How many countries are possible in the Americas?
- Thread starter wtw
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Skallagrim
Banned
With a POD that's early enough, you can have a completely different colonisation of the Americas. If you want to keep it vaguely recognisable, however, there are still many ways to produce lots and lots more countries than we see in OTL. I don't know enough about Latin American history to offer the best suggestions there, but as for the USA and Canada:
- Suppose for some reason the USA falls apart soon after gaining independence. In another thread, I've argued that this is rather unlikely, and that it would in any case most likely end up in three or four regional unions/confederacies... but suppose some internal conflict really drives the states apart, and you end up with truly divided states. Even in that case, I really think New England would form a union of some sorts (it just makes so much economic sense!), so that's ten states instead of one USA.
- These ten states will most likely keep their western claims, so there will be conflict (perhaps armed) over OTL's Northwest Territory. New England will be far removed, so their claims are theoretical, but Pennsylvania and Virginia will likely fight over the territory. They may end up dividing it. (On a less momentous note, New York probably keeps the Erie Triangle.) There will be no Kentucky, Tennessee etc. -- except as provinces of one of the relevant states.
- I don't see these divided states working together to conquer large parts of Mexico. Maybe not even New Orleans, since that would mostly just be a boon to Georgia, which would presumably annex it (because it keeps it western claims and stretches to the Mississippi). So why would other states spill blood to conquer it?
- But later on, California (possibly involving a much larger area than the OTL state) might well declare its independence from Mexico anyway. This is no given, but since we're going for as many states as possible... why not?
- Likewise, Texas and Floridia - probably having taken in settlers from Georgia - might also declare their independence (later than in OTL, and remaining as independent countries).
- If you want to get really original, Georgia doesn't want either Texas or Florida to control New Orleans, and they don't want each other to have it, so the area surrounding the city becomes a neutral state-- Louisiana. The aforementioned countries are treaty-bound to protect Louisiana's neutrality and independence, as long as Louisiana grants passage to all civilian trade.
- Up north, the lack of a USA to act as a threat might well forestall the unification of British North America. You might well see it ending up as three distinct countries: a far western country on the Pacific, a truncated 'Canada', and a 'Union of the Maritimes' in the east.
- Later on, why not have Quebec succesfully become independent?
- Not to mention the fact that Russia retains Alaska, because there is no USA to buy it. (Let's suppose that the British and the Californians are unwilling to invest in such a purchase in this ATL.)
...by my count, I have added 17 new countries to North America. I'm sure that if you get creative, you could make alterations to the scenario to allow for more. (The New England Civil War! Long live the Glorious Republic of Vermont!)
- Suppose for some reason the USA falls apart soon after gaining independence. In another thread, I've argued that this is rather unlikely, and that it would in any case most likely end up in three or four regional unions/confederacies... but suppose some internal conflict really drives the states apart, and you end up with truly divided states. Even in that case, I really think New England would form a union of some sorts (it just makes so much economic sense!), so that's ten states instead of one USA.
- These ten states will most likely keep their western claims, so there will be conflict (perhaps armed) over OTL's Northwest Territory. New England will be far removed, so their claims are theoretical, but Pennsylvania and Virginia will likely fight over the territory. They may end up dividing it. (On a less momentous note, New York probably keeps the Erie Triangle.) There will be no Kentucky, Tennessee etc. -- except as provinces of one of the relevant states.
- I don't see these divided states working together to conquer large parts of Mexico. Maybe not even New Orleans, since that would mostly just be a boon to Georgia, which would presumably annex it (because it keeps it western claims and stretches to the Mississippi). So why would other states spill blood to conquer it?
- But later on, California (possibly involving a much larger area than the OTL state) might well declare its independence from Mexico anyway. This is no given, but since we're going for as many states as possible... why not?
- Likewise, Texas and Floridia - probably having taken in settlers from Georgia - might also declare their independence (later than in OTL, and remaining as independent countries).
- If you want to get really original, Georgia doesn't want either Texas or Florida to control New Orleans, and they don't want each other to have it, so the area surrounding the city becomes a neutral state-- Louisiana. The aforementioned countries are treaty-bound to protect Louisiana's neutrality and independence, as long as Louisiana grants passage to all civilian trade.
- Up north, the lack of a USA to act as a threat might well forestall the unification of British North America. You might well see it ending up as three distinct countries: a far western country on the Pacific, a truncated 'Canada', and a 'Union of the Maritimes' in the east.
- Later on, why not have Quebec succesfully become independent?
- Not to mention the fact that Russia retains Alaska, because there is no USA to buy it. (Let's suppose that the British and the Californians are unwilling to invest in such a purchase in this ATL.)
...by my count, I have added 17 new countries to North America. I'm sure that if you get creative, you could make alterations to the scenario to allow for more. (The New England Civil War! Long live the Glorious Republic of Vermont!)
Perhaps you have one power dominate North America earlier on say around the 1500s-1600s, the same rate that Spain grabbed hold of South America minus Brazil), and so the other European powers decide to gang up on them and divvy up the spoils. Say France grabbed all the East coast, but then is forced to give Newfoundland to Sweden, New England to, well, England, everything from Maryland to Georgia to the Netherlands etc. Then those diverging colonies each gain their independence in turn.
Countries that you can divide at least in two:
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, México, USA, Canada, Cuba, Bahamas, and the list goes on and on...
I think that you are being conservative, I can see even 20 little countries here.
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, México, USA, Canada, Cuba, Bahamas, and the list goes on and on...
I think that you are being conservative, I can see even 20 little countries here.
Limited to a POD after the American Civil War (and excluding things like balkanisation of the US), there's still tons of possibilities. Assuming you don't mind the majority of them being Caribbean countries established during decolonisation.
Actually, the easiest countries to add to the Americas would be more Caribbean countries, just change the history of various OTL Caribbean nations, or alternatively, carve them out of Latin American countries. Best examples of this would be the Bay Islands (Honduras), San Andrés (Colombia), Margarita (Venezuela), Corn Islands (Nicaragua), and the Miskito Coast (Nicaragua), if you consider Belize a Caribbean nation (which is culturally is). The island of Cozumel also seems like a good potential colony if someone (probably Britain) seizes it from Spain.
An interesting potential for the Caribbean is to have the US and Britain, or even better, Britain, France, and the Netherlands, end up on opposite sides of a war, leading to the US basically annexing the whole Caribbean. From there, get a decolonisation movement or some other sort of movement that could gain enough strength that the US recognises the independence of every Caribbean country, but places them under an agreement like the Compact of Free Association as with the OTL Pacific countries. This could mean that very small islands with regional movements like Saba and Nevis, as well as of course current non-independent states like Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, would technically be independent states. I don't know if you do that with a POD in late 1865 though.
Actually, the easiest countries to add to the Americas would be more Caribbean countries, just change the history of various OTL Caribbean nations, or alternatively, carve them out of Latin American countries. Best examples of this would be the Bay Islands (Honduras), San Andrés (Colombia), Margarita (Venezuela), Corn Islands (Nicaragua), and the Miskito Coast (Nicaragua), if you consider Belize a Caribbean nation (which is culturally is). The island of Cozumel also seems like a good potential colony if someone (probably Britain) seizes it from Spain.
An interesting potential for the Caribbean is to have the US and Britain, or even better, Britain, France, and the Netherlands, end up on opposite sides of a war, leading to the US basically annexing the whole Caribbean. From there, get a decolonisation movement or some other sort of movement that could gain enough strength that the US recognises the independence of every Caribbean country, but places them under an agreement like the Compact of Free Association as with the OTL Pacific countries. This could mean that very small islands with regional movements like Saba and Nevis, as well as of course current non-independent states like Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, would technically be independent states. I don't know if you do that with a POD in late 1865 though.
Well...
You can start by breaking up the big ones.
The United States, if the South wins and causes a chain reaction; or if inter-state fighting tears the Union apart by issues beyond slavery (The Republic of Vermont can be claimed as part of one of it's neighboring states and that can spark a low-grade civil war early on amongst Northern States, for example).
Canada can be never formed and just end up as soon-to-be-independent-dominions.
Mexico, Brazil and Argentina can come undone by rthe right crisis at the right time. The Civil Wars that ravaged all three can result in them breaking up with the right PoD (Mexico can lose Yucatan, Texas, California, New Mexico, Rio Grande, Chihuahua, etc until only the State od Mexico and some few other core states are left; Brazil can lose Rio Grande do Sul, Grao Pará and that, in turn, makes the Amazon ingovernable; for Argentina, the provinces can easily collapse as they had very strong autonomist sentiments and clear ideolofical differences between the northern and central provinces, not to mention they ALL hated Buenos Aires).
The Peru-Bolivian Confederacy can also have a worse collapse and result in both North Peru and South Peru to break out from each other.
Alaska vecomes independent.
The Miskito Kingdom also remains independent.
All three Guyanas and the whole Caribbean are decolonized.
You can have over twice as many independent American nations with the right tweaks.
You can start by breaking up the big ones.
The United States, if the South wins and causes a chain reaction; or if inter-state fighting tears the Union apart by issues beyond slavery (The Republic of Vermont can be claimed as part of one of it's neighboring states and that can spark a low-grade civil war early on amongst Northern States, for example).
Canada can be never formed and just end up as soon-to-be-independent-dominions.
Mexico, Brazil and Argentina can come undone by rthe right crisis at the right time. The Civil Wars that ravaged all three can result in them breaking up with the right PoD (Mexico can lose Yucatan, Texas, California, New Mexico, Rio Grande, Chihuahua, etc until only the State od Mexico and some few other core states are left; Brazil can lose Rio Grande do Sul, Grao Pará and that, in turn, makes the Amazon ingovernable; for Argentina, the provinces can easily collapse as they had very strong autonomist sentiments and clear ideolofical differences between the northern and central provinces, not to mention they ALL hated Buenos Aires).
The Peru-Bolivian Confederacy can also have a worse collapse and result in both North Peru and South Peru to break out from each other.
Alaska vecomes independent.
The Miskito Kingdom also remains independent.
All three Guyanas and the whole Caribbean are decolonized.
You can have over twice as many independent American nations with the right tweaks.
All states getting independence is a bit unplausibe.
At least we have (from the bottom to the roof): Rio Grande do Sul (that maybe includes Santa Catarina), Brazil (consisting of the South-East and Center-West, as well as Paraná, Rondônia and Tocantins), Bahia, "Equador" (the other Northeastern states) and Grão Pará (the North plus Maranhão). From those we may have Santa Catarina as its own republic, the Center-West as Mega Goiás, Minas Gerais, São Paulo and Maranhão as potential break-away states. Maybe the Northeastern Republic could disintegrate like the UPCA, but I'm unaware of Central American history to make comparisons. So we have 5-10 republics, could be interesting how "Portuguese America" could turn out, particularly Grão-Pará, with a three-way dispute between them, Colombia and Peru for the Amazon region.
I suppose if Manifest Destiny hadn't taken hold of the United States. What if the Settlers moving westward had formed Jefferson's many republics to the Pacific. You have the US with everything east of the Mississippi with maybe a settler-republic on the Missouri, another out toward Colorado, one further south with Texas, maybe even a functioning Native American Sequoyah. Assuming they aren't butterflied per say then we have the Mormons out in Utah and the Mojave with the possibility of a British Columbia +Snake River Basin and a Spanish Speaking California-Southwest.
Maybe if the Burr Conspiracy had been an actual and successful thing it could have formed a precedent.
Maybe if the Burr Conspiracy had been an actual and successful thing it could have formed a precedent.
Depends on how early your PoD is, as was said. For different PoDs you could do different nations. Here's some possibilities I've always envisioned for the US and Canada:
Pre Independence PoD:
-New Netherlands
-New Sweden
-Puritanical Massachusetts/Connecticut/Rhode Island
-Vermont
-Spanish Florida
-New France/Louisiana territory
-Scottish North America (Nova Scotia or Carolinas/Georgia)
Texan Independence/Mexican War PoD:
-California
-Northern and Southern California
Civil War PoD:
-CSA
-Black Belt Nation-State (Mississippi, Alabama)
-Post-Russian Alaska
Multiple/other PoDs:
-New England
-Cascadia
-Texas
-Quebec
-Newfoundland/Labrador
-NYC City-State
-Native American nation states
As for South America, Brazil and Argentina have had a history of small rebellions in different sections of the country that easily could have Balkanized them. I'm trying to go to bed now but tomorrow I'll throw out a couple ideas I had for South America. Same for Mexico.
Just found this too, which might give you some more ideas OP: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_separatist_movements
Pre Independence PoD:
-New Netherlands
-New Sweden
-Puritanical Massachusetts/Connecticut/Rhode Island
-Vermont
-Spanish Florida
-New France/Louisiana territory
-Scottish North America (Nova Scotia or Carolinas/Georgia)
Texan Independence/Mexican War PoD:
-California
-Northern and Southern California
Civil War PoD:
-CSA
-Black Belt Nation-State (Mississippi, Alabama)
-Post-Russian Alaska
Multiple/other PoDs:
-New England
-Cascadia
-Texas
-Quebec
-Newfoundland/Labrador
-NYC City-State
-Native American nation states
As for South America, Brazil and Argentina have had a history of small rebellions in different sections of the country that easily could have Balkanized them. I'm trying to go to bed now but tomorrow I'll throw out a couple ideas I had for South America. Same for Mexico.
