This is the fifth incarnation of a timeline I have been working on. I originally called it "The American Prussia", back when I was into Prussian history(I still am, but it isn't the easiest topic to find books about at Barnse and Nobles). After two tries with the American Prussia, I changed it to America the Fallen, so this is the third try under that. This time I did more research and fleshed it more. It is based on the concept of the Philidelphia Convention in 1787 failing, and the states "tearring a sunder". I will be posting more parts to it soon.
The Foundations of Conflict: May 1787- November 1788
In May of 1787, after the failure of the Annapolis Convention, a new convention was held in Philidelphia, capitol of Pennsylvania. The War of Independance has been over since January 14, 1784. The Articles of Confederation were not sufficient enough to prevent the 13 former colonies from tearring a sunder. This convention would be the catalyst for a new government. Each state sent delegates to the convention(except for Rhode Island of course) to represent them and their interests in shaping this new government.
Though intended to "Fix" the Articles of Confederation, it was soon seen that an entirely new government was needed. This angerd states in south, in particular, Virginia, home of the late Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson had died on commute from his home in Virginia to Philidelphia on September 5, 1783, only two days after the Treaty of Paris was signed. Without Jeffersons support in the convention, the ties of this new Republic would soon collapse. Washington was asked to attend the convention and serve as its presiding officer, but he could not make the trip for he had grown ill. He would die in October 1788 from this illness.
Though Jefferson was gone, his feelings,(at least those for limited government) were still strong amongst the Virginia delegates. This was reflected in the Virginia plan, which was turned down by the other states. Other failed plans that followed were the Pickney plan, New Jersey Plan, Hamilton Plan, and of course the Conneticut Compromise. These and many others failed. They needed all 13 states to approve this new consitution. All but three voted yes. Those states were, Virginia, New York, and Rhode Island. The convention ended in September of 1787, without a new constitution, or even a mending of the old one. In the coming year the states would secede from the union one by one until it was no more.
First to secede was Rhode Island in October of 1787, followed by Virginia in November. In January of 1788 the states of North Carolina and Maryland join the movement. In February South Carolina followed suit. In March it was Georgia, then New York. In May New Jersey and Deleware both left the fledgeling union. New Hampshire was not far behind in leaving the union. Pensylvania left in July of 1788. After Pennsylvania left the congress relocated to Boston, where only delegates from Massachusetts and conneticut were remaining. By November 1788, all legal attachments between the states, except for Massachusetts and Conneticut, were broken an non-binding. Each state had become its own nation. Soon these new nations would do seperately what they could not do together.
New Nations from the Ashes: January 1789- July 1790
After the Disolvement of the union, these new nations began forming new governments to reflect their new status as independant nations. In Virginia they started their own constitutional convention in February of 1788, and ended in June of 1788. They essentially adopted the Virginia plan from the convention. Their government possesed 3 branchs, a Legislative, Judicial, and an Executive. The most powerfull branch was the legislative. Their legislative branch was diveded into two chambers, the Popular chamber, and then a Senate chosen by the reps of the Popular Chamber. For this they had to divide the Virginia map into new districts. Each district would have a representative for every 1000 residents. The Senate was to be of 50 members. They would be popularly elected by the members of the Popular chamber. The National Executive would be chosen by a joint meeting of the Legislatures. Reps in the Popular Chamber and the National Executive were given a limit of a single term. The National Executive had very little power outside what the Legislative gave him. They offically called themselves the CommonWealth of Virginia(CWV).
The governments of North and South Carolina meet together in May of 1788 to try and form a new constitution between the two of them that would bind them together into one country. At their convention they elected Charles Pickney to be the President of the Convention. Just as Virginia, they had 3 branchs, Legislative, Judicial, and Executive. The Legislative would be broken into two houses, a Senate, and a House of Delegates. The House of Delegates would be elected by popular vote and represent each district of the new Carolina Republic by population, with senate being chosen by the House of Delegates. The senators would serve in rotation for four years, representing one of four regions within each district. The President was also very weak with this consitution.
Georgia, always leaning loyalist, wanted a return to the old ways, so they restored their pre-revolutionary war government. The head of state was referred to as the Lord Governor, even though no longer a British colony. Georgia opened its arms to loyalists fleeing the other states, which began to drive them southward instead of into Canada.
New Jersey would go with the plan set by William Paterson at the convention. Pennsylvania retained their government organization, but decided to be more active with foreign powers non-American. New York began a convention in January of 1789. It grew to like the plan proposed by Alexander Hamilton at the convention. They removed the sovereignty of districts and created a highly centralized government.(This is where I grew tired of describing the new governments, if you really want to know what they were like, Wikipedia them). Deleware retained its old government.
Up north, the two remaining members of the united states of America, Massachusetts and conneticut, decided to form a new union, abandoning the old Articles, and the title of United States of America. They wanted to form a new england economic community. They states invited were New York, Conneticut, Massachusetss(which still included Maine), Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. New York and New Hampshire didn't attend. So Massechusetss, Conneticut, and Rhode Island founded the New England Confederation. There was little differance between this constitution and the Articles of confederation. The only real differances were: 1. a common currency, 2. no tarrifs, taxes, or trade barriers between the members of the NEC, and 3. a defensive coalition military. This military was only defensive. If one member was attacked by and "Unprovoked" enemy, then the others must come to their aid militarily. These coalition armies can only serve within recognized territory of the NEC. Each member could have its own military and go to war with powers outside the NEC, but would not recieve assistance from the NEC coalition military.
These conventions went on untill July of 1790, with states having second conventions, most making no changes. Now that new nations are formed, conflicts will soon arise.
The Vermont War: May 1791-1793
The governments have been established, but now conflict brews in the north. The Northern states could not decide who owned the Vermont valley in western New Hampshire. The NEC recognized the Vermont valley as part of New Hampshire, while Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania recognized it as New Yorks. States such as New Jersey and others kept out of the issue. New Hampshire, who had originally turned down the membership to the NEC now requested it be let in, which was alowed with a vote of 2/3, Rhode Island being against.
The tempers boiled over in May of 1791 when New York sent troops into the Vermont Valley, claiming "We are occupying what is ours". This did not sit well with New Hampshire. To the NEC, this was considered an invasion by New York, so what became known as the First NEC coalition army was formed and sent to the Vermont Valley(The coalition armies are not permanent, they form when are needed, and after a peace is formed with the agressing power, the army is disbanded. The next coalition army formed will be given the title of the next consecutive number).
The war moved slowly at first, running into a stalemate in November of 1791, when it became too cold and difficult to keep pushing forward. The 1st NEC coalition army reached the Taconic Mountains and had to halt their untill spring. This however was not the case for a the local militia that was resisting both sides, the Green Mountain Boys, led by the now 53 year old Ethan Allan. He led the self proclