Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis: Alternate History of the U.S.

[sampleswift]

The search for personal wealth, as well as overcrowding in the cities, were two big factors for the westward expansion of the United States of America. Many settlers moved west to start their own farms, out on the Great Plains. Others were attracted to rushes of gold and silver that prospectors found out in the old West. The formation of concentrated mining towns began in the 1850s, especially after the Mexican-American War. Many of these mining towns would dry up when their resource did, leaving the ruins of many “ghost towns”. These towns would erode to dust in the wind, monuments to a mad dash for precious metals that ended abruptly with the exhaustion of the resource in question. Not all mining towns became ghost towns—several acquired other industries and became prosperous. Other towns formed near bodies of water due to being more fertile for agriculture. Many agricultural communities sprang up near the rivers of the Great Plains. Both types of community became ethnically diverse due to the large numbers of immigrants going to America, the land of opportunity. Even immigrants from China arrived at some of the gold and silver rushes—although racism was always a problem for them. Mining companies often deceived immigrants with little knowledge of English into working harder and longer hours. White mining workers decried “Chinese Cooliesism” (a racist term for supposed industry preference for Chinese immigrant workers). The US government was originally too preoccupied with the Mexican-American War to particularly do anything, and the issue of white mining workers disagreeing with the companies over Chinese immigration would remain a problem.

A treaty that defined Oklahoma as part of the United States of America and not in “British Columbia”, among other factors (such as more border clarification to avoid conflict). (Note: “British Columbia” in Jefferson’s Anti-Slavery Crisis consists of OTL North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas). The rebuilding of “British Columbia” would distract its residents from competition with the United States of America—which was often so bad, an urban legend stated the term “Clean Old-Fashioned Hate” referred to the US—“British Columbia” hatred. That was an incorrect notion; the term had its origins from the lynching of African Americans due to hate groups like the “White Leagues”. This was most common in Kentucky and Virginia, and the federal government attempted to pass an anti-lynching law in 1859. That didn’t work, but it would inspire future attempts. One would eventually succeed in 1868, but by then, many such lynching murders occurred, causing terror among African Americans. A migration of them moved out west, partially due to greater opportunities there, and a belief that the frontier was more accepting of them. That was partially true--although discrimination and racism still existed even in the frontier. Nevertheless, many western communities become multipolar, cosmopolitan, and multicultural places. They personified the "Melting pot" that was America, as they took in excess population from the cities, and various migrations seeking opportunity.

One important industry besides farming and mining was the bison industry. This eventually led to the bison becoming an endangered species, and later becoming one of the first protected species under the Theodore Roosevelt administration far later. The bison was often hunted for its hide. Its meat was also used to supply the workers in the West. The industrial scale of the bison industry led to ecological destruction on the plains since the bison was a key species for the Great Plains ecosystem. "Buffalo Bill" was one of the first people to grow wealthy from the bison industry--and he became one of the personal success stories of the United States of America. Cattle ranching also occurred in the Great Plains, and also in Texas. This industry was limited by the prairie grasses, and was not seen in the Rocky Mountains area. Cattle (usually Texas longhorns) would be herded northwards by the first cowboys (many of which attracted all sorts of legends around them), fattened on the prairie grasses for slaughter, finally slaughtered in slaughterhouses, and turned into meat products to feed the appetites of America. This, too, caused problems for the Plains. The first "Black Blizzard" in northern Texas and in Oklahoma started due to overgrazing of various territories. It damaged the cattle industry for a few years, as once-productive land became dust in the wind.

Westward Expansion had been key to American identity almost since Independence, but now it was becoming even stronger than before. A friendly ally to the north meant that the U.S. claims to the Oregon Territory were no longer disputed. South of the 49th parallel, the boundary between the U.S. and Canada, the opportunities for expansion seemed tremendous. At this time period, there were a group of people called “annexationists” who wanted more land for the United States. Specifically, they were eyeing Mexico’s lands, which seemed full of promise and resources, and controlled by a weak government. They also wanted to have Texas—and there were many Texans who wanted to be a part of the United States of America. Controlling the Kansas--Oklahoma Territory--Texas corridor (note that the US--British Columbian borders were defined until the Mississippi River, leaving the status of Oklahoma Territory in limbo until the U.S. and Britain signed a treaty stating that the U.S. would obtain the Oklahoma territory for $10 million). Mexico, however, would not tolerate Texas becoming a part of the United States of America. The stage would be set for the Mexican-American war if Texas became part of the United States of America—which many believed would be only a matter of time due to the prominence of “annexationists” in the U.S., and the fact that Mexico's government was almost known for its incompetence. Military coups weakened the integrity of the Mexican government, and many Americans eyed "easy prey". The massacre of a group of Texan settlers in disputed territory by Mexican soldiers didn't help any. On July 4, 1852, the Texas government and the American government agreed to let Texas in as a state in the United States of America. This infuriated Mexico, who declared war on the United States of America. The Mexican-American War had begun.

 

[sampleswift]

The US Election of 1848, so close to the Mexican American War, was marked by an intense struggle of “who could be more competent at conducting the war”. The candidates were George M. Dallas of the Democratic Party and James Birney of the Whig Party (as the Federalist Party had collapsed previously and its remnants coalesced into the new “Whig” Party after 1840.

George M. Dallas won because most Americans thought Birney would not punish Mexico for the massacres of American and Texan settlers on disputed territory. The electorate became almost bloodthirsty for vengeance against the Mexican soldiers, and many voters also wanted more US expansion into the West. As such, the massacre on the Nueces, where Mexico's soldiers had slaughtered a group of American settlers in Texas, proved to be the final straw. The United States of America declared war on Mexico as a result on April 8, 1848. The Mexican American War had begun.

The Mexican American War was marked by catastrophic leadership on the Mexican side. Santa Anna had no idea on how to lead an army effectively. He kept blundering around his own country's northern border, making mistake after mistake, and having difficulty defending it from the Yankees. Most of the battles, including the battles on the Rio Grande, the Battle of Chihuahua, the California incursions, and the Siege of Santa Fe, were disastrous for Mexico--it kept losing battle after battle. The Mexican public also had difficulty supporting the war at times, thinking Santa Anna to be a blowhard who thought he could take on the Americans instead of negotiating. This diminished support for the war in some areas of Mexico, further hampering the Mexican war effort. The losses of many battles by the Mexican army further impeded Mexican morale and support for the war, and Mexico's political instability caused many people to doubt that their government was doing the right thing. It didn’t help that the US army was capably led by Winfield Scott. He saw the successful accomplishments of the following objectives for the US Army.

• Take California and New Mexico
• Take Northern Mexico

The first case where the Mexican Army saw a defeat was in New Mexico, where Mexican forces kept on losing ground to the Americans. Uprisings in California and other northern Mexican territories also happened, making it easier for the United States to move its armies westward. A common pattern in this war would be Mexican officers seeking glory leading their troops into problematic situations. The Americans would exploit this, often leading to many US victories. It was said that disease played a bigger danger to US soldiers than the Mexicans did—highlighting both the incompetence of Mexican forces, but also the need for better medicine for soldiers. In addition to their awful leadership, another reason Mexico ended up losing the war was a lack of industrial capability. The United States of America could simply bring much larger reserves of equipment due to having many more military factories. Many of the Mexican forces ended up chronically underequipped—in one battle, it was said that the guns were more important than the men. The Mexican officers there would rather bring home their equipment than their personnel if they could only carry one. Such an underequipped army could do little but keep losing battle after battle, even in the heartland of its homeland. As a result, desertions were common among the Mexican forces as soldiers simply ran away rather than fight a losing war. Routs (where an army retreated in a disorderly manner) often happened to the Mexican army due to poor discipline and distrust of the generals.

Soon, Mexico City itself became under threat. The US Navy landed at the Battle of Veracruz, scattering the few Mexican ships there, and landed an amphibious assault. From there, it was only a relatively short distance to Mexico City. The US Army crushed all resistance in its path, eventually reaching Mexico City in 1851. The Mexican government, realizing it was doomed, was forced to sue for peace in the Treaty of Mexico City. This led to the ceding of Mexico’s northern territories to the United States of America. They would eventually form the states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah.

Bold = new text:
George M. Dallas, though, did not want to continue being President after the Mexican American War. He decided not to run again in 1852. As the US started to settle its new territories and turn them into states, the stage was set for a more placid era of American history.

This war would prove that Mexico's army was incompetent. It would spur a modernization campaign in Mexican history dedicated to improving the industrialization of the country and the effectiveness of the military. Such a national embarrassment would not be repeated again, especially because Mexico, after having lost its northern territories, had ambitions to become a power in Central America to compensate.

 

[sampleswift]

Some lessons learned from the Mexican American War included the importance of artillery in battles. The superior American artillery caused major problems for any Mexican infantry attack. Many of the Mexican lines ended up pulverized by the barrages of firepower from artillery guns. The importance of joint army-navy attacks was also seen, as the attacks on Vera Cruz and deeper into Mexico itself demonstrated. Most importantly, logistical concerns became important. Armies across the globe saw a shining example of how an army’s baggage train (in this case, the supplies of the US Army) contributed greatly to the victory of its side. Military strategists took notes on this fact, especially von Clausewitz, who wrote books on war strategy—one of his influences was indeed the Mexican American War. (The others were chiefly wars in European history). He was one of the most important military minds in the late 1850s to the early 1870s, and his books became the cornerstones of the curricula of many military academies.


With the victory of the United States in the Mexican American War, the United States stood on another height in its history. Settlements of the west continued apace, with more states forming as settlers streamed westward. Intriguingly, in the late 1870s, Texas agreed to a rearrangement which the famed author Rudyard Kipling saw as a “maceration of a state”. Texas was divided into several parts. (More will be on this in the map update...)

As the 1850s turned into the 1860s, more of its attention could go to solving internal problems, and settling its newfound domains. The literature of America also became important in this era. Many dime-store novels about the Western frontier popularized it, and helped contribute to the legend of the cowboys. The novels also exaggerated at many points—the West wasn’t as violent as originally thought, especially after the 1860s ended. Cowboy duels weren't actually that common--especially after the "Cowboy as Entrepreneur" era ended, and gun violence ordinances passed in the states and territories.


Other novels depicted scenes of other countries such as the European ones, or of countries in Asia or Africa. “Explorer novels”, books published about newly-explored lands, captivated the minds of many Americans, and may have spurred interest in the “American Scientific Exploration Committee” established in the late 1870s, supposedly to “fill the gaps” in scientific knowledge. One such novel, “Into China” told the story of a young trader named Jan Brand in his journey to China. It showcased large swathes of the Chinese countryside and its cities. Brand faced a conflict with the Chinese on trade, which led to several close calls with the Chinese authorities. Thankfully for him, the Europeans showed up and drove away the Chinese soldiers that were giving him problems. The story was an allegory of European efforts to open up China, and would give many Americans their first look at what China was like.



Similarly, the book “Disappeared with the Wind” by Victor Hugo (published 1870) discussed the infamous “Sack of Charleston”. Kipling thought the Sack went too far—he claimed that the old culture vanished due to the overzealous actions of the British soldiers in the “British Columbia Rebellion”. The arduous rebuilding process afterwards was also described in very accurate detail. The panorama of slaughter, the ruins as far as the eye can see, and the struggling rebuilding of the various social classes as they tried to make something out of the devastation seemed as an indictment of war itself. The book’s main character, Edgar Riemann, faced the loss of all his and his family’s wealth after the destruction in the “British Columbia Rebellion.” Upon seeing the ruins of his mansion, he says this famous quote. “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn anymore. Everything had disappeared with the wind due to the bloodthirsty British Army.” The rebuilding process causes Edgar Riemann to ally with people he’d never thought he would have to ally with in order to find his place in the new “British Columbia.”

The book sold well, especially in the United States of America. Another book about “British Columbia” was Mark Twain's The Adventures of Thomas Finn, which showcased the adventures of a young man down the Mississippi River, with his attempts at playing pirate, finding lost treasure, fending off robbers, and other escapades. It also showed an in-depth look at the cultures along the Mississippi, with careful attention to detail. Twain also depicted the hollowness of various people (usually Southerners) using the Bible to justify racism--something that other reformers would find disgusting. In some ways, Twain was ahead of his time.

Other books in the era criticized American policies or culture. The book “Greaseball”, published in 1867 by Thomas Nast, criticized political machines, which often ran the local politics within large cities and were home to vast amounts of corruption. The book highlighted a massive scandal in New York City, perpetrated by the Tammany Hall political machine, that involved ballot stuffing, other forms of voter fraud, and mass embezzlement. The New York Times managed to corroborate the reports—spelling the decline of the Tammany Hall figure known as “Boss” Tweed, who ended up arrested for various charges including embezzlement and bribery.

Similarly, the book The Urban Horror by Frederick Douglass showcased a particular problem in American society. It displayed the industrialized horror of meatpackers, and the appalling conditions suffered by their workers. The book follows the main character, David Dunburrow, as he immigrates to the U.S. thinking it a land of opportunity. He finds few opportunities and ends up working at a meatpacking industry, where the terrible working conditions described in graphic detail make him ill of poisoning rather quickly. His family is quite literally torn apart by the industry (one scene depicts his cousin falling over an edge and get diced to bits below); the company (due to operating in a time with surpluses of labor) fires David Dunburrow after he has expended his value. Dunburrow ends up on the wrong side of the law and ends the story in prison, upon which, he finds other prisoners that were working in an organized labor movement. He decides to join them when the prison is compromised via a break-in. Published in 1859, and quickly became a bestseller. The Urban Horror spurred calls for safer workplaces and more pay for workers. Eventually, it would lead to the formation of the Occupational Workplace Cleanliness Act, which would mandate safety inspections, among other workplace safety measures, to occur within businesses.

 

[sampleswift]

Bold = Updated Text.
"British Columbia" was in ruins after its failed bid for independence. A rebuilding was taking place, but many in the British government were questioning the utility of the rebuild. They already spent large amounts of money and blood putting down the rebellion--and didn't want to spend more money on what they considered as a failed province. Other ministers, though, wanted “British Columbia” to become profitable again. Most of the actual economic rebuild process started in the late 1840s and early 1850s after putting down the last of the southern guerillas like the “Golden Circle” terrorist movement that harried British patrols.


Much of the populace of “British Columbia, thankfully, did not particularly like the whole rebellion to begin with. It was almost entirely in the defense of slavery. Alexander Stephens put it well when he stated that “The rebellion was crushed due to its lack of popular support—but it came at a great cost. Most of our local governance disappeared as punishment.” At this point, local initiatives were not going to work well without backers back home in Great Britain. It didn’t stop burgesses or colonial representatives from trying, but those didn’t have much power at all anymore.


Education became an issue after the rebellion failed. Many analysts thought the lack of education made it easier for rabble-rousers to sway sections of the populace. These reformers claimed that improving the education of “British Columbia” would make it easier for people to reject any future radicals. The main problem with this strategy, though, was the immense cost. The education plan was pushed to the back burner, although dreams of a wider education would persist, and reappear in the 1880s and 1890s.


With the abolition of slavery came a new question of what to do with the economy. A tenant farming system soon developed in the south. More importantly, the beginnings of industrialization started to appear in the New South. Diversification of agriculture also occurred, with the increased production of wheat. Railroads, first repairing the old ones damaged by war, and the construction of new ones, started to emerge in “British Columbia.” Perhaps the most influential “British Columbian” in favor of this economic change was James B. D. De Bow. He had wanted “British Columbia” to become a faithful dominion of the British Empire like India and Egypt were becoming—especially India, which was very productive for the British Empire, and seen as the “jewel in the crown”. He attempted to gain local support for the railroads, and published a magazine called “The Southern Commercial Review”. Evidently, the mother country agreed with him, and wanted to build more railroads (primarily to get goods and raw materials to their markets in Great Britain faster).


Soil erosion became a big problem. Many crops simply “disappeared with the wind” due to weathering of topsoil. The expert scientist Alfred Russel Wallace had gone on a trip to “British Columbia” in 1848—almost as soon as the soil erosion problem surfaced—and researched the problem. He wrote several papers on the nature of soil erosion, why it happened, and the importance of not letting the soil blow away. He also was tasked with finding solutions for soil erosion while keeping the land productive. By 1852, he would come up with new systems of crop rotation, and the planting of crops like legumes, peanuts, and other crops that would leech nutrients into the soil. As a result, soil erosion became less of an issue. The food culture also changed, with new dishes made due to the new food crops introduced by Alfred Wallace. Besides agriculture, the fisheries along the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts became more intensive, especially in Louisiana and Florida—this would have effects on both the maritime ecosystems and on food culture. More production of pork and beef also occurred—and having effects on food culture as well.


The British efforts in colonization did not end with “British Columbia” and British possessions in the Caribbean. The colonization of India continued apace, and so did the colonization of Egypt. South Africa was also settled due to the strategic location of the Cape. By the 1850s, settlement was starting there, but faced the problems of the Zulus and the Boers that would not be solved until far later. The Zulus, for instance, would keep being a problem for the British forces in South Africa until the late 1880s.


The British Empire also attempted to colonize Australia and New Zealand. The explorers sent by the British Empire often catalogued dozens of new species of animal and plant—collections of which were brought back to science labs. Some of these animals (like the platypus) looked so bizarre that people thought they were fakes (in the age before extensive quality checks, fakes did happen, so peoples’ suspicions were not entirely unfounded). Animals and plants were not the only subjects of study in Australia. Some scientists also studied the landforms, or they made sketches of the native peoples. This discovery process would repeat itself in other colonized lands as parts of the “Scientific Expansion” in the age of the great European empires. While many of the new discoveries in "Scientific Expansion" occurred in the natural sciences (zoology, geology, biology, etc.), others occurred in other sciences such as the social sciences. Wallace, for instance, made several new discoveries in agricultural sciences, and his techniques would spread beyond "British Columbia", surfacing in Egypt and Australia. Even American scientists were trying out some of Wallace's ideas when soil erosion became problematic in the "Black Blizzards" of the Great Plains.


If only it was so civilized, though. Expansion came at the cost of native peoples, who were often brutalized and killed to clear the land. South Africa would see the marginalization or elimination of the Zulus and Boers in a later era (1880s-1890s). The Aborigines almost vanished in Australia outside of the desert in the Outback. Now, Britain was not the only brutal colonial power. When France had its turn in Africa, it often proved to be little better. Other European powers also would join Britain in a vicious war against China since nobody wanted to be left behind in the trade negotiations.

However, India and China deserve their own section.

 

[sampleswift]

Sorry for the delay/lack of content. More coming very soon.

The European dominance of the Far East had its roots with the Subjugation of India. India had been heavily weakened since the 1730s with the decline of the Mughal Empire. The European powers could become more involved with India as a result. Another reason why European powers could have an easier time getting influence over India was India’s rapid decentralization. After costly wars and invasions, by the mid-1750s, the Mughal emperor lost much of his power. The British East India Company had used large amounts of its profits to start a private army—much later, historians would classify it as one of the first “corporatocracies” in history. British officials made deals with some of the Indian princes for trade and influence in exchange for protection. This would lead to the phrase “Mir Jafar” (synonymous for collaborator or traitor—named after an Indian general who sided with the British Empire). At least in the beginning, these deals were mutually beneficial for both the British East India company and the Indian princes. One reason Europeans wanted trade with India was for spices. The search for spices also brough them to the archipelagos of Southeast Asia, especially the area known as the “spice islands”. Pepper was one of the most important spices for preservation; it helped keep food from being infected by bacteri


By the 1760s, the British had largely driven the French out of India, leaving themselves as the main European power in India. As a result, other European countries decided to have their own Asian colonies elsewhere. For example, the Dutch took parts of Indonesia to form the “Dutch East Indies”, known best for the aforementioned spice production. The French also set up forts in southeast Asia in what would eventually become Thailand. Portugal had its own possessions in the “East Indies” which produced more spices


British expansion in India would continue as the 1700s ended and the 1800s began. British East India Company soldiers started to expand the dominion of their company throughout India as they destroyed the Indian substates that resisted British rule. This took a while, partially due to suspicion at the East India Company. Corruption scandals made it more difficult for the Company to expand since wealth that could have gone into making a bigger army was often diverted into the hands of the company’s “nabobs”. The British East India Company would have direct or indirect control of almost all of India by the early 1850s, but trouble started for the company due to financial problems. Corruption was one problem; another was difficulty in turning a profit due to the costs of keeping down rebellions. As a result, the British Raj replaced the British East India Company in managing India.


China was perhaps the greatest prize in Asia according to the Europeans. Many Chinese goods, like porcelain (called china because it came from China) and tea became very prized in Europe. However, China did not want most European goods, and wanted primarily silver. So long as the European countries had access to large silver reserves, this was not a huge problem. However, the collapse of European colonization in South America made it more difficult for the Europeans to get large amounts of silver. The British looked for a solution—they found it in the opium plant, which was often used for drugs.

Other countries did not want the British Empire to have a free hand in Asia. French, Russian, and even American policymakers wanted their own trade in China. As a result, they attempted their own trade with China, and were stymied by the same ineffective Chinese bureaucracy that was not interested in trade. Merchants often found themselves frustrated with their own governments at a supposed inability to open links to China; everyone was angry at the Chinese for not opening trade. The British Empire had large stocks of opium, which was imported and smuggled into China in exchange for trade goods, especially tea, silk, spices, and porcelain. There was a problem, though. Opium was highly addictive; the Chinese government knew this and banned the substance. In addition, the Chinese government often cracked down on users and dealers of opium. The British demanded the Chinese compensate them for the lost money; the Chinese refused, prompting the British government to send in the Royal Navy in 1842, shortly after the conclusion of the failed adventure in North America (which led to an independent Canada).


China in the 1830s and 1840s had stagnated for almost a century, and was unable to effectively contest the British Royal Navy. The Royal Navy easily destroyed Chinese ships (often called “junks”). To call this a naval war would be a misnomer; it was a naval massacre. The British forces easily destroyed their competition, sailed or steamed up the Chinese rivers, and threatened the Chinese cities, forcing the Emperor to sue for peace. Other European nations did not complain about British war crimes during this time period since they also wanted trade with China, and wanted to keep good relations with the British government. The stories of sacked Chinese cities and wrecked palaces may have circulated, but they did not affect European policy. The “Middle Kingdom” era, where China saw itself as the strongest power, would be over. China would have to make unfavorable trade deals (which benefited European powers, chiefly Britain). Other countries like France, Russia, and even the United States of America swooped in to get their own pieces of the China trade. All involved benefited with the exception of China. The situation in China was so untenable that many reformers seriously thought about overthrowing the Emperor in China. The reformers sought European help for the attempted westernization of China. In particular, the United States of America and its system of government would become important. Some Chinese reformers attempted to imitate the Republic system formed in the United States; the United States, who wanted to spread its “American system” around the world, approved of them. The stage was set for the Pan-China War.

 

[sampleswift]

Other countries did not want the British Empire to have a free hand in Asia. French, Russian, and even American policymakers wanted their own trade in China. As a result, they attempted their own trade with China, and were stymied by the same ineffective Chinese bureaucracy that was not interested in trade. Merchants often found themselves frustrated with their own governments at a supposed inability to open links to China; everyone was angry at the Chinese for not opening trade. The British Empire had large stocks of opium, which was imported and smuggled into China in exchange for trade goods, especially tea, silk, spices, and porcelain. There was a problem, though. Opium was highly addictive; the Chinese government knew this and banned the substance. In addition, the Chinese government often cracked down on users and dealers of opium. The British demanded the Chinese compensate them for the lost money; the Chinese refused, prompting the British government to send in the Royal Navy in 1842, shortly after the conclusion of the failed adventure in North America (which led to an independent Canada).


China in the 1830s and 1840s had stagnated for almost a century, and was unable to effectively contest the British Royal Navy. The Royal Navy easily destroyed Chinese ships (often called “junks”). To call this a naval war would be a misnomer; it was a naval massacre. The British forces easily destroyed their competition, sailed or steamed up the Chinese rivers, and threatened the Chinese cities, forcing the Emperor to sue for peace. Other European nations did not complain about British war crimes during this time period since they also wanted trade with China, and wanted to keep good relations with the British government. The stories of sacked Chinese cities and wrecked palaces may have circulated, but they did not affect European policy. The “Middle Kingdom” era, where China saw itself as the strongest power, would be over. China would have to make unfavorable trade deals (which benefited European powers, chiefly Britain). Other countries like France, Russia, and even the United States of America swooped in to get their own pieces of the China trade. All involved benefited with the exception of China. The situation in China was so untenable that many reformers seriously thought about overthrowing the Emperor in China. The reformers sought European help for the attempted westernization of China. In particular, the United States of America and its system of government would become important. Some Chinese reformers attempted to imitate the Republic system formed in the United States; the United States, who wanted to spread its “American system” around the world, approved of them. The stage was set for the Pan-China War.

 

[sampleswift]

The Westward Expansion of Canada was somewhat similar to the Westward Expansion of the United States of America. Settlers moved west due to large amounts of available land. A big difference, however, was the fur trade. The fur trade was very important for Canada—furs for clothes became a very important export. Various companies existed to exploit the Canadian west. Perhaps the most important fur product at this stage was beaver pelts for the construction of hats. The main demand for this was in Europe. Beaver hats were in large demand, and this caused the collapse of the beaver population in many areas due to the high levels of hunting. The bison also was a target for hunting, especially due to the demand for bison pelts in the United States of America (often used as a symbol of the West, or for leather). The meat was also used to feed railway workers in the West in both countries.


Settlement of the West proceeded rather slowly, the first stage being the mountaineers and trappers, who often made deals with Native Americans on where to find the best fur-producing areas. Other industries included the timber industry (which cut down trees that were abundant in the various boreal forests), the mining industry (first in the Canadian Rockies, then later in the Yukon), and agriculture in the Great Plains of Canada. Wheat cultivation in agriculture became important in the next wave of settlement. The Great Plains area had similar settlement patterns as the United States of America, but with more government oversight in the beginning stages. Native Americans were often expelled and forced to go ever further west as the Canadian settlers started consolidating newly-settled lands. The Mounties (a mounted police force that existed on the frontier) started accumulating legends in this period, driving out various outlaws that existed in the Canadian frontier. After the Canadian Revolution, the task at hand was to form a stable government. Constitution-building began, with heavy influences on the United States of America.


Meanwhile, in the United States of America, events were proceeding rather slowly. The late 1850s were spent primarily digesting the territories gained from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. Foreign policy was painfully average in that period--no disasters, but also no great achievements there. The progress of civil rights (faster than most Americas across the multiverse)—slowed down, and only picked up in the 1860s and onward. The United States seemed content with westward expansion and trade, with no big foes in the 1850s. Stabilization started to occur in the other countries in the Americas, with the development of the “Protector Doctrine” which stated the United States of America had a responsibility for protecting other countries in its hemisphere. Stabilization of other governments to prevent instability started to occur, with many South American countries like Gran Colombia (formed after its successful rebellion from Spain; Simon Bolivar was able to keep it together despite factionalism), Peru, and Chile. Mexico was reeling from the Mexican-American War, trying to find any semblance of stability--it would not arrive until the late 1860s.


The Presidents of the United States during the late 1850s (Franklin Pierce (D-R) from 1852 -56; John C. Fremont (W) from 1856-1860) accomplished little other than western expansion. Pierce in particular was considered "An incompetent" due to his apparent lack of care about American welfare--just enough not to cause massive problems, but hardly doing anything else. John C. Fremont won the Election of 1856 over Franklin Pierce, but soon faced his own problems--an economic depression called the Panic of 1857, and revanchists down south in "British Columbia". The revanchists down south in "British Columbia" turned out to be a bunch of hot air. They did not have the capability to spark a serious war across the North American continent, and Fremont The Panic of 1857 would be the last depression in the US where there would not be an organized government response. Fremont did attempt to make speeches stating that "America will endure", but most people had thought he was not particularly competent at solving an economic crisis. He did, however, have more success in the civil rights department.


Fremont enforced an anti-lynching law thoroughly (often times in the early 1850s in the Pierce (D-R) era, that law was badly enforced, leading to tragic deaths of many people, especially in the West and "Upper South", and of African Americans.) The "Knights of the Storm" (early hate group against immigrants and African Americans) were reduced in number, being arrested. While many still remained, the problem was now less than it originally was. However, even these two accomplishments could not prevent Fremont from winning his reelection; people did not have faith in his handling of the economic crisis. The stage was set for the formation of the formation of the "Progressive" party in 1858, and its standard-bearer in Abraham Lincoln.

Political Parties so far (I'll need to double check)
Federalist (collapsed); replaced by Whigs.
Democratic-Republican (splits into Democratic and Republican later...)
Progressive (forms 1858)

 

[sampleswift]

Alexander Stevens was a man in “British Columbia” who thought very poorly of the United States of America. He became more extreme over time as the cultures of both areas diverged significantly, and he was brash and never backed down from a fight. He peddled an idea called “Normanism”. It was a racial theory that espoused the superiority of British Columbians as second only to their British overlords. This theory was originally published in 1857, and by 1860, became relatively widespread in “British Columbia”. Many of the whites in “British Columbia” wanted someone to sneer at, or to scapegoat when something went wrong. The Yankees seemed like an obvious target due to the shared enmity since 1776. Besides a hatred of Americans and an emphasis on “whiteness”, especially concerning “British Columbians”, the belief of “Normanism”, which often manifested in the book “A New Dominion” by Alexander Stevens, stressed rearmament, and also territorial expansion. In particular, the “Normanists” wanted territory gains in the Caribbean and in Mexico. The origins of this territorial desire started from the early days of “British Columbia”, where it was originally managed similarly to the British holdings in the Caribbean. A desire for purchasing Cuba from Spain was floated in “A New Dominion”. Cuba seemed compatible with cash crop agriculture, for instance. “A New Dominion” also supported the British Empire’s expansion in other areas besides the Caribbean—it wanted “British Columbians” to sign up to glorify their Empire by signing up in various “Colonial Corps” (auxiliaries supporting British soldiers) and helping to expand and protect the British holdings in Egypt, South Africa, and Australia. Due to his efforts in bringing many young men into the "Colonial Corps" and helping British expansion in Australia, South Africa, and Egypt, the British government tolerated him--at least until he started to become a bigger problem than benefit.



The American was considered “Roundhead”—a distortion of the English Civil War. Other groups that were discriminated against in “Normanism” included Africans, Native Americans, and Asians. This fact-distorting theory claimed that the settlers of the Carolinas and Georgia (and the rest of the lower South) largely consisted of an “aristocratic stock”. The forerunners of this “Normanism” could be seen in the copying of architecture from Great Britain by the planter class prior to the failed rebellion in the late 1830s. While most examples ended up being burned down, a few examples of classic architecture remained in governor’s mansions, colonial courts, and a military college. “Normanism” gained popularity as the book "A New Dominion" became a bestseller in "British Columbia". This inspired new groups called the "Graycoats" (a hate group), and offered refuge for the "Storm Riders" hate group based in the United States of America. They appeared in “British Columbia” around the late 1850s and the 1860s; they often wore homespun "butternut" clothes. They were accused of raids and other crimes--in particular, attacking US Citizens that were in "British Columbia" for various reasons. This earned them the ire of the US government, and would lead to a flashpoint. Among the early members of this version of the “Graycoats” was Nathan Bedford Forrest—a man with an almost boundless hatred for Yankees and blacks. Another reason why the belief of “Normanism” spread in “British Columbia” was the poverty of many people in the area coupled with a still-weak education system. The primarily rural nature of “British Columbia” combined with a lack of higher education outside of the cities meant that many people may have believed Stevens more readily. However, he was not without supporters in urban areas. Even some burgesses believed what he said (at least in private). Other people like Robert Toombs and John Bell Hood also joined the "Normanists"; in fact, sometimes they were seen as a secret society of sorts.


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. He also wanted the "Graycoats" to stop harassing US citizens in "British Columbia".

A "butternut uniform" belonging to a "Graycoat" or at least the restoration of one.

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 crisis was averted... at least for now.

(Note that this would not be the last time that hate groups from the South would cause a problem in the United States of America, although certainly one of the most severe.)

 

[sampleswift]

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...

 

[sampleswift]

Revolutions in Europe (sorry it's late, and out of order)

Austria had been collapsing ever since the beginning of the 1840s. The situation was dire. Many ethnic groups such as Hungarians, Romanians, and several other groups wanted independence, citing the ideas of nationalism. Others wanted more democratic representation, or a better fiscal policy. Some even cited the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution as possible frames for a new government. The Hungarian revolutionary Gorbok (custom character) even wanted American advisors on how to set up a new government. Gorbok wanted to break free from the Austrian Empire and published a book called the "Hungarian Manifesto" on why Hungary should be formed. Croats, Slovenians, and Romanians followed suit with their own protest movements and manifestos. Many of these movements turned violent when the Austrian military stepped in and often attacked the protestors. Other soldiers, especially of Hungarian descent, deserted the main army and joined their corresponding revolutionaries. Everything was falling to pieces and quickly. Students played an important role in the protest movements because many of them learned about new ideas from France and the United States of America.

Many groups in the Austrian Empire, especially the Hungarians, but also other ethnic minorities, felt they did not have enough representation in the Austrian Empire. Agricultural issues, such as corrupt or absentee landlords, a debt crisis, and To assuage Russia, the Hungarian revolutionaries sent delegations to make a better trade deal with Russia, and to avoid conflict with the giant of the east. In fact, the Russians of that time believed that a divided Eastern Europe would be less of a threat to them than an Austria-dominated one. So they didn't help Austria when it was on fire. The Austrian Emperor, Ferdinand I, was a famously conservative man, and distrusted social change. Prince Metternich wasn't much better and had gone to great lengths to keep the European social order so that another "Coalition War" could not occur. Such a loss of life leading to... relatively the same borders, with the main difference being a more democratic France and Germany with few other changes, was something Metternich hated. He wanted Europe to stay the same, ostensibly to preserve the life of its people. Many other groups, however, saw Metternich as freezing Europe in an ice house, preventing it from developing properly.

Ferdinand I was unable to deal with the incoming crisis. Austrian forces were stretched too thin, not just fighting the Hungarians, Romanians, and Croats, but also against Czechs, Slovaks, and other groups. The Austrian Explosion occurred in 1849 when several new countries, such as Hungary, Romania, Bohemia, and Croatia formed. Most of these new countries were some form of republic based off the American model. Two more years of war occurred before Austria was forced to eat a loss in the "Treaty of Berlin", which established most of the splinter countries as independent. The Austrian government would collapse soon after, and Ferdinand I was forced to abdicate. In his place arrived Franz Joseph I.

A common joke used by future historians was that the Austrian army attacked itself and hurt itself in its confusion. This was because many members of ethnic minorities in the Army turned on their Austrian commanders. The effectiveness of the Austrian Army was heavily hampered by this, allowing revolutionaries to win in several areas of the Empire. Most successor states became republics, but Hungary became a kingdom with a constitutional monarchy. The now greatly-reduced Austria now only had its main territory and Venice. Franz Joseph I would consider a deal with the Venetians to keep them in the Empire to prevent Austria from becoming completely landlocked. It worked, at least until Italian unification and nationalism became prevalent in the Italian peninsula. (Italy was not a unified country back in the 1840s and 1850s; several smaller countries existed, such as Piedmont-Sardinia, the Two Sicilies, the Papal State, and others.)

The "Austrian Explosion" was not the only problem in Europe in the late 1840s and early 1850s. Reform movements came and went across the continent. Besides Austria (which famously exploded), reforms were attempted in other countries. The British Empire faced the Chartist movement (which ultimately failed, but still led to many British politicians being very skeptical of change, not wanting another "Tussle on the Thames" where large amounts of street violence and riots broke out). Other reformers in Europe appeared in the Scandinavian countries, where they succeeded in installing the first universal health care programs. Spain would continue limping onwards, not exactly in good shape. Its government had fended off most reform groups, and it was considered famously conservative, even reactionary at times. Even Britain, not known for embracing reform, would be considered liberal in comparison.

Austria was not the only place with a reform movement. Italy also had a reform movement of its own.

Italy was affected by the rebellions in the late 1840s and early 1850s. Italy in this time period was not one country. It existed in several pieces such as the Papal State, Venice (Austria lost it in the Austrian Explosion but was allowed to use some of its ports), Piedmont-Sardinia, and the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. Many people such as Giuseppe Garibaldi wanted a unified Italy. Garibaldi also wanted an Italian republic, and Americans were more than willing to help him there. The “Red Shirts” were Garibaldi’s army. In the words of the “Archetype Archive” (a collection of archetypes in stories), they were a “ragtag bunch of misfits”. His followers were very diverse, from all walks of life; they shared a desire to unify Italy and push it into the future. Garibaldi started out in late 1859 and by the end of 1860, had not only taken over the Two Sicilies, but solidified his hold over the country. The building blocks of a new republic also appeared by the end of 1860 in the Two Sicilies. His army expanded dramatically after his campaigns in the Two Sicilies—mostly from defections from his enemies. “He started with one thousand; he ended with twenty thousand”. After taking over the Two Sicilies, other revolutionary movements also arose in Italy. They wanted to join with Garibaldi, and form a unified Italy. The Papal State, Venice, and the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia (after the deposition of King Victor Emmanuel) soon either ceased to exist or joined with the Italian Federation (as Garibaldi's Republic of Italy would be later called) by 1867.