Just found this too, which might give you some more ideas OP: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_historical_separatist_movements
The OP doesn't specify when is the POD, we can change the colonization patterns making Brazil be colonized by many powers that doesn't even need to exist IOTL, like Sweden, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, England, Italy, Ireland, France, Britanny...
Here's my idea for an ATL Americas, both north and south:
- Native American nation-states (actually mixed):
- Athabaska (OTL Alaska, Yukon and Northwest Territories)
- Cascadia (OTL central-southern British Columbia and Washington north of Columbia River)
- Oregon
- Rupertland/Creeland
- Michigan
- Abenaki (OTL Maine)
- Iroquios (OTL western New York)
- Shoshone (OTL southern Idaho)
- Numic (OTL northern Arizona)
- Oklahoma
- Sioux Country (OTL Montana)
- Anasazi (OTL northern New Mexico)
- (Mississippian-speaking) Florida
- Jesuit State of Paraguay (OTL Paraguay and Mato Grosso du Sul)
- Anglophone America
- New England
- United States of America
- State of Deseret (OTL Utah and Nevada)
- Texas
- Confederate States of America (Dixieland)
- Jamaica
- Barbados (OTL Barbados and Amapa)
- Francophone America
- Canada (OTL Quebec, Maritime Provinces and eastern Ontario)
- Louisiana
- Antilles (OTL West Indian countries)
- Guianie
- Hispanic America
- Chichimeca (OTL Southwest USA and northern Mexico)
- United Mexican States
- Central America
- Cuba
- Quisqueya
- Puerto Rico
- Colombia
- Venezuela
- Ecuador
- Peru
- Bolivia
- Chile
- Argentina (Uruguay included)
- Patagonia
- Portuguese America
- Brazil
- Sergipe
- Amazonas
- Maranhao
- Dutch America
- New Netherland
- Surinam
- Berbice (OTL eastern Guyana)
- Essequibo (OTL western Guyana)
- Germanophone America
- Pennsylvania
- Minnesota
- New Volga (OTL North Dakota)
- Anabaptistland (OTL South Dakota)
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Perhaps the Constitution is rejected, and the U.S eventually splits into its States, which eventually form into Republics of their own. Many Americans still head West and carve out their own independent States, with other Europeans and Natives gaining control of the Southwest and other parts of the country. A list of possible North American Nations could include:
Anglophone:
-Newfoundland
-New England
-New York (possibly including New Jersey)
-Pennsylvania
-Virginia (in some sort of confederation with Maryland and Delaware, including Kentucky and a few points West)
-North Carolina (including Tennessee and possibly a few points West)
-South Carolina
-Georgia (including OTL Alabama and Mississippi)
-Florida (taken over by American immigrants, Spanish minority)
-Ohio (including Lower Peninsula, Indiana, Northern Illinois)
-Wisconsin (including Upper Peninsula, parts of Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa)
-Nebraska (much of Great Plains)
-Texas (not including Southernmost part of State, some parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico)
-Oregon (British Commonwealth though mostly settled by Americans, all of Oregon territory)
-California (independence from Mexico in 1850s, owns Nevada, Baja, parts of Arizona too)
-Colorado (OTL state and mountainous area)
"Anglophone":
-Alaska (mix of Russian and English, British Commonwealth, seized by Britain from Russia)
-Louisiane (elite French but English common in backcountry, part of Arkansas)
--Canada (OTL Canada except Newfoundland and West Coast)
Native:
-Around 4 corners area, conglomeration of Natives from across the country.
-Comanche State in Northern Mexico/South Arizona and New Mexico
-Ojibwe State North of Lake Superior and in Northern Minnesota.
-First Nations under British "control" in Northern Canada
Spanish States:
-Republic of Rio Grande (North Mexico not under Comanche control)
-Yucatan
-Mexico (or what's left)
-Puerto Rico
Everything else is roughly OTL. North America now has more Nations than Europe.
Anglophone:
-Newfoundland
-New England
-New York (possibly including New Jersey)
-Pennsylvania
-Virginia (in some sort of confederation with Maryland and Delaware, including Kentucky and a few points West)
-North Carolina (including Tennessee and possibly a few points West)
-South Carolina
-Georgia (including OTL Alabama and Mississippi)
-Florida (taken over by American immigrants, Spanish minority)
-Ohio (including Lower Peninsula, Indiana, Northern Illinois)
-Wisconsin (including Upper Peninsula, parts of Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa)
-Nebraska (much of Great Plains)
-Texas (not including Southernmost part of State, some parts of Oklahoma and New Mexico)
-Oregon (British Commonwealth though mostly settled by Americans, all of Oregon territory)
-California (independence from Mexico in 1850s, owns Nevada, Baja, parts of Arizona too)
-Colorado (OTL state and mountainous area)
"Anglophone":
-Alaska (mix of Russian and English, British Commonwealth, seized by Britain from Russia)
-Louisiane (elite French but English common in backcountry, part of Arkansas)
--Canada (OTL Canada except Newfoundland and West Coast)
Native:
-Around 4 corners area, conglomeration of Natives from across the country.
-Comanche State in Northern Mexico/South Arizona and New Mexico
-Ojibwe State North of Lake Superior and in Northern Minnesota.
-First Nations under British "control" in Northern Canada
Spanish States:
-Republic of Rio Grande (North Mexico not under Comanche control)
-Yucatan
-Mexico (or what's left)
-Puerto Rico
Everything else is roughly OTL. North America now has more Nations than Europe.
IFwanderer
Banned
Taking from this map in the blank maps thread, I made this very rough sketch, which needs many changes to make sense, and it's mostly intended as some kind of guide:
Starting from Pacific North America:
It's divided between mega California (or Wankalifornia if you prefer) and (post?) Russian Alaska, with Mormon Utah squeezed in. This California is more or less 40-40-20 Spanish-English-Natives and other stuff, with the northern part being more English dominated and the south more Spanish.
