good POD for my planned novel?

I need advice on a good POD for my planned novel wherein the American Civil War begins not in 1861, but instead during James K. Polk's presidency in the 1840's. I have a crap load of research material for this, and have been planning it out for quite some time. :D

For many who have seen my writing, you may enjoy it IF I finish it that is(and I will finish it, don't worry and will even post a few chapters perhaps)

Problem is, I can't quite narrow down a realistic POD for the novel while Polk is still President. There was the whole deal with South Carolina planning to secede to preserve its honor, but that is rather flimsy. The Wilmont proviso doesn't happen until 1850, so that is out of the question. I guess you could have it pass in the Senate way before 1850, but it would be unlikely. Plus, Polk would be dead by 1849 and by that time his term was up so I can't have him still be President by 1850.

Care to help me out here?

Basically in the book Polk plays a similar role as President Lincoln. Instead of becoming famous for annexing the western half of the United States though, he instead becomes famous for leading the Union during a time of Civil War.

Then Captain Robert E. Lee will play a prominent role as a foot soldier in the war(I have a huge biography by a general who served under him in my collection, he covers the Mexican War and Civil War parts of his life period well)

There will be several POV soldier characters from either side, as well as some "surrender scenes" post-Civil War(guess who wins?)

As a final question, who here would love to see me write it? for those of you who have seen my writing("The Canadian War" and "And The Workers Arose With Their Guns"), do you think I could write it well?

cheers.
 
Why not just make it a bloodier Kansas? Have the president send in the troops and piss of the slave owners by backing the Free State government over the Slave State Government.
 
correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the Bloody Kansas affair long after Polk had died?

I need something in the 1844-49 range. preferably the nation should fall apart before the Mexican-American War.

anyways, 1) who wants to see me write this and 2) do you think I can write it well?
 
Why not just make it a bloodier Kansas? Have the president send in the troops and piss of the slave owners by backing the Free State government over the Slave State Government.

Not sure if the author could get a Kansas that early. However, Chancellorsville was pretty easy for me with "Brotherhood and Baseball," so kudos for coming up with a real challenge. And, the idea I have may allow for an earlier Bleeding Kansas as you suggest.

Here's my idea.

The POD must be before Polk's Presidency, IMO. (I hope the Union wins, I hate seeing the CSA win because of waht it would mean.) I think there would have to be some sort of buildup. So, here's an idea.

Martin Van Buren dies in early 1836. Democrats nominate John C Calhoun, to the horror of Northerns, who flock to William Henry Harrison as the Presidential choice. Harrison ws chosen becasue Northerns feared that a 2-time loser would possibly lose tot he fiery slave-owning Calhoun.

Harrison's policies aren't a whole lot different from what he planned OTL, but his quick action is able to alleviate the Panic of 1836, which begins months before the end of Jackson's term due to butterflies, mostly panicked investors. So, the Whigs win in 1840, also.

However, Calhoun is seen as one of the Democratic Party leaders, and so there is a lot more Southern agitation. Calhoun has lost two straight elections, though, so he isn't seen as a viable Presidental candidate in 1844. He still is a strong force against the Northern Buchanan, however, so Polk is chosen as a compromise.

Southerners have pushed through a Fugitive Slave Act, they have gotten Texas admitted tot he Union as a slave state, and most important, they have taken advantage of President Harrison's old age (he doesn't feel the need to speak for 2 hours with no overcoast so he doesn't die, but he *does* get rather sickly his last year or so in office) to send a bunch of settlers into Kansas, hoping to overwhelm the mumber of supporters of a free Kansas Territory.

Calhoun grudgingly supports Polk, but he insists that Polk must support the slaveholders. Polk, however, is a Jackson man, and he has a meeting with Jackson and the loser, Henry Clay, shortly before Jackson's death in which Jackson admonishes them not to let Calhoun have one inch of space with which to destroy the Union. (This could make a very nice early scene in your book.)

Thus, when Polk refuses to accept popular sovereignty in the territories, agitators push for war - and receive it, as South Carolina and then others secede.
 
correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the Bloody Kansas affair long after Polk had died?