 

[sampleswift]

Alexander II was a man who wanted to update Russia to the modern era. It seemed horribly backwards, undeveloped, poorly industrialized, and widely seen as a joke. There were also rebel groups that were not averse to using assassins. The country was considered "the mudhole of Europe", and Alexander II wanted to change it after becoming Tsar. He sought to end serfdom in Russia; to do this, a law was passed abolishing it in 1861. Further efforts for industrialization included inviting British, French, and American industrialists to further the development of Russia. The mines of the Urals provided many of the natural resources required for the development process, and leftover resources were exported in exchange for more money--always in short supply. An assassination attempt against him was stopped by the quick actions of his guards and soldiers--as a result, Alexander II moved to crush the "Black Circle" group that was responsible for it. Besides modernizing Russia's economy and ending serfdom, Alexander II also wanted to eventually give Russia a parliament similar to Britain's, but he wanted to do this when he was in his advanced age--a final curtain call. The speed of the industrialization of Russia was rapid, rivaled primarily by Germany and Japan. One reason why the industrialization of Russia happened so quickly was due to the centralized government system of Russia, and that Alexander II could push through his reforms with less resistance compared to most other countries. Factories and their black plumes sprang up around Russia, and workers flocked to the cities for promises of a better life. Like any industrializing country, health problems due to pollution became a big problem. Sewer systems and water treatment had to be updated to avoid waterborne diseases. Railroads emerged to connect Russia's cities. An uprising among the Cossacks appeared, but was quickly put down due to the modernization of the Russian army.

Russia also wanted to take advantage of the relatively weak Ottoman Empire to the south. The Ottoman Empire was considered an even sicker country than Russia, and Alexander II was able to foment instability. A problem for the Ottomans was that Russian money often financed politicians that sabotaged the Ottoman Empire, but the corruption within the Ottomans meant they would be unable to figure out why everything was going wrong. The Ottoman Empire was decaying, and it was often compared to a corpse or an old log. Other peoples in the Ottoman Empire wanted to declare independence, tired of incompetent governance. This was especially common in the Balkans area. These separatists often cited the US Constitution, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, and the remnants of the "Austrian Explosion" for inspiration. Once again, Americans trying to spread "The Spirit of 76" attempted to go the Balkans. However, the Ottomans weren't all that important compared to the "Austrian Explosion" (which greatly affected European politics) at least for Britain. So unlike Spain, which was propped up by Great Britain, the Ottomans were frequently helped very little. The stage was set for even more problems for the Ottoman Empire, and its eventual collapse. Similar to the Balkans area, Egypt had drifted into violence against the Ottomans, and the British wanted an Egypt that was independent from the Ottomans due to the construction of the Suez Canal. The British wanted Egypt, or at least wanted Egypt to be allied to them, so they supported Egyptian revolutionaries against the Ottoman government. In exchange, when the Egyptians won, they would be allied to the British Empire. The stage was set for the Egyptian Independence War, which started in 1864 and finished in 1867 with Egyptian independence. The war did delay the Suez Canal's opening, and it opened in 1871 due to the delay of the war. Nevertheless, Britain, France, and other European powers got what they wanted--an Egypt out of the Ottoman orbit, and the Suez Canal completed. The fighting in the Egyptian Independence War was very brutal at times, with both sides committing massacres in towns, and bloody fighting in the deserts and along the coast. It also showed the weakness of the Ottoman army despite an attempt to modernize it.

After the success of the Egyptian Independence War, some of the other Ottoman provinces decided to rebel. Bosnia, Herzegovina, Serbia, and Bulgaria started their own wars of independence. The Russians, always looking for influence, helped them out. However, the other major powers of Europe did not want the Russians to go too far. As a result, in the Treaty of Athens, the Balkan countries were to be given their independence in the event of an Ottoman defeat.

The Ottoman Empire seemed doomed to collapse. The once-proud empire now controlled Turkey, Iraq, and little else. By 1875, the Ottomans had lost all their holdings in Europe, Egypt, and some of their Middle Eastern holdings. A movement called the “Suleimanists” attempted to overthrow the Sultan (Abdul Hamid II) in the Ottoman Empire. They were a “lost golden age” movement, with their invocation of Suleiman (one of the wisest sultans in the history of the Ottoman Empire) and their desire to rejuvenate the Ottoman Empire. The rotting infrastructure of the Ottoman Empire would be restored to full health—or so they said. Another reformer faction called the “Young Turks” who wanted to dismantle the Ottoman Empire also appeared in the 1880s. They clashed with the “Suleimanists”, especially due to the glacial pace of reforms. An attempt to build a constitution in the Ottoman Empire (in contrast to successful attempts in Greece, most of the Balkans, and Egypt) failed due to the autocratic nature of the Sultan. Power struggles ensued, and soon, a rebellion would arise. Many people in the Ottoman Empire looked at the higher standard of living in the U.S. and in Europe and wondered why they could not have such comforts—and placing the blame at the feet of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. The “Suleimanists” (who wanted to make the Ottomans strong) and the “Young Turks” were diametrically opposed. Both wanted Sultan Abdul Hamid II gone, but would hate each other. They did get much of the military to oppose the Sultan, and it ended with a coup d’état of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. Not long after the Sultan was killed in a fight between his loyalists and soldiers who supported the “Young Turks” or “Suleimanists”, those two factions started to fight with each other. This internecine fighting ended up with the “Young Turks” victorious and the complete demolition of the Ottoman Empire in 1889.



Turkey would be founded, along with Iraq. Turkey would stagger onward, trying to rebuild from the decline and fall of the Ottoman Empire. Some of its leaders also wanted to regain lost Ottoman territories in the Middle East once Turkey recovered economically…

 

[sampleswift]

I had another idea, even before PGSBHurricane did "Timeline-1828: A Southern-Less USA". I had an idea for the South to leave at the Constitutional Convention, but I rejected the idea since I couldn't find a way for it to survive very long without spectacular northern incompetence. In situations like this, I was expecting a war to end slavery around the 1860s/1870s and the South losing and getting absorbed around this time. I could talk about this prototype TL as well.

Prototype MK-1: Constitutional Convention Collapse
-North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia leave, this time at the Constitutional Convention over anti-slavery language. Virginia stays in barely due to the influence of prominent Virginians not to give up on the US Constitution despite the anti-slavery language. There is a big feeling of betrayal in the United States... that the NC, SC, and GA (which formed a "Confederation of the South" or something like that) betrayed their fellow states and this causes a large military buildup in the United States (another reason why this occurs is to protect from European attackers). There is no War of 1812. Like in Jefferson's Anti-Slavery Crisis, this version of the USA has a burning desire to live up to its values in the Constitution, especially in terms of civil rights and treating its people equally. This buildup and industrialization eventually leads to a situation where the USA has a great advantage over the Confederation, and conflict is bound to happen as both expand westwards due to a split Louisiana Purchase (lower part goes to CS, upper part to USA). CS decides to build up its military as well, but lower industrial base combined with lower population holds it back. US gets rid of slavery by 1836 (although most states have already gotten rid of it by 1826), and then starts some incremental civil rights in the 1850s. It's in the 1860s, with the election of Abraham Lincoln, that things really start picking up. It's around 1860 when there are slave rebellions in the "Confederation of the South", influenced by a certain Harriet Tubman. The US states that it will provide refuge for escaped slaves, and many in the South fear rebellions everywhere. There is an ultimatum to the USA that's refused. War erupts. Southerners do decently well in the beginning, but the industrial advantage of the USA and attrition takes its toll on the South. Since this is a war on slavery, no European power helps the South. It collapses in 1864.

After the war, you get a Reconstruction that actually works. Sherman leads expeditions to hunt down the Confederation leaders and generals. Many turn "scalawag". There's a concerted effort to help the freedmen (much better than OTL's Reconstruction). This eventually turns in to a Civil Rights movement of sorts that's largely complete by 1884. Voting Rights Act, enforcement of Civil Rights laws, prohibiting of racial/gender discrimination, the works. And there you have it, the bare bones of this prototype.

 

[sampleswift]

I'm back. Sorry it was 20 or so days since the last chapter. They will probably be more regular now

One of the most interesting issues in the 1860s was the Transcontinental Railroad. It was chartered by the Continental Railroad Act of 1861 in which Congress passed a law that was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. This Act specified the construction of a central route that followed the Platte River in Nebraska to the South Pass in Wyoming, and it also would follow most of the Oregon Trail. This route was chosen over a more northerly route along the Missouri River because that route had more extensive winter snow and more difficult terrain. The western end was in Sacramento, and the eastern end near Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Those areas were chosen as the eastern end due to being the most direct route to the South Pass and then into California (the western terminus was Sacramento, California).
Extensive US land grants funded the project, and several railway companies built the railway. Construction started in 1862. The railway construction was arduous in many places. Harsh conditions, self-dealing (which led to a corruption scandal, the sacking of various railway personnel, and greater government oversight), and outlaws caused their own problems. Various companies such as federal marshals and other forces, and even a U.S. Army detachment that fought Native Americans, were sent to protect the railways. Soon, the outlaws ceased to be a problem, but the harsh conditions, especially due to dry summers and cold winters, remained. The situation for railway workers was not helped by their pay level, which wasn't very high. Poor working conditions and long hours also led to a plethora of injuries and deaths on the job. This maltreatment on railroad construction would eventually boil over into a railway strike in the 1870s, which led to civil unrest, but also the formation of pension plans, higher wages, and death benefits, as the labor strike grew to a proportion that the U.S. government had to do something to prevent a strike of this magnitude from happening again and almost paralyzing the U.S. economy. Increased law enforcement due to fear of riots was another consequence, along with better organization of unions.