On the Atlantic NA:
New England in blue, Quebec in dark red, New York in orange, Pennsylvania in light green, New Jersey in sand, super Virginia in yellow, Carolina in lighter blue, Georgia in red, South Carolina in grey, La Louisiane in sand again because I'm distracted, purple Texas, and in orange are the last bits of Spanish Colonial America. Some minor borders have been changed (NY/PA at Erie, PA/VA at the part of WV that juts out between PA and OH IOTL, a bit of Mississippi going to Louisiane) because they trigger my OCD and we'll chalk it up to border skirmishes between nations. New Jersey and South Carolina are buffer-states (PA/NY/VA and GA/NC, respectively). Virginia ate Delaware and Maryland (no DC in this TL) to control Chesapeake Bay (and this could be a spot of tensions with PA?). Florida is still in Spanish hands because Georgia alone doesn't have enough power to take it from Spain, but they managed to take the panhandle. Louisiane is french-speaking (mostly) and I'm not sure how big should it actually be, but it should be strong enough not to be taken over by any of the north american nations. Texas is Texas.
South America:
The yellow thing in the Brazilian Northeast is an independent Dutch Brazil, while the green one in the middle is a rump empire (kingdom now?) of Brazil, based around Rio de Janeiro. Rio Grande do Sul is the grey thing above Uruguay (Orange, it hasn't been altered from OTL). In red, you have the republic of Entre Ríos, controlling OTL Entre Ríos and Corrientes. Blue is for Santa Fe. Yellow is a bigger Paraguay (it has eaten Argentine province of Formosa). Light green is Buenos Aires, orange is Cordoba, purple is Tucumán (controlling OTL Catamarca, because it used to be part of Tucumán), brown is Salta, and light blue is Mendoza.
Numbered areas:
1. Santiago del Estero: I want to partition this between Tucumán and Santa Fe, if you look at this map, you'll see that half of the province has internal divisions that look more "squiggly", and the other half is a few straight-ish lines. The straight half should go to Santa Fe and the squiggly one to Tucumán.
2-4. La Rioja, San Juan and San Luis, respectively: I'm not sure if they should be part of Mendoza (and rename it all to Cuyo), Cordoba (San Luis only), Tucumán (la Rioja only), or independent nations.
5. La Pampa: this province, alongside with a good part of Buenos Aires, should be partitioned between Córdoba (with or without San Luis), Mendoza, and either Santa Fe or Buenos Aires, depending on how Buenos Aires is partitioned.
6. Jujuy: Not sure if it should be part of Salta or independent.
Other considerations:
- I'm not sure who should expand into OTL US great lakes region nor the hows and whys. (maybe NY takes a bit of OTL Ontario, maybe Quebec takes other parts, natives form a few states here and there, Pennsylvania slowly snakes through Ohio and Indiana, and some independent trade city states form along the coasts?)
- Down the Mississippi, I'd like Louisiane's border with the post-english nations to be the river, but as I've said, I'm not sure how big should it be.
- Texas should probably be bigger.
- Not sure what to do with Mexico, I'll say it could have some land in between California and Texas (but that could also be a native state), and maybe Rio Grande and Yucatan declare independence, along with some other parts of the country.
- I won't even touch central America, enough countries already.
- I'd need more research for the north of south America.
- About Peru, I was thinking about splitting between some neo-Inca state centered on Cuzco and a coastal, Spanish descendant, Lima-based state.
- Need to know more about Chile
- Not sure about the Patagonia.
Starting from Pacific North America:
It's divided between mega California (or Wankalifornia if you prefer) and (post?) Russian Alaska, with Mormon Utah squeezed in. This California is more or less 40-40-20 Spanish-English-Natives and other stuff, with the northern part being more English dominated and the south more Spanish.
On the Atlantic NA:
New England in blue, Quebec in dark red, New York in orange, Pennsylvania in light green, New Jersey in sand, super Virginia in yellow, Carolina in lighter blue, Georgia in red, South Carolina in grey, La Louisiane in sand again because I'm distracted, purple Texas, and in orange are the last bits of Spanish Colonial America. Some minor borders have been changed (NY/PA at Erie, PA/VA at the part of WV that juts out between PA and OH IOTL, a bit of Mississippi going to Louisiane) because they trigger my OCD and we'll chalk it up to border skirmishes between nations. New Jersey and South Carolina are buffer-states (PA/NY/VA and GA/NC, respectively). Virginia ate Delaware and Maryland (no DC in this TL) to control Chesapeake Bay (and this could be a spot of tensions with PA?). Florida is still in Spanish hands because Georgia alone doesn't have enough power to take it from Spain, but they managed to take the panhandle. Louisiane is french-speaking (mostly) and I'm not sure how big should it actually be, but it should be strong enough not to be taken over by any of the north american nations. Texas is Texas.
South America:
The yellow thing in the Brazilian Northeast is an independent Dutch Brazil, while the green one in the middle is a rump empire (kingdom now?) of Brazil, based around Rio de Janeiro. Rio Grande do Sul is the grey thing above Uruguay (Orange, it hasn't been altered from OTL). In red, you have the republic of Entre Ríos, controlling OTL Entre Ríos and Corrientes. Blue is for Santa Fe. Yellow is a bigger Paraguay (it has eaten Argentine province of Formosa). Light green is Buenos Aires, orange is Cordoba, purple is Tucumán (controlling OTL Catamarca, because it used to be part of Tucumán), brown is Salta, and light blue is Mendoza.
Numbered areas:
1. Santiago del Estero: I want to partition this between Tucumán and Santa Fe, if you look at this map, you'll see that half of the province has internal divisions that look more "squiggly", and the other half is a few straight-ish lines. The straight half should go to Santa Fe and the squiggly one to Tucumán.
2-4. La Rioja, San Juan and San Luis, respectively: I'm not sure if they should be part of Mendoza (and rename it all to Cuyo), Cordoba (San Luis only), Tucumán (la Rioja only), or independent nations.
5. La Pampa: this province, alongside with a good part of Buenos Aires, should be partitioned between Córdoba (with or without San Luis), Mendoza, and either Santa Fe or Buenos Aires, depending on how Buenos Aires is partitioned.
6. Jujuy: Not sure if it should be part of Salta or independent.
Other considerations:
- I'm not sure who should expand into OTL US great lakes region nor the hows and whys. (maybe NY takes a bit of OTL Ontario, maybe Quebec takes other parts, natives form a few states here and there, Pennsylvania slowly snakes through Ohio and Indiana, and some independent trade city states form along the coasts?)
- Down the Mississippi, I'd like Louisiane's border with the post-english nations to be the river, but as I've said, I'm not sure how big should it be.
- Texas should probably be bigger.
- Not sure what to do with Mexico, I'll say it could have some land in between California and Texas (but that could also be a native state), and maybe Rio Grande and Yucatan declare independence, along with some other parts of the country.
- I won't even touch central America, enough countries already.
- I'd need more research for the north of south America.
