I doubt the Society of the Cincinnati exists (also because I'm a sucker for more straightforward Anglo names and less classical ones in any America
)Imperialists surely does sound like how church members should be called. They are “Americanists”.
Next episode we are going south, to see Jefferson attempting to make his utopia only to have the dreams shattered by slavers. We will also see what happens when slavery becomes the centerpiece of a state later on. On the other hand we can see Ituribe leading loyalists against Bolivar.
Augustin Iturbide was a good general, but I am afraid bolivar was a bit better (I'm rooting from monarchy, of course)
last admiral
Banned
So the Bonapartes will now have the American royal family part of their blood. Napoleon would be proud!
XXXVI: MASTER AND SLAVE
MASTER AND SLAVE
“For all Americans have the sacred right of property, and as such, the right to own, trade and transport a slave shall not be infringed.”
-Article 7th of the Republican Constitution
“For all Americans have the sacred right of property, and as such, the right to own, trade and transport a slave shall not be infringed.”
-Article 7th of the Republican Constitution
When Alexis de Tocqueville, the famous French writer, came to America in 1831, he would find a sharp contrast between North and South. He would write: “The American Republic, calling themselves bastion of liberty and champion of justice in the world, resembles more a Feudal State of old. Plantation owners are the Feudal lords, marrying their children off to inherit lands and fielding personal levies to hunt slaves and terrorize local towns. And the slaves are the new serfs, working in cotton farms that give us, Europeans, our clothes, but the Serfs would be terrified if they saw the conditions the slaves are under. For me, it is clear that this republic that started as an utopian idea of a brilliant man, has degenerated into the worst side of humankind.”
Jefferson would be the first President of the Republic, between 1808 and 1811. He would start the nation destined to be “All that the hated Empire failed to be”, a country of freedom, equality, and justice. His dreams would be shattered still in 1809, when the realities of the American South would hit him, as the new rising planter class expanded cotton farms thanks to the invention of the cotton gin, they desired to protect their future interests. Jefferson’s ideas of a weak central government with a rural America would meet a perfect match in the south, but that same combination now turned against him by giving him a weak presidency that was tied to a Constitution made in a closed doors meeting by the Presidents of each “Republic” (as the Commonwealths were now called). On the following morning, Jefferson would receive the final draft of the constitution and was forced to sign it on the 10th of November of 1809, and while it guaranteed the freedom of religion, speech, arms, and press, it would also include the infamous article 7, guaranteeing the freedom to buy and own slaves. On the next 2 years, he would see the decline of the dream he once had, with the Congress divided between 2 parties that were essentially equal and represented the same planter elite: The Confederate Party and the Democratic Party. The weak presidency was unable to have a minimal control over the acts of congress, with the Presidency being essentially a rubber stamp for congress laws. On the 24th of May of 1811, with his spirit broken by the downfall of his utopian republic, Thomas Jefferson would resign and live the rest of his days in his farm, disenchanted by two nations.
For the next years, the United American Republics would become more corrupt, with bribes becoming a norm in politics and dirty schemes would be made to fraud elections in a massive scale. The interest of the farmers would come first, with the Republic greatly expanding in its production, by 1840, it supplied a third of the world’s cotton supply. Only landed men were able to vote, ensuring a consistent profile of the presidency and congress, with Democrats and Confederates essentially taking turns in power each 4 years, all while expanding the institution of Slavery. In 1819, the “American Colonial Society” would be founded and received official government funds to colonize the African coast, settling in a region called “Liberia”, where hundreds of thousands of blacks would go through the ports of “Harrisonville” (in honor of the President and War Hero of the Independence War) from all Western Africa to the plantations in Georgia, Virginia and others. Liberia would become the world’s largest importation center of slaves, with its own plantations being created.
One of the issues the Republic had to deal with were the Natives, the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole tribes would harass the Republic for over a decade until President Harrison (1819-1825) would find a solution in the South, in the swamps of Florida. Harrison would then sign the “Indian Removal Act”, transferring the tribes to the region South of the Everglades and creating the “Indian Territory” composed of roughly half of southern Florida. It is estimated that the forced transfer and diseases killed about 12,000 natives.
Further south, the Spanish Empire was fighting a brutal war in Colombia and Peru to keep control of its colonies, leaving many of its holdings with undermanned garrisons, including the Island of Cuba. Using the argument of “Freeing the Cubans from Spanish tyranny”, 26,000 Republican troops under General Zachary Taylor, invaded Cuba on the 18th of June of 1821. The Cuban War was short, as the Spanish Navy was still crippled from Trafalgar, it was mostly a fight of the URA against the local garrisons. The Spanish tried to send an army to invade the URA, but the American Empire (aligned with Napoleonic France) would refuse access to Louisiana. The two sides would reach an agreement 3 months later, with Cuba being given to the URA as a territory, in return the URA would promise to cut support to Bolivar’s rebellion. Cuba would grow to be essentially the world’s largest real estate, with plantations of sugar and tobacco being given to the family of General Taylor (The general confiscated the plantations of the island during the war, with the Congress merely recognizing that and awarding them). The Taylors would essentially rule the island through puppet Presidents and congress, owning over a hundred thousand slaves and becoming one of the most influential republican families, with 3 presidents being Taylors.
Economically, the Republic depended on the exports of Cotton, especially to Britannia, it’s closest partner who gave a blind eye to the slavery to prop up its textile industry and have a loyal ally in North America after the loss of Canada.
1 in every 3 people of the Republic were slaves, and that generated an ever-present fear of a slave rebellion similar to the Haitian one, where the slaves would kill their landlords and take over the farms. This paranoia contaminated the minds of the elites, motivating brutal punishments in an attempt to instill fear in the slaves, but it only served to anger them. And as the century would reach its half, the republic would pay the price when a slave called Nathan Turner, with the help of Northern abolitionists, was the sparkle that would burn the cotton fields of the URA.