Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis: Alternate History of the U.S.
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Maybe it's due to me being a Canadian but I'd love to hear about Canada some more.
There will be more Canada content soon, but the work from the online classes is causing a problem for me.
Abe Lincoln Part 1
1860 was a critical year for the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln had become President, beating Stephen Douglass in the Election of 1860 (more about parties will come later). He had known about the horrors of the "Storm Riders" and other assorted hate groups and how they had caused many problems for Americans--this needed to end. Lincoln attempted to make his mark on history by helping the American people realize their ideals of equality set forth in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One of the first steps he could take was by authorizing a mass roundup of the surviving "Storm Riders" in the "Storm Rider Act" that passed Congress in early 1861. He was willing to meet the metaphorical bull by its horns, and would take action early to prove his devotion to American ideas. Those "Storm Riders" that avoided arrest ended up fleeing into "British Columbia" where Lincoln demanded their extradition due to various crimes (especially a wave of lynching of African Americans) in the United States of America. The authorities there were originally disinclined to accept Lincoln's demands, and their overlords back in Great Britain did not take Lincoln seriously at first. As a result, Lincoln talked with members of Congress on what to do next. They recommended applying economic pressure on "British Columbia" (who often sold various cash crops northwards) until the "Storm Riders" were apprehended and sent back to the United States of America. Lincoln correctly saw that the British government had little desire for conflict with the United States of America despite what their lackeys and lapdogs in "British Columbia" often talked about. The "Storm Riders" and other assorted hate groups (many inspired by "Normanists" in "British Columbia" ended up losing their refuge in "British Columbia". This happened partly because Britain did not want US economic pressure and also because the "Storm Riders" were a terrorist organization and turning a blind eye to them looked bad.
The "Storm Rider" incident was not the only case where Abraham Lincoln became one of America's most pro-civil rights Presidents in its history. He also wanted to make sure that "all people were treated equally" and that the civil rights of Americans were not being infringed. Poverty was a big concern at this point in American history, especially urban poverty. Previously, the United States had tried to solve the problem with grant programs to settle the "Old West", but most of the applicants were not that poor, and it didn't really help clear out the worst parts of urban poverty. Abraham Lincoln, as a younger man, toured the cities of Baltimore, New York City, and several others and became disgusted at what he had seen in various boroughs. Overcrowding was always a concern.
As a result, Abraham Lincoln had always wanted to solve this overcrowding problems. Laws concerning safety and civil rights passed a Congress that was willing to work with him. Concepts such as legal tender, increased relations with European countries ever since they were strained since 1848, and actions against monopolies (such as federal regulation necessitating competition in various areas concerning horizontal and vertical integration) occurred. Lincoln may have been the President that was most concerned with the welfare of Americans. The difference between him and many others was that his ideas passed Congress and became reality. A recession that had started in 1859 (Panic of 1859) at the end of the Fremont term, almost right before the elections, ended surprisingly quickly due to Abraham Lincoln preventing a run on the banks.
Railroad construction, especially the finishing of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1862, was instrumental in ending the Panic of 1859. The US also had increased trade with Canada, which had been trying to establish its viability as an independent nation ever since the 1840s, but with the initial troubles common to almost all recently independent nations. Canada did develop a federal government similar to that of the US, and most Canadians actually wanted a closer relation with the US, which the US government accepted. Railways between both countries were built to facilitate trade. This was the beginning of the era that Americans related more closely to Canadians than with Southrons. After all, there was no big betrayal that caused enmity between both groups. And a more solid North America would help against any threat.
A scandal had rocked railway companies at this point. It would test the mettle of Abraham Lincoln in the field of civil rights...
The "Storm Rider" incident was not the only case where Abraham Lincoln became one of America's most pro-civil rights Presidents in its history. He also wanted to make sure that "all people were treated equally" and that the civil rights of Americans were not being infringed. Poverty was a big concern at this point in American history, especially urban poverty. Previously, the United States had tried to solve the problem with grant programs to settle the "Old West", but most of the applicants were not that poor, and it didn't really help clear out the worst parts of urban poverty. Abraham Lincoln, as a younger man, toured the cities of Baltimore, New York City, and several others and became disgusted at what he had seen in various boroughs. Overcrowding was always a concern.
As a result, Abraham Lincoln had always wanted to solve this overcrowding problems. Laws concerning safety and civil rights passed a Congress that was willing to work with him. Concepts such as legal tender, increased relations with European countries ever since they were strained since 1848, and actions against monopolies (such as federal regulation necessitating competition in various areas concerning horizontal and vertical integration) occurred. Lincoln may have been the President that was most concerned with the welfare of Americans. The difference between him and many others was that his ideas passed Congress and became reality. A recession that had started in 1859 (Panic of 1859) at the end of the Fremont term, almost right before the elections, ended surprisingly quickly due to Abraham Lincoln preventing a run on the banks.