- About Peru, I was thinking about splitting between some neo-Inca state centered on Cuzco and a coastal, Spanish descendant, Lima-based state.
- Need to know more about Chile
- Not sure about the Patagonia.
Max Sinister
Banned
I also wonder whether this'd be possible if America had been settled earlier (Vikings? Carthaginians?), and they had no means to build up effective administration for large empires.
Actually in Central America and in Spanish South America splintering is already at almost maximum levels except for maybe splitting outstate Argentina from Buenos Aries and vicinity. Fewer states instead of more would be more likely given some butterflies. Splintering Brazil is difficult without multiple colonial powers dividing it pre-independence. Although a Federal State it makes sense as a coherent whole. Mexico, with its federalism vs centralism history, could reasonably split into the Yucatan, Mexico, a state based on Monterrey, and a northwestern desert state. However, there are infinite possibilities for additional splits north of the Rio Grande depending on the POD. Having the entire extent of America north of the Rio Grande consolidated into only 2 states is the unlikely outcome. A more divided North America could happen with a closer balance of indigenous vs colonial states, more diverse lasting colonization of the continent by multiple powers, or the collapse of Anglophone NA into multiple geographic entities (say like the 9 Nations on NA trope, although those divisions only make sense culturally, not as the basis for actual countries).
Here are just some nations East of the Mississippi, in the current U.S, that could exist assuming a PoD of the Articles of Confederation falling apart. I also made a write-up, assuming it is 1900 at the time of this map:
New England (Pink): After the collapse of the Articles of Confederation, New England was very much like the Americans as a whole; weak, divided, and surrounded by land-hungry powers. For basic survival, the States banded together quickly, with a Capital in Boston and an interest in defending themselves both from British and fellow American encroaches. They sought to gain land in the West, especially as many of their States had claims there, but were thwarted by other expansionist powers as they had no land or sea connection to get there. Nevertheless, New England remained a huge hub of emigration West, as countless New Englanders set out to gain land of their own; this was mostly allowed by foreign powers as they posed no real threat of a takeover and helped fill up Western claims for countries. Back at home, New England became an industrial and commercial power, but were outstripped by New York as the 19th century drew to a close. Today, they are still economically relevant, in industry, fishing, and mercantile trades. Major cities like Boston and Hartford have seemingly been overrun with Irish immigrants, to the point that their national identity is almost as Irish as it is Puritan. They boast one of the most healthy democracies in North America, a Parliamentary System that is strongly centralized, but politics are sharply divided along ethnic lines, with Protestants and Catholics nearly at each other's throats. Meanwhile, New England's policy is heavily influenced by Britain, who they have turned to in an effort to stave off New York control.
New York (Cyan): Although blocked by geography from taking great tracts of land in the West, they did managed to take valuable portions and ensure that no one else could take those tracts of land. Pennsylvania and Virginia had originally moved into what is today Ohio, but soon found an Ohioan Independence movement (funded and supported by New York) ousting them to establish a farmer's Democracy. There was no such rising in Cleveland or the Erie Coast under New York control. Over the 19th century, the country incorporated a highly dependent New Jersey and skyrocketed past their Northern Neighbor to become possibly the strongest country native to North America. Their industrial power is massive, as is their control over commerce in North America. Their population is large and they have a great amount of influence over their neighbors. While they are officially a Republic, politics is dominated by political machines controlled by big business and political elites, with brutal repression of worker's movements (this has led to a rising Socialist movement). Their influence over their Western neighbor could be seen as slipping, however, as Ohio is starting to become a major power in its own right.
Pennsylvania(Red): Poor Pennsylvania. First New York made sure to occupy the Erie Triangle and points West, denying them a port in the Great Lakes, then Virginia nearly entirely blocked them out of Ohio with their own land, and then New York tore what lands had been gained in Ohio from Pittsburgh's grasp. Although no slouch, they were reduced to a bit player in North American politics, torn between the two titans of Virginia and New York. At first they were heavily influenced by the former, but now they are firmly a satellite of their Northern Neighbor, with many on both sides talking about annexation. Their political system would best be described as a troubled democracy, with the political machines of New York but with none of its efficiency, the rural populism of the West but with none of its success, and the Aristocratic attitudes of the South but with none of its power behind it. Although they host a fair amount of industry, almost all of it is owned by New Yorkers, and all of their goods end up in the Big Apple, one way or another.
Maryland(Purple): "Buffer State" would be the best way to describe this country. A former Slave nation like Virginia, with a very similar lifestyle to coastal Virginia. Maryland annexed Delaware early on with the consent of the latter, but had to give up the panhandle they controlled to Big Brother Virginia. Now they are a somewhat prosperous State with an uncertain future. It's not terrible to live there, but neither does the nation have much going for it. However, New York and its allies would never accept Virginian annexation, even if it was wanted, so there it will probably remain for the foreseeable future.
Virginia(Tiel): Virginia is a land of lofty ideals and Aristocratic tendencies. Perhaps the best of example of this is their first President, Thomas Jefferson, a man who despised slavery but yet owned dozens. In the end, it took 60 years after Jefferson had resigned to end slavery, and even still Blacks are locked in a sort of serfdom, commanded by their former and present masters in Sharecropping. Only when compared to Countries further south does Virginia's system of racial supremacy look good, which is according to New Yorkers just the way Richmond likes it. Even when looking past sharecropping, Virginia has a Republic built on the backs of poor farmers and ruled by ultra-wealthy elite. Indeed, their claims to a free Republic ring hollower by the day as laws recently passed allow plantation owner to essentially have their tenants vote for them, with repercussions for rebellion. Still, Virginia is still fairly well off, and even poorer whites don't do too badly. It is under-industrialized compared to states North, but especially in its Northwestern areas industry exists and thrives. Of all the places in North America, Virginia has the most civil freedoms of anywhere, provided they are for Whites.
The Dixie Confederacy/Slaver Confederacy(Shades of yellow/orange/brown): Not one country, but rather a pact between 5: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Louisiane. The purpose? Defending against outside threats to the established order of slavery. Yes, in 1900. So why hasn't it been eliminated? Mostly politics. Sure, if Virginia, New York and New England could all work together, they could end the insidious practice once and for all. But that will probably never happen, and there's no way in hell anyone's letting British troops go any further South on the mainland than Canada. Britain's considered levying an embargo, but that would only strengthen Virginia, who they despise, and there's no way they could embargo Virginia as well, as that may finally be enough to get New York to side with Virginia. And that's without factoring in Europe....
And so the Confederacy remains, for now. However, Brazil just ended slavery, so Dixie is getting worried. Perhaps the Curious Institution is on the ropes, with falling cotton prices and international condemnation (though not action). But it's survived plenty of that int the past, so don't hold your breath.