This was only one part of the railway expansion that happened in the 1860s. Railway expansion was nothing new in the United States of America, but the 1860s had some of the greatest expansion in not just mileage of track, but of the number of trains. More railway traffic occurred as business was booming in the United States of America. It was not just cargo that was moving along the railroads; passengers were moving too. People were increasingly becoming more mobile, and no longer tied to the same area from birth until death. This increased mobility would lead to more opportunity for Americans. The railroads tended to be quicker than canals or steamboats and largely replaced them. The locomotives were also far smoother than stagecoach transportation, and largely replaced stagecoaches as well.

The Transcontinental Railroad would be finished in 1867, and open on September 18 that year. It would also mark the second phase of the railway boom, which would last until 1872 and the bursting of the speculation bubble. The Railways would also spark controversy with minorities, especially African Americans, but that would be for a different discussion. This would lead to a new stage of civil rights legislation as well. Railroads would end up being connected to the civil rights movement in several ways.

 

[sampleswift]

Long vignette: Trying something new...
Vignettes: Jonson

The date was January 5th, 1864.

Elroy Jonson rode his brown horse “Bullock” down a dirt path in the “British Columbian” countryside. He was on a countryside trip, supposed to catalog the “British Columbian” wildlife for study at the University of Georgia. He was also supposed to collect mineral samples for chemical analysis should he find any. He reflected on the partly cloudy sky, the grass, and the magnolia trees near that path. His horse whinnied as it stopped galloping and they came to a stop. Elroy Jonson dismounted. The University of Georgia was one of the most prominent Universities in “British Columbia”, with only the University of North Carolina being more prestigious, and the University of South Carolina not far behind. A few other less prestigious universities and colleges existed in other areas of “British Columbia”, as well as the colleges and universities in the United States of America.


The University of Georgia wanted Elroy Jonson to write his findings about the workings of the local ecosystems, and how they worked. There was also the feared topic of the “educational gap”. The British Empire needed to be the first in the world in not just territorial gain but science. It would not be replaced by some upstart in either Germany or in the United States of America. Already, German and American scientists were threatening the British Empire’s scientific dominance with groundbreaking developments of their own. This scientific expertise could lead to greater productivity of Germany and America as well as more effective engineering and weapons of war that could threaten the British Empire’s place atop the world. The Empire must be smart as well as strong, the and its dominions and holdings would help there. Already the Indian and Australian scientists had made great strides in the cataloguing of their fauna and flora. It seemed like “British Columbia” was the laggard of the dominions and holdings in terms of science, and this could not stand.


He was very curious at the state of affairs, and he regularly purchased a newspaper in his town whenever he could. The newspaper reported local news, but it also had a section about happenings in other places; other parts of “British Columbia”, back home in Great Britain, and in the other sections of the British Empire. Occasionally there was news from the United States of America, which seemed to be changing every time he found news about it. Most memorably, all the “Gray Knights”, “Storm Riders”, and other “gentlemen’s clubs” down in “British Columbia” had received an influx of new members. (In truth, those were the ones in the United States that had fled to “British Columbia”. To avoid causing an international incident, they were not pursued further so long as they did not cause problems for U.S. citizens). Elroy Jonson had tried to join one of these “gentlemen’s clubs” to gain more connections—who you knew was often as important as what you knew. This helped Jonson, as he was trying to gain more social connections; he did not know what those clubs did exactly, though.



He found another person, and he greeted that person.

“What’s your name?”


“Douglass Wilde. I am here visiting family.”

“Elroy Jonson, pleased to meet you.”

I’m here recently, and I was wondering how things are in “British Columbia”. My family lives close to here. Much has happened where I come from. It seems like the whirlwind of history is unfolding before us. A swirl of events, how everything is unfolding

Jonson thought about all the quick turns of events that happened to the north, in the United States of America. He had known of them through a newspaper, the Atlanta Phoenix. The authorization of the Transcontinental Railroad; a law banning workplace segregation; the railway strikes; the “Dream” speech of Frederick Douglass; the passage of the 13th Amendment. It seemed awfully quick for him. He wondered what kinds of people would be accustomed to such rapid developments. Contrast this to the rather slow-paced “British Columbia”, where the only big news seemed to be the assassination of a royal governor in Alabama (may he rest in peace—his name was Robert Cobb) in 1860. This was a big scandal, with a dominion-wide manhunt for the killer. The killer was eventually found but shot himself to avoid arrest. Since then, the lack of big news almost seemed welcome. At least nothing catastrophic was happening…

“Well, not much is happening here. It’s almost… quiet. Not much happening in “British Columbia” so far.”




One reason why progress was so slow in “British Columbia” was due to its dominion status. It had only limited autonomy, and its dominion status was similar to Australia. India would one day be like this, but there was still rebuilding from the disastrous Anglo-Indian War. The black heart of imperialism, that “heart of darkness” that lay underneath the veneer of respectability in the British Empire. It started supposedly when the Sepoys (native Indian troops who followed Indian princes who supported the British) thought the British Empire was trampling their religious practices. Missionaries and the introduction of a European education system were two factors that assisted the process of westernization. British officials also caused problems for the Indian people in the colonization process where many of their native industries were supplanted. As a result, many people lost their jobs. The put many people out of jobs. The British dominance of India, present since the 1820s and 1830s, became far more prevalent by the outbreak of war in the 1858. Much of the Indian aristocracy ended up replaced, often by British officials. The war began when many of the Sepoys started to rebel against their British overlords. The British Empire sent armies ashore to deal with the problem. Much of the fighting had dire consequences for the population due to the British armies foraging for food in the countryside and in some places, causing an “artificial famine” especially due to a worse monsoon season. The burning of many Indian villages and towns did not help either. Several of these massacres had their origins in the “Butcher of Delhi” (real name: Sir Colin Campbell. Butcher of Delhi is an allusion to how meat is served in a deli, and a butcher carves it up. The Americans derisively called him this after Delhi went up in smoke—Campbell accepted it, citing “War is always hell; shortening it is the best course of action”.) An entire city ended up desolated when an invading British army attempted to clear it of rebels. This seemed awfully like the “Sack of Charleston” in the British Columbian War—once again, British technology, military discipline, and ferocity in combat won the day.

 

[sampleswift]

This isn't the next chronological chapter, but it will be a sneak peek into the future. The content in between will be analyzed later.

Flash Forward

The Trap of Thucydides

The Trap of Thucydides was a phenomenon that occurred when a national power felt it was supplanted by another. In this case, the British Empire thought its position as the world’s foremost power was being supplanted by other powers. In this case, the rivals were the United States of America being the main rival, and Germany as the lesser rival. Germany was industrializing rapidly and had a large army—and was quickly building its navy as well. The United States of America had staggering amounts of resources, industries, and manpower. Many people in this period thought that a war was inevitable, especially due to the formation of proto-alliances between France and Britain; Russia wanting in on this teamup; and, the closening ties of Germany and the US to “protect freedom from British imperialists”.


A speech by Victoria Woodhull in the 1870s, decrying imperialism as the greatest enemy of freedom and liberty, would prove to be prescient for Americans and their government’s foreign policy. The connections between imperialism and racism (especially in Africa and Asia in the areas governed by Britain and France) definitely struck home for an American public that thought it had conquered its own racism and finally established that “all were treated equal”—but the search for equality and living up to the ideals of the Founders was a constant journey. The “Roaring 1880s” (in reality, 1880-1889), after the massive civil rights gains in the Lincoln era and the recovery from the Panic of 1873 that occurred relatively quickly since the U.S. government stepped in—left the United States of America in a mighty position. The relative complacency of the 1880s and early 1890s had seen primarily the further building of the United States economy, but with less civil rights development since many people thought the journey was over. The presidents in the 1880s and early 1890s were often seen as mediocrities—not fit to wipe the boots of their predecessor


While the British Empire of this era was nothing like the “Black Legion” era government that would be found later, it was still not a pleasant place to live in. Many of the democratic reforms championed by previous administrations in the 1860s and 1870s had disappeared. The main problem here was rampant imperialism abroad leading to various atrocities across the globe. There was also a marginalization of many reformers due to “media droughts”. An “American scare” occurred where people accused of being too “American” or having “American leanings” often winded up with their careers in ruins. There was also a certain aristocratic sentiment, exacerbated by the extreme power of corporations. The term "gilded age" (although historians now prefer the term "façade age") was used to describe this increasing concentration of wealth into fewer hands during this point of British history, and it came at the expense of the working class.


The American experiment had mixed results throughout the globe. Some areas did have governments similar to the United States of America—especially Germany and in Latin America. Other countries, like Sweden and Norway, had very good relationships with the USA. Not all would be willing to join the United States in a war, though. The topic of the epoch was imperialism. Frightening stories arose from Africa and India about the horrid treatment of native populations by the British overlords. France was also guilty of this, (to a slightly lesser extent) in other parts of Africa as well as in parts of Southeast Asia. Fear gripped the globe in many places. The United States of America thought that the British Empire and its lackies were trying to snuff out freedom across the globe. Germany thought its place in the sun would end. France feared its own irrelevance, and Russia feared the spread of American ideas. Many colonial governments feared American ideas as well since that could cause disgruntled natives to revolt. In fact, some natives such as those in Africa and Southeast Asia were trying to use American ideas to incite their people against colonial overlords. Something big was going to happen, and it seemed like any spark could set the world aflame


The downfall of segregation in the United States of America had caused some of the American reformers to spread their belief in “a more perfect union” beyond their borders. This was a second wave of the American spiritualists. The first wave was so called because they had wanted to spread “the spirit of liberty” and equality for all in a different era—and they succeeded in Germany, and to a lesser extent China and Japan. This second wave had included many African Americans, and even some Chinese Americans (who came in two waves: one following the gold rushes, and the other fleeing the Pan-China War). The “good neighbor policy” had attempted to originally protect the Central and South American nations from Europeans, but also to help stabilize their economies. Various reformers in the US, and more importantly, many reformers in those countries) also wanted to have a US-style government to prevent abuses of power. The U.S. had sponsored democratic movements against various strongmen, or caudillos (little better than dictators), in various Central and South American countries such as Guatemala, Chile, and Peru.


