I’m working on a timeline/story that starts on June 6, 1876, with a massive meteor strike in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It blasts out a crater a mile plus in diameter, breaks windows in Concord, NH, (50 miles away) shakes things up in Manchester, 75 miles away, and is heard in Boston and Montreal. I started it, and put it on hold when I realized that I need to contemplate further the way the general public will react
I have a good handle on how I plan on dealing with the government reaction, but have a poor grasp of the way the general public will react, especially among the deeply religious portion of the population. I can certainly see some people taking advantage of the situation to make trouble, or simply gain power, also—perhaps using religion to lead people.
This is before the “corrupt bargain” ended reconstruction—it’s even before the Republican convention by 8 days. Might it be taken by some in the south as a sign to rise again?
The convention and election are going to be radically changed, of course. Custer, however, is likely to expire on schedule.
In short, the public reaction in the first few months is my bottleneck. Any advice?
I’ll fill in any details that people would like.
For those interested, the impact is right on the northern point of Profile Lake.