South Carolina(Darker Green): The archetypal slave state. Never really got the opportunity to expand West, but had an elite who grew quite rich off of cotton. Prices decline now, but it still forms the basis of South Carolina's economy, as well as Dixie's in general. No democracy here: a King rules South Carolina, with various Aristocratic titles handed out to supporters, mostly for the prestige of it. Although they claim to be an enlightened monarchy, they hold countless slaves, and its not like the poor whites that aren't in on slavery are benefiting that much from the system. Sure, there's also a Parliament, but the King holds veto power and he and the aristocrats that support him completely control said Parliament.
Georgia(Yellow): King of South Carolina, meet the King of Georgia. They have a very similar system to South Carolina in general, though much more land in which to farm for Cotton and other useful goods to sell. Annexed West Florida in the 1820s, before outlaw Georgians took over Florida for themselves. Almost fought Louisiane for land, but circumstances found the Southern States banding together.
Louisiane(Baby Yellow): Here is another reason why slavery still exists: New Orleans. They control it, which means they control a lot of the trade in the Mississippi. Fortunately for nations upriver like Superior and Ohio, they let anyone trade, almost free of charge. But that could change if slavery was threatened. Louisiane never technically stopped being a French nation, with French elites in charge and some colonization from France coming in until the 1830s. But the vast majority of people who migrated here were from the rest of the South, and the nation quickly took on a Southern character. A cross-fertilization of languages and dialects has been discovered, with people speaking English like the rest of Dixie, people speaking French in New Orleans, and everything in between (including creole languages combining English and Creole languages). One thing they've kept from their French roots is their government: joint control between a Governor and commissaire-ordonnateur (or just Commissioner). One is chosen by Aristocratic families in a sort of Parliament, and the other is elected in a general vote. Sometimes these interests conflict, and the Governor tends to be far more Populist in nature. But everyone agrees slavery is good, as is control of the Mississippi.
Florida(Orange): The bastard child of the South. Originally a Spanish Colony, but with all the problems they had at the beginning of the 19th century, they didn't pay much attention to it. Georgian and other Southern settlers went into the state in a trickle then a flood, and though West Florida was annexed by Georgia earlier on, East Florida didn't remain a majority Southern State for very long. Many thought East Florida, too, would join Georgia, but things got complicated. The "Crackers" (as White Anglophone settlers in the area were called, at first derogatorily but later they would adopt it for themselves) didn't want to have much to do with their Elitist Georgian neighbors. It was actually a group of outlaws who started the Cracker revolt, as the Spanish Governor attempted to crack down on a bunch of robbers and highwaymen in the Northern part of the State. Perhaps this was intended to be a way of working with the Crackers by the Spanish government, but instead of gaining praise for attacking criminals, the criminals were turned into heroes and Crackers rose up against Spanish rule. After a few battles, the Spanish essentially gave up against overwhelming numbers and fled Florida. From then on, Florida would maintain a mean independent streak. This did not extend to slavery, however, which they vehemently defend.
North Carolina(Light Green): At first, North Carolina seemed to be heading on a trajectory similar to Virginia. They both extended West, picking up fertile lands in the Tennessee Valley and enriching themselves on cotton. They had a Republican system of government, and raked in cash from cotton. But somewhere in the mid-19th century, the two nations broke apart. Virginia grew bigger, adopted some industry, and eliminated slavery (at least on paper). North Carolina grew more steadfast in its support of the curious institution, refused to modernize, and generally turned in on itself. Today, life isn't all that different in parts of North Carolina and Virginia, but in other parts it may seem like the two are living on different planets. Norfolk, Cincinnati and Lexington are industrial cities not too different from those in the North, and North Carolina simply has nothing like it.
Ohio: The Ohio valley had always been a key region, since even before the Seven Year's War. It was no surprise, then, that Ohio became the region most fought over by the expanding countries of America. Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania all staked competing claims to the region, with the first gaining the lion's share. This upset many of the Northern, anti-slavery settlers of Ohio, who despised the Southern Coastal Elite. Eventually fed up, they declared their own state practically out of thin air. It may have floundered early on if not for the influx of New York money, which guaranteed they could fight off Virginia as long as they left New York untouched. The militias of Ohio defeated the irregular army of Virginia, and set to work founding their own nation state. A conglomeration of Pennsylvanians, New Englanders, Southerners, and New Yorkers, they had to work to forge their own identity, and it developed into a cult of the frontiersman. Unlike the cramped confines of the Northeast or the Elitism of the South, they argued, here men could live free and forge their own destiny by owning their own strip of farm and defeating the wilderness. Their government became highly decentralized at first, only really existing for defense. However, as the 19th century started to draw to a close, it was becoming clear that this attitude was allowing the businessmen of New York and Britain to dominate the State's industry and resources for their own benefit. This was unacceptable to a state that was quickly becoming an industrial power of its own. Now rises the Populist Party. Opposed to big business and for the common people, or so they claim, they want to seize control of foreign-owned industry (especially railroads West) and give it to Ohioan businessman. Xenophobic and often antisemetic, when they seized power in 1897 they created large militas to enforce that, causing a Financial Panic in New York and leading to a recession the continent (and to a certain extent Europe) is still locked in. The Ohioan regime ignores this, however, and continues their nationalist policies, including restricting immigration and arming the country. Relations with New York, once a firm ally, have gone from bad to worse, and the idea of "Greater Ohio" is being revived- that is, seizing parts of the West still owned by Eastern States, namely Virginia and New York.
Superior: Superior can appreciate Ohio's struggle to survive. A combination of New Englanders and European (especially German and Scandinavian) immigrants arrived in the Western Great Lakes region intent on carving out a new life for themselves in peaceful colonization. There was just one problem; they land wasn't at all empty. Indians fleeing West from Ohio and other American Countries finally found themselves organizing just East of the Mississippi. They believed themselves to be far enough away from the Europeans to settle and form their own nation, led by their visionary leader Tecumseh. When new white people arrived, they were almost instantly in conflict, and would be for much of the 19th century. The British, hoping to gain the area for themselves, alternatively helped the natives and Superiorans. Conflict could go either way, but the Superiorans defeated the Indians in the bedroom and through immigration, growing exponentially as the Indians dwindled in size. By the 1850s, it was completely inevitable that Superior would be established, and yet they fought on, the Indians being chased North into worse and worse lands, until eventually they became a British protectorate in Northern lands unfit for farming. The Superiorans, meanwhile, established a Parliamentary Republic with influences from New England, Scandinavia, and Germany, creating a democratic system for themselves that would rival New England's. Separated from other countries by distances involved, joining an existing state was never really in the cards. In 1862 they reached an agreement with Ohio on a border; it would be the Illinois River, but Ohio would keep Chicago (had they refused, there would have been a war that Superior would almost certainly lose). Today, they are also experiencing Populist tendencies like Ohio, but of a much less nationalistic nature, with Prime Minister "Bob" LaFollete nationalizing railroads and defending worker's rights on several different issues. They are perhaps the most stable Republic in America, but this has only come after an extremely bloody past. Economically they are doing alright, growing at a rapid pace while less dependent on the rest of the world, but with nowhere near the economic power of the Countries on the East Coast.
