A map showing the refugee movements during the American Civil War in California and the Great American Revolution by C.G Norman, 1998.
California and the Civil War:
There was little positive promise at the start of the 1930s. The Wall Street stock exchange had collapsed in late 1929 along with many of the industrial projects of the United States following the French Republic defaulting on the debts they had accumulated during the Great War. The Great Depression spread quickly across the world like a plague straining the economies of nations. However many would not have foreseen the chaos it would eventually bring. The constitutional crisis of the United Kingdom soon saw the home-islands descend into anarchy, The French State and German Coalition once again drew arms against one another. This was followed by the United States finding itself in civil revolution in 1937. The sound of guns and the digging of trenches became commonplace across the United States with Socialist battling Right-Wing and Democratic forces. However it was those caught in the crossfire, those that had no wish for conflict but that of the safety of their families that created one of if not the greatest Humanitarian crisis in North American History with some 8,000,000 American’s fleeing to neighbouring countries.
Around 3,000,000 of which would find themselves hosted by the Republic of California and Texas. Makeshift camps would spring up across the two nations, with the Governments struggling both logistically and politically to host them. The economies of both nations had been badly damaged not only by the Great Depression but also the effective standstill of American Industry and Commerce. Unemployment kept growing and the refugees that entered the nations only fueled discontent. California and Texas would face a series of riots against the hosting of the American Refugees in many of their major cities. Although this never grew to anything akin to the anarchy of the United States or United Kingdom it was still a trying time for the respective Governments.
The American Civil War would end in 1940 following the Armistice of Rochester. The trench lines formed new political borders of the divided country. Although the Eastern Front would find some form of peace the same could not be said for the Cascadian Front where the Armistice did not have jurisdiction. Years of Guerilla Warfare between the pro-union and pro-commonwealth forces forced further families to uproot their lives, fleeing for safer nations. It would only be the Commonwealth Defense Act of 1942 when the flow of refugees would generally cease. Though not as severe as it would be between the United Commonwealths of America border with “New England” a series of fences and checkpoints stopped any further migration.
Though longing to return to their true home, the American refugees would eventually settle down in their host countries, founding settlements such as Washington and New Euguene in California or adding to the growing populations of other cities such as Las Vegas. They too would add their own culture and ingenuity to the ever increasing mix that was the Republic of California. It would see sports such as Baseball and American Football increase in popularity in California with the creation of the County Baseball League in 1951 and the American Football League in 1955. Still, though ever grateful of their home countries they would hope one day to see their former nation free once again.
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Another installment of my "Text-book" maps which people seem to enjoy.
Once again I am happy to answer any questions you may have.