“British Columbia” might have had the tensest atmosphere. It was a British dominion, like India and Australia, but it was right on the border with the United States of America. The British fear of being supplanted by the Americans was even more prevalent in “British Columbia” where the Americans were right next door. Some of this fear was racial. The rapid pace of civil rights development in the United States of America had caused fear in “British Columbia”. Many of its residents had feared that the tide of civil rights would move there and threaten their privileged positions in society. Disenfranchised people (especially blacks) might see the example of the United States of America and try to do something similar in "British Columbia"--in fact, some protest movements did occur, although they had little success at first. This would be a common trend in history—the whenever people fear losing their privileges, they will often stop at nothing to regain them. There was this fear of an upheaval in society; traditionally, “British Columbians” had always feared upheaval since the inception of that region. Those American reformers trying to spread liberty and equality had been concerning for many “British Columbians”. Racial conservatism played a part, as did plain old racism.

 

[sampleswift]

America in the 1870 was profiting off a railroad boom in the 1860s. The expansion of the railroads, however, resembled a bubble system, which would eventually burst. The railroad boom led to railways and railroad companies being the largest employer of American workers other than agriculture. The railroad industry had large amounts of risk and money, especially after speculators caused a large flow of cash leading to abnormal growth there. The economy would eventually collapse in 1873 in the “Crash of 1873” due to not only the railroad factors, but also to the silver debate. The US had wavered on whether or not to use the gold standard only or also to use silver. The usage of the gold standard only would be seen as a colossal mistake since many historians believed it partially led to the collapse of the economy in 1873. Due to the collapse, thousands of people were out of work. The U.S. government did not exactly radiate confidence coming out of this crisis.


The US government in 1874 and 1875 did not do much to get the country out of the economic disaster zone. The situation became out of control rather quickly for 1876; the President between 1872 and 1876 (Rutherford B. Hayes) was widely considered one of the worst in American history (and maybe even the worst) for doing almost nothing in the economic panic. The main reason why he had won in 1872 in the first place was due to Hannibal Hamlin (president between 1868 and 1872) not wanting to run again. Hamlin had at least enforced most of the civil rights programs from the Abraham Lincoln era, and even attempted to address some of the lingering inequality issues and make the immigration system easier for the “huddled masses of the world” to get started in America—with little success though.

Hannibal Hamlin

Rutherford B. Hayes

Hayes, on the other hand, was notable for being inept. In fact, the main positives of his presidency were caused by the Supreme Court reaffirming the constitutionality of various civil rights legislation. Hayes on civil rights did very little and some people even thought there was a minor pushback on civil rights. Everything else, from the corporations starting to accumulate larger amounts of power in this era, to the lack of response of the Panic of 1873, to the lack of good foreign policy accomplishments, was problematic. Not surprisingly, he was widely hated and his own party (Democratic-Republicans) fractured completely.


The election was between the Progressive Party, the Democratic Party, and the Republican Party, with the Progressives winning due to the complete lack of faith in Hayes. (The Whig party had folded up by then due to constantly underperforming, and it had largely merged with the Progressive Party). The Progressive Party was the farthest left, with the Republican Party the furthest right on the economic issues. Nevertheless, all three parties generally supported civil rights legislation, but most had different paces. The role of corporations would soon lead to the rise of another political party. The winner of the 1876 election… ended up being Frederick Douglass of the Progressive Party. He had turned his political career from being a champion of civil rights in the Senate to a successful presidential run.


The U.S. celebrated its 100th anniversary, with Douglass envisioning a plan to lift it out of the doldrums of the economic panic, and into a bright future

 

[sampleswift]

The freedom from oppression was not the only freedom worth fighting for; freedom from poverty or want was also becoming an important factor. The consequences of the Panic of 1873 combined with the plight of the urban poor became such a problem that Frederick Douglass and his administration decided to solve this problem immediately. The stage was set for the blueprint for economic recoveries in the future. In addition, Douglass would also attempt to live up to the dreams of the Founders and largely succeed at it, as well as having a lasting legacy in American globalism.

“Equal rights need to be something in practice as well as on paper.” -Douglass

"In 'British Columbia', a decade feels like a month, and in the United States of America, a month feels like a decade!" - William Sherman

Frederick Douglass

Shortly after his inauguration, President Douglass had already assembled a general plan of development of many areas of the United States of America that needed it, especially after the economic panic. People needed to be brought back to work, and the economy needed to start running again. Increased taxes on corporations and the top bracket of the wealthy had paid for some of the expansion, but it also led the corporations to redouble their efforts in politics, in the hopes Douglass would be voted out of office in the next election cycle. Congress did pass various laws allowing the vision of President Douglass to become a reality. The first problem was the collapse of the banks. A “bank holiday” was therefore held to prevent further decay. This happened four days after his inauguration and after roaring approval from the House of Representatives and the Senate. One reason why Douglass and his administration got the US out of the Panic of 1873 relatively quickly was due to their progressive thinking on economics and that the government should play a part in helping the public and the economy get out of the depression. (This was new for the time; Hayes certainly did not think that way.). Other organization were founded such as the OAF (Office of American Finances)--which was a watchdog organization over large corporations to prevent the abuses of corruption that had exacerbated the economic panic.


The invention of the light bulb by Joseph Swan in 1879 led to the first electrification businesses. Electric power plants also started construction, especially after the invention of alternating current by Nikola Tesla. The British Empire was the first beneficiary of electric power and lights due to Joseph Swan having his laboratories there. Its government also wanted to keep its position as the foremost in the world (or so it claimed) and thought that these advances in science would also benefit its population and raise the government’s popularity. The United States of America had quickly attempted to electrify to raise the standard of living. The construction of several coal plants to get electricity, along with the power lines to transfer it to transforming facilities, and all the other parts of electric apparatuses, were constructed to bring America into the future. (This heavily polluting industry would eventually have an environmental consequence that would show up years later). The program of electrification had vastly outlasted Douglass, who was there only for the start of it; however, future presidents largely continued the electrification processes, to the point that it was largely finished in the United States of America by 1904.

The Panic of 1873 also affected "British Columbia", shocking it out of a relative placidity from the 1860s to the early 1870s. It had faced the repercussions of the Panic of 1873 which affected Great Britain, and there was a small migration that happened where many people (often times blacks) left "British Columbia". At first, the USA had difficulty accepting them especially when it had trouble keeping its own citizens out of poverty—although once there actually was room, people became more accepting of them.

Technological development has always been important for the United States of America. Some of the most interesting technologies arose first there. The time period from the 1870s to the 1890s saw some very interesting technologies. Some advancements made communication easier, and others gave people new ways to see the world. One reason the United States of America quickly became the most advanced scientific center in the world, and one of the most prolific areas in terms of technology and inventions, (with Germany and the British Empire close behind) was due to the cosmopolitan nature of the US. More groups of people, and greater acceptance of them, causes a greater likelihood of those groups working together and bouncing ideas off each other. (Something similar arose in Germany due to scientific councils and was attempted in the British Empire with the Imperial Scientific Foundation, but the latter example ran into classic imperial racism.). The electrification of the United States of America was proceeding from the 1880s to the 1900s. Other advancements changed agriculture, such as the tractor (1890s), which was much more efficient than horses or other beasts of burden. Tractors and the mechanization of agriculture led to greater productivity of fields and a greater crop output. The electric fan, invented in 1882, made the hot summer environments a bit more bearable.



New technologies also changed the way people moved. The most influential of them was the car or automobile. The first car was invented by Gottlieb Daimler in Germany, and examples quickly spread to America. With the growing popularity of cars in the US, American culture would change. The automobile was considered a symbol of liberty, the liberty of transportation. After Henry Ford in the Ford Motor Company invented the mass-production of automobiles, they were now considered tools of the masses. Many Americans who could afford automobiles would buy them. Cars eventually became a symbol of the “everyman” now that they became affordable—and various companies (Ford, General Motors, Chrysler, and many others) stepped up to fill the insatiable American demand for cars.



Cars need roads. As a result, a massive roadway improvement process occurred in the United States in the very beginning of the 1900s. The U.S. government would authorize the construction of many new roads, as well as the repair and refurbishment of existing ones. The paving of many roads in the U.S. to connect it would also commence. This program would eventually have the grandiose name of the “Liberty of Transportation Project”, and it would greatly streamline automobile travel in the United States of America. Contracting was expensive, though, and in the early days of construction, accidents often happened. Corrupt contractors were also a large issue, and may have been one reason why accidents were so frequent in the early days of road construction. Partly due to the high rate of accidents, protest movements started to form around the country. These protest movements would force the U.S. government to establish a new regulatory agency, the Department of Automotive Affairs. This agency would regulate roadway safety as well as (years later) automobile safety. Crackdowns on corrupt contractors, including a wave of arrests on bribery charges, also happened in an attempt to clamp down on corruption and its resulting substandard work in many places.