New England (Pink): After the collapse of the Articles of Confederation, New England was very much like the Americans as a whole; weak, divided, and surrounded by land-hungry powers. For basic survival, the States banded together quickly, with a Capital in Boston and an interest in defending themselves both from British and fellow American encroaches. They sought to gain land in the West, especially as many of their States had claims there, but were thwarted by other expansionist powers as they had no land or sea connection to get there. Nevertheless, New England remained a huge hub of emigration West, as countless New Englanders set out to gain land of their own; this was mostly allowed by foreign powers as they posed no real threat of a takeover and helped fill up Western claims for countries. Back at home, New England became an industrial and commercial power, but were outstripped by New York as the 19th century drew to a close. Today, they are still economically relevant, in industry, fishing, and mercantile trades. Major cities like Boston and Hartford have seemingly been overrun with Irish immigrants, to the point that their national identity is almost as Irish as it is Puritan. They boast one of the most healthy democracies in North America, a Parliamentary System that is strongly centralized, but politics are sharply divided along ethnic lines, with Protestants and Catholics nearly at each other's throats. Meanwhile, New England's policy is heavily influenced by Britain, who they have turned to in an effort to stave off New York control.
New York (Cyan): Although blocked by geography from taking great tracts of land in the West, they did managed to take valuable portions and ensure that no one else could take those tracts of land. Pennsylvania and Virginia had originally moved into what is today Ohio, but soon found an Ohioan Independence movement (funded and supported by New York) ousting them to establish a farmer's Democracy. There was no such rising in Cleveland or the Erie Coast under New York control. Over the 19th century, the country incorporated a highly dependent New Jersey and skyrocketed past their Northern Neighbor to become possibly the strongest country native to North America. Their industrial power is massive, as is their control over commerce in North America. Their population is large and they have a great amount of influence over their neighbors. While they are officially a Republic, politics is dominated by political machines controlled by big business and political elites, with brutal repression of worker's movements (this has led to a rising Socialist movement). Their influence over their Western neighbor could be seen as slipping, however, as Ohio is starting to become a major power in its own right.
Pennsylvania(Red): Poor Pennsylvania. First New York made sure to occupy the Erie Triangle and points West, denying them a port in the Great Lakes, then Virginia nearly entirely blocked them out of Ohio with their own land, and then New York tore what lands had been gained in Ohio from Pittsburgh's grasp. Although no slouch, they were reduced to a bit player in North American politics, torn between the two titans of Virginia and New York. At first they were heavily influenced by the former, but now they are firmly a satellite of their Northern Neighbor, with many on both sides talking about annexation. Their political system would best be described as a troubled democracy, with the political machines of New York but with none of its efficiency, the rural populism of the West but with none of its success, and the Aristocratic attitudes of the South but with none of its power behind it. Although they host a fair amount of industry, almost all of it is owned by New Yorkers, and all of their goods end up in the Big Apple, one way or another.
Maryland(Purple): "Buffer State" would be the best way to describe this country. A former Slave nation like Virginia, with a very similar lifestyle to coastal Virginia. Maryland annexed Delaware early on with the consent of the latter, but had to give up the panhandle they controlled to Big Brother Virginia. Now they are a somewhat prosperous State with an uncertain future. It's not terrible to live there, but neither does the nation have much going for it. However, New York and its allies would never accept Virginian annexation, even if it was wanted, so there it will probably remain for the foreseeable future.
Virginia(Tiel): Virginia is a land of lofty ideals and Aristocratic tendencies. Perhaps the best of example of this is their first President, Thomas Jefferson, a man who despised slavery but yet owned dozens. In the end, it took 60 years after Jefferson had resigned to end slavery, and even still Blacks are locked in a sort of serfdom, commanded by their former and present masters in Sharecropping. Only when compared to Countries further south does Virginia's system of racial supremacy look good, which is according to New Yorkers just the way Richmond likes it. Even when looking past sharecropping, Virginia has a Republic built on the backs of poor farmers and ruled by ultra-wealthy elite. Indeed, their claims to a free Republic ring hollower by the day as laws recently passed allow plantation owner to essentially have their tenants vote for them, with repercussions for rebellion. Still, Virginia is still fairly well off, and even poorer whites don't do too badly. It is under-industrialized compared to states North, but especially in its Northwestern areas industry exists and thrives. Of all the places in North America, Virginia has the most civil freedoms of anywhere, provided they are for Whites.
The Dixie Confederacy/Slaver Confederacy(Shades of yellow/orange/brown): Not one country, but rather a pact between 5: Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Louisiane. The purpose? Defending against outside threats to the established order of slavery. Yes, in 1900. So why hasn't it been eliminated? Mostly politics. Sure, if Virginia, New York and New England could all work together, they could end the insidious practice once and for all. But that will probably never happen, and there's no way in hell anyone's letting British troops go any further South on the mainland than Canada. Britain's considered levying an embargo, but that would only strengthen Virginia, who they despise, and there's no way they could embargo Virginia as well, as that may finally be enough to get New York to side with Virginia. And that's without factoring in Europe....
And so the Confederacy remains, for now. However, Brazil just ended slavery, so Dixie is getting worried. Perhaps the Curious Institution is on the ropes, with falling cotton prices and international condemnation (though not action). But it's survived plenty of that int the past, so don't hold your breath.
South Carolina(Darker Green): The archetypal slave state. Never really got the opportunity to expand West, but had an elite who grew quite rich off of cotton. Prices decline now, but it still forms the basis of South Carolina's economy, as well as Dixie's in general. No democracy here: a King rules South Carolina, with various Aristocratic titles handed out to supporters, mostly for the prestige of it. Although they claim to be an enlightened monarchy, they hold countless slaves, and its not like the poor whites that aren't in on slavery are benefiting that much from the system. Sure, there's also a Parliament, but the King holds veto power and he and the aristocrats that support him completely control said Parliament.
Georgia(Yellow): King of South Carolina, meet the King of Georgia. They have a very similar system to South Carolina in general, though much more land in which to farm for Cotton and other useful goods to sell. Annexed West Florida in the 1820s, before outlaw Georgians took over Florida for themselves. Almost fought Louisiane for land, but circumstances found the Southern States banding together.
Louisiane(Baby Yellow): Here is another reason why slavery still exists: New Orleans. They control it, which means they control a lot of the trade in the Mississippi. Fortunately for nations upriver like Superior and Ohio, they let anyone trade, almost free of charge. But that could change if slavery was threatened. Louisiane never technically stopped being a French nation, with French elites in charge and some colonization from France coming in until the 1830s. But the vast majority of people who migrated here were from the rest of the South, and the nation quickly took on a Southern character. A cross-fertilization of languages and dialects has been discovered, with people speaking English like the rest of Dixie, people speaking French in New Orleans, and everything in between (including creole languages combining English and Creole languages). One thing they've kept from their French roots is their government: joint control between a Governor and commissaire-ordonnateur (or just Commissioner). One is chosen by Aristocratic families in a sort of Parliament, and the other is elected in a general vote. Sometimes these interests conflict, and the Governor tends to be far more Populist in nature. But everyone agrees slavery is good, as is control of the Mississippi.
Florida(Orange): The bastard child of the South. Originally a Spanish Colony, but with all the problems they had at the beginning of the 19th century, they didn't pay much attention to it. Georgian and other Southern settlers went into the state in a trickle then a flood, and though West Florida was annexed by Georgia earlier on, East Florida didn't remain a majority Southern State for very long. Many thought East Florida, too, would join Georgia, but things got complicated. The "Crackers" (as White Anglophone settlers in the area were called, at first derogatorily but later they would adopt it for themselves) didn't want to have much to do with their Elitist Georgian neighbors. It was actually a group of outlaws who started the Cracker revolt, as the Spanish Governor attempted to crack down on a bunch of robbers and highwaymen in the Northern part of the State. Perhaps this was intended to be a way of working with the Crackers by the Spanish government, but instead of gaining praise for attacking criminals, the criminals were turned into heroes and Crackers rose up against Spanish rule. After a few battles, the Spanish essentially gave up against overwhelming numbers and fled Florida. From then on, Florida would maintain a mean independent streak. This did not extend to slavery, however, which they vehemently defend.
North Carolina(Light Green): At first, North Carolina seemed to be heading on a trajectory similar to Virginia. They both extended West, picking up fertile lands in the Tennessee Valley and enriching themselves on cotton. They had a Republican system of government, and raked in cash from cotton. But somewhere in the mid-19th century, the two nations broke apart. Virginia grew bigger, adopted some industry, and eliminated slavery (at least on paper). North Carolina grew more steadfast in its support of the curious institution, refused to modernize, and generally turned in on itself. Today, life isn't all that different in parts of North Carolina and Virginia, but in other parts it may seem like the two are living on different planets. Norfolk, Cincinnati and Lexington are industrial cities not too different from those in the North, and North Carolina simply has nothing like it.
Ohio: The Ohio valley had always been a key region, since even before the Seven Year's War. It was no surprise, then, that Ohio became the region most fought over by the expanding countries of America. Virginia, New York, and Pennsylvania all staked competing claims to the region, with the first gaining the lion's share. This upset many of the Northern, anti-slavery settlers of Ohio, who despised the Southern Coastal Elite. Eventually fed up, they declared their own state practically out of thin air. It may have floundered early on if not for the influx of New York money, which guaranteed they could fight off Virginia as long as they left New York untouched. The militias of Ohio defeated the irregular army of Virginia, and set to work founding their own nation state. A conglomeration of Pennsylvanians, New Englanders, Southerners, and New Yorkers, they had to work to forge their own identity, and it developed into a cult of the frontiersman. Unlike the cramped confines of the Northeast or the Elitism of the South, they argued, here men could live free and forge their own destiny by owning their own strip of farm and defeating the wilderness. Their government became highly decentralized at first, only really existing for defense. However, as the 19th century started to draw to a close, it was becoming clear that this attitude was allowing the businessmen of New York and Britain to dominate the State's industry and resources for their own benefit. This was unacceptable to a state that was quickly becoming an industrial power of its own. Now rises the Populist Party. Opposed to big business and for the common people, or so they claim, they want to seize control of foreign-owned industry (especially railroads West) and give it to Ohioan businessman. Xenophobic and often antisemetic, when they seized power in 1897 they created large militas to enforce that, causing a Financial Panic in New York and leading to a recession the continent (and to a certain extent Europe) is still locked in. The Ohioan regime ignores this, however, and continues their nationalist policies, including restricting immigration and arming the country. Relations with New York, once a firm ally, have gone from bad to worse, and the idea of "Greater Ohio" is being revived- that is, seizing parts of the West still owned by Eastern States, namely Virginia and New York.
Superior: Superior can appreciate Ohio's struggle to survive. A combination of New Englanders and European (especially German and Scandinavian) immigrants arrived in the Western Great Lakes region intent on carving out a new life for themselves in peaceful colonization. There was just one problem; they land wasn't at all empty. Indians fleeing West from Ohio and other American Countries finally found themselves organizing just East of the Mississippi. They believed themselves to be far enough away from the Europeans to settle and form their own nation, led by their visionary leader Tecumseh. When new white people arrived, they were almost instantly in conflict, and would be for much of the 19th century. The British, hoping to gain the area for themselves, alternatively helped the natives and Superiorans. Conflict could go either way, but the Superiorans defeated the Indians in the bedroom and through immigration, growing exponentially as the Indians dwindled in size. By the 1850s, it was completely inevitable that Superior would be established, and yet they fought on, the Indians being chased North into worse and worse lands, until eventually they became a British protectorate in Northern lands unfit for farming. The Superiorans, meanwhile, established a Parliamentary Republic with influences from New England, Scandinavia, and Germany, creating a democratic system for themselves that would rival New England's. Separated from other countries by distances involved, joining an existing state was never really in the cards. In 1862 they reached an agreement with Ohio on a border; it would be the Illinois River, but Ohio would keep Chicago (had they refused, there would have been a war that Superior would almost certainly lose). Today, they are also experiencing Populist tendencies like Ohio, but of a much less nationalistic nature, with Prime Minister "Bob" LaFollete nationalizing railroads and defending worker's rights on several different issues. They are perhaps the most stable Republic in America, but this has only come after an extremely bloody past. Economically they are doing alright, growing at a rapid pace while less dependent on the rest of the world, but with nowhere near the economic power of the Countries on the East Coast.