Railroad construction, especially the finishing of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1862, was instrumental in ending the Panic of 1859. The US also had increased trade with Canada, which had been trying to establish its viability as an independent nation ever since the 1840s, but with the initial troubles common to almost all recently independent nations. Canada did develop a federal government similar to that of the US, and most Canadians actually wanted a closer relation with the US, which the US government accepted. Railways between both countries were built to facilitate trade. This was the beginning of the era that Americans related more closely to Canadians than with Southrons. After all, there was no big betrayal that caused enmity between both groups. And a more solid North America would help against any threat.
A scandal had rocked railway companies at this point. It would test the mettle of Abraham Lincoln in the field of civil rights...
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Sorry that the Lincoln part 1 is really short. I incorporated most of it into the "Revanchists in the South" section. For now I just updated the "Civil Rights, 1840s style" as well.And the Mexican-American part 1 (changes for that in bold).
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Note to self: will update Canada part 1
Don't worry! I'll update the short "Canada part 1" chapter soon!
I just realized something when writing a paper on Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is going to be completely different than OTL. With slavery having a time bomb at 1836, F.D. (who escaped slavery in 1838 OTL) would have been freed earlier. Slave trade at all would have been banned 1820; expansion of slavery banned in 1830; various states would have banned slavery even before 1836 (I'm thinking KY, VA as the last two).
Food culture of the US would also be really different.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is going to be completely different than OTL. With slavery having a time bomb at 1836, F.D. (who escaped slavery in 1838 OTL) would have been freed earlier. Slave trade at all would have been banned 1820; expansion of slavery banned in 1830; various states would have banned slavery even before 1836 (I'm thinking KY, VA as the last two).
Food culture of the US would also be really different.
Yeah, I've read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, with my copy having some annotations. Reading it really demonstrated to me why Douglass is one of the greatest Americans of all time. He rose from being viewed as literally nothing, to being an influential voice in Republican politics and being given diplomatic positions. He will always astound me with his determination.
Thank you.
I realized that I buffed Van Buren way too much. TBH, I might consider replacing him with Daniel Webster...
Makes me wonder how the south is going to fare in the future being economically and politically backward, only existing because they are useful to Britain, for the time being anyway. Will unification ever be on the table or even possible with some of the states?
Thanks for the upvotes. Hmm. They exist because they are useful for Britain. Now political and economic backwardness, you do bring up good points. Since the failure of the rebellion the British have managed to make them less politically backward (although they're still dominion status). Economic backwardness was actually rather common in the British holdings in the 1800s to make a rebellion harder--they would need the mother country. Is Unification going to be on the table... I think it depends on what happens to Britain tbh. Let's say it loses a big war and has to free its holdings. In that case, I could see the south trying to be independent, but there could be people that want a merger with the US... this is still very far in the future, though.
What do you want for Canada? I'm struggling to put content for it, but I don't want clichés.
I voted for Independence because that’s what the concept of my timeline is about.
I have some skeleton of a plan for a future "British Columbia" chapter sometime in the future
A group called the Neo-Jacksonians wanted to see "What would Jackson do" in the problems of their era. At one point, their leader makes a speech about where they came from, and where they will go, and finishes it with "In the end, we wouldn't be who we were without Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis." I'm thinking of title dropping.
For the Europe section that I've delayed (sorry guys) since starting Tuesday this week will be very hectic due to online classes
-Austria collapses
-Italy forms a monarchy and unifies. Strong constitutional trends though as a compromise.
Also, what do you think of narrative sections? Do you think they are a good idea?
A group called the Neo-Jacksonians wanted to see "What would Jackson do" in the problems of their era. At one point, their leader makes a speech about where they came from, and where they will go, and finishes it with "In the end, we wouldn't be who we were without Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis." I'm thinking of title dropping.
For the Europe section that I've delayed (sorry guys) since starting Tuesday this week will be very hectic due to online classes
-Austria collapses
-Italy forms a monarchy and unifies. Strong constitutional trends though as a compromise.
Also, what do you think of narrative sections? Do you think they are a good idea?
I personally think title dropping is a good way to end your TL (I should know).
Hmm. And I read that. Good idea... nevertheless, I don't know where to end my TL. I'm thinking maybe when civil rights are fully realized, when the ideals of Jefferson finally came true?
So I have a big quandary now. The roadmap is way obsolete. Does the "American Bismarck" idea tread any water (His family had fled Germany due to violence in the early 1800s and ended up in America in TTL), or should I just scrap it?