 

[sampleswift]

Frederick Douglass’s Senate career began in 1858 in his home state of New York. Every time there was a new piece of civil rights legislation, he fearlessly supported it and helped spearhead it. He argued in favor of protecting the liberties of Americans whenever they were under threat. From police reforms due to concerns over racism to the clearing of ghettos and replacement with actually functioning communities, he was always at the tip of the movement. Protecting Americans whenever they needed it. He joined the Progressive Party, joining luminaries such as Sumner, Banks, Butler, C.F. Adams, and the Hoar brothers. As a Senator, Frederick Douglass hated oppression of any kind, and rallied against the corporations that were causing pay cuts and making the lives of many Americans miserable. Douglass also made sure to keep his constituents happy so they would re-elect him when the time came. Indeed, many people in his support base wanted him to aspire to something more.



Another issue by the 1870s and 1880s was corporate corruption. Cartels and trusts started to form, which prevented or reduced competition. This led to a tide of either poorly-made products or very overpriced products. As a result, protest movements started to begin, first on the streets, and later on in the Progressive Party and to a lesser extent in the Democratic Party, which had a large discussion on whether or not to back corporations or seek corporation reform. In many cases, Democratic Party candidates or officials wanted to fix the most egregious cases of corporate monopoly, but feared the repercussions of wholesale change, at least at first.)


Some of the first socialists in the US appeared in the 1880s as some people thought insufficient changes were occurring with the big business problem. They had their support primarily in labor unions, but would never become a major part of the political spectrum. Some of their views were too far to the left for much of the American electorate. That does not mean they did not cause real change. They did lead to the formation of more labor unions, and other political parties often chose to help the American worker to prevent the Socialists from becoming a major force in American politics.



One of the worst corporations at this point was the Gould Railway Conglomerate, which was a controlling interest of much of America’s railway system. When people like Rockefeller and Carnegie (also wealthy industrialists with very large companies) think someone is greedy, that someone must have an insatiable desire for wealth indeed. And so it was with Gould, who was willing to manipulate anyone to get more wealth. This would lead to his undoing. Gould was always accused of various financial crimes such as one of the first pyramid schemes, but little could be proven directly since Gould was very capable at covering his own tracks. Nevertheless, something had to be done about the exorbitant pricing he had over the rail system. Hamlin did attempt a law that would regulate trusts and monopolies in industry (The Liberty of Commerce Act, passed in 1871; challenged but upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court in 1877). In the Hayes era (1872-76), he did not do much to enforce that act. Gould would meet his demise in 1877 primarily because his trust was considered a bad one that raised prices excessively and hurt the American people.



American policy, especially foreign policy, was not always successful in the late 1870s and 1880s. The Scramble for Africa had occurred, with European countries (especially the British Empire and France) taking large swathes of Africa. The U.S. could complain but do little about this since it was not willing to go into a fight against some of the foremost powers in the world at this point. It was not only the British and French that swallowed up expanses of Africa. The Dutch, Italians, and Portuguese also took small amounts of the land there. Colonialism in Africa was primarily to secure resources and for economic purposes. Perhaps two of the most destructive cases involved diamonds and gold, where appalling conditions in mines in Angola (Portuguese) and Rhodesia (British) led to some of the most dangerous working environments in recent history. Much of the native population had actually died in the mines. There were stories coming out of those areas, but somehow the truth was worse than the stories--The problem with colonialism there (and really anywhere else) is that the European power did not think much about the colonized people. Much of the original culture ended up torched or destroyed by the Europeans. This loss of culture would eventually be decried by the U.S. as the term “Cultural Annihilation”.



You might have wondered why there is no Canada content. The truth is, after Canadian independence, they had great difficulty setting up a functioning country. (This would have repercussions later on in history as well). The 1840s were not a particularly good time for Canada despite gaining their independence from Britain. It turned out that actually running a country might have been harder than gaining one. So it was with the constitution building in Canada, where many initial discussions fell apart despite the best efforts of various Canadian revolutionaries and politicians to make a functioning one.


This quote encapsulates the failure of the Canadian nation-building effort.


“The differences between Upper and Lower Canada, combined with the rate of rioting and political disorder in the mid and late 1840s, was why annexationists (who wanted to join with the USA) became rather common. This rose to the extent that even many of the reformers started to give up on their dream. The constitution building, while supposedly based off the American example, fell into such disagreements between the different parts of Canada (especially the English versus French, Protestant versus Catholic lines) that eventually, many of the reformers just threw their hands in the air and accepted a deal with the US, for becoming part of the US in exchange for preservation of large parts of their culture”

 

[sampleswift]

More to come. This section is currently under repair.

 

[sampleswift]

This is my entry for writing contest 5. It has to do with my timeline, and debunking a myth in it
This is an in-universe myth. I am sorry for the confusion.

The Myth of "British Columbia" ever being sympathetic

From my timeline of “Jefferson’s Anti-Slavery Crisis”

A common misconception is that “British Columbia” (OTL Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee) was sympathetic to begin with. This was a territory of an empire that was founded because the delegates of the Carolinas and Georgia fled the Continental Congress on fears that the United States of America, once it had gained independence, would move to end slavery… but it was even worse than that. Those delegates left because Jefferson had, among other complaints, criticized the British Empire on keeping the slave market open in the colonies. It was not just the fear that slavery would end; it was merely the criticism of slavery and the slave trade that caused these delegates to leave and “British Columbia” (originally GA, SC, NC) to form.


Even after its formation, “British Columbia” was still not a sympathetic area of the world. From after the independence of America in 1784 to the Panic of 1837, “British Columbia” was a part of the British Empire seemingly designed for the benefit of their British overlords and the plantation elite. The plantation elite was known for slavery due to using slaves to work large plantations (especially cotton, but also indigo on the coast). The plantation elite, besides horrifically abusing blacks due to the system of slavery, also looked down on yeoman whites and caused a class subdivision even among whites. The rot does not stop there. “Aunt Manny’s Cabin”, a book about the horrors of slavery in that area, does a good job at portraying just how bad everything was there, from the lashings, to the malnutrition. The stagnancy of “British Columbia” until the Panic of 1837 also made it difficult to relate to. The basic problem of “founded around slavery” and all the repercussions, and the violence performed to keep that system in place, remained. The British Empire was unwilling to make changes (and the local burgesses were mostly planters also unwilling to effect change there), cemented “British Columbia” as an area that no one respects.


Part of the myth of “sympathetic ‘British Columbia’” centers around a man who became larger than life—Andrew Jackson. His claims for “frontier democracy” never worked out and became consigned to the theory books due to the British Empire disliking it. Jackson was never able to get his theories to work—he may have wanted more autonomy and self-governance, but all that really amounted to was centralizing more power in the planter class. The “great Jackson” ended up becoming a royal governor in North Carolina where he was able to accomplish… surprisingly little. The British only put him there to keep an eye on him, and to prevent him from potentially starting a frontier rebellion. A great democratic proponent he was not.


The Panic of 1837, also known as the “Southron Rebellion” (1837-1842) arose when the British Empire had developed plans to eventually abolish slavery starting from 1836 (this would be phased, and the total abolition of slavery in the British Empire would arrive in 1848. Nevertheless, this caused panic in “British Columbia” and many of the colonial militias originally used for clearing land of Native Americans had risen up in rebellion, along with the formation of other divisions. The British sent armies over to stop the rebellion, crushing it with extreme force. While many people do think the British Army was excessive down in “British Columbia”, especially because some of the massacres, especially the “Sack of Charleston”, where the city of Charleston was burnt to the ground, resembled later British fiascoes, “British Columbia” was a cesspit of slavery. This area revolted—again—to protect slavery; this is revolting.



Some books claim that the gallantry of the “British Columbian” forces in an ultimately doomed war gives them at least some semblance of credit. That… does not excuse the fact that they were fighting for slavery. Even their actual conduct in battle left much to be desired. In the later stages of the war, many of their forces were simply unable to stand up to the might of the British Empire, with not as many “gallant last stands” as seen in the early dime novels. There was a large amount of running away at those stages and failing at that too. The early part of the “Southron Rebellion” saw some large-scale battles such as the Sack of Charleston (April 1837), the Raleigh Rout, and the various Marches Inland. In those battles, much of the youth of “British Columbia” was almost callously thrown away in forward assaults against the well-drilled professionals of the British Army and pointlessly killed. There is no courage in the wasteful destruction of that kind of warfare. The chief offender here is the Raleigh Rout, where Southron brigades charged the fortifications of the British Army in an attempt to relieve the defenders in Raleigh, and ended up with most of the brigades killed, the rest fleeing in a rout (disorderly retreat), and the city falling. The rebellion ended ignominiously in unconditional surrender on August 8, 1841. Most of the ringleaders of the rebellion ended up executed by the British forces on the charges of high treason.


Even after the end of slavery in "British Columbia", it still was not very sympathetic. The tenant farming system that arose was an improvement, but in practice, still exploited rural poverty (which was still disproportionately black). Some of the royal governors (like Toombs of Georgia in the 1860s and Vance of North Carolina in that time period) almost caused a crisis with the United States of America that caused the British Empire to force "British Columbia" to back down. Specifically, "Storm Riders" (members of a hate group that often lynched blacks in the USA) were fleeing to British Columbia to avoid federal marshals. An international flashpoint ensued. Britain, unwilling to risk a conflict with the USA, forced "British Columbia" to hand over the "Storm Riders". Economically, "British Columbia" still had an economy largely based on cash crops, which continued the large amounts of rural poverty. Many "British Columbians" were also enthusiastic about the British Empire even during some of its worst excesses like the Anglo-Indian War, the Scramble for Africa, and the China Crisis. This boiled over by 1911 in the Bull Moose Flashpoint, where violence started by hate groups coming from "British Columbia" which led to the assassination of important U.S. political figures spiraled into a war between the U.S. and its allies and the British Empire and its allies that led to a British Empire defeat and the end of "British Columbia"