I need something in the 1844-49 range. preferably the nation should fall apart before the Mexican-American War.

anyways, 1) who wants to see me write this and 2) do you think I can write it well?

I hope you like my idea; I'll read yours if the Union wins and slavery ends (You can PM me about that:D) but only if you promise to please read mine, too.:D

I think you coudl write it very well. I hope you like my idea.
 
thank you for that well thought out information. I will continue to brainstorm ideas though. I have made up my mind to spend at least a year or more on the research part before I write.

I have been borrowing from the library/buying books galore on the Civil War + a Polk/Jackson biographies/books on the Mexican-American war(I believe the Polk one is A Nation of Vast Designs and the Jackson one is called American Lion)

I have letters of correspondence, A excellent biography on Robert E. Lee(that clearly outlines his views on slavery and such) American Civil War strategy battle books, Books on Sherman and day to day affairs of army brigade soldiers(Sherman is not useful for what I'm doing, but it will give me a good idea of the hardships faced in the South due to lack of supplies).

And I have yet to read a single book save the Polk book.

I guess I have to get reading then. Wish me luck!
 
correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't the Bloody Kansas affair long after Polk had died?

I need something in the 1844-49 range. preferably the nation should fall apart before the Mexican-American War.

anyways, 1) who wants to see me write this and 2) do you think I can write it well?

What I meant was why not just have it after Polk. Why is the Polk presidency so important? Wait is is called "Slow Polk"? If so you have my full support.
 
Okay, here's an idea. The Secession crisis of 1828 is worse then OTL and South Carolina secedes. Jackson raises an army and crushes the rebellion. The small war lays seeds of mistrust and dissent in South Carolina. The problem is that the South Carolinians would have supported the annexation of Texas and the Mexican-American War because it would have allowed for the spread of slavery. So what if Tyler isn't able to pass the draft for the annexation of Texas and Polk comes into office with no war on his hands. No War, means no gold from California, which affects the US economy negatively. Instead, Polk goes to war with Britain over the Oregon Country. From there I don't know what.
 
Maybe the U.S. tries to claim all of Mexico and has to levy all kinds of taxes, institute the draft, etc. to hold it?

This makes a lot of people angry, although a lot of them would be in the NORTH.
 
Woa, slow down. All excellent suggestions, yet the point is to find a way for Polk to be president and result in an American Civil war before his untimely death in 1849.

The reason for why Polk being so important is because in real life most people seem to have forgotten who Polk was. He has been watered down in U.S history textbooks, treated as a footnote in history.

I want to write a (professional) published novel wherein Polk becomes famous for a different reason. He becomes the great emancipator.

Thus, in my alternate history, he never does annex Texas/the whole of the western United States. I'd love to put a part in my novel set in 2011 where Mexico still reigns over the western half of what in OTL is the western United States.

It was suggested by DTF955Baseballfan to have the Union win. I have thought about and agree.

The scene I'd love to write that has been floating around in my head for awhile:

Captain Robert E. Lee returns home after surviving a Pickets Charge-style battle, and in a state of depression, muses how the South's cause is all but lost. He tells himself how someday the South shall rise again, before the novel ends.

does that sound like a good ending?

I also like the idea of Mexico clandestinely sending supplies to the C.S.A in order to prevent in the future a U.S annexation of Texas. When they find out however...

all in all I have been pouring many hours into this, filled with sleepless nights. I have been daydreaming about getting published for a long time now.
 
The problem is that the Mexicans don't actually have control over Texas. So, Texas remains independent and you can bet that rebels from the *Confederacy will escape to Texas and settle in Northern Mexico. Also having the US gain Oregon can definitely be key to the situation. More free states.
 
Exactly it was a Republic, yet the Mexicans don't want an America victorious in the Civil War to in the future annex it. Oh and good plot point-if I ever wrote a sequel it could be about the Confederates living n exile in Texas/northern Mexico or something like that.

I'll have to work out the story as I spend that year researching the gritty details. wish me luck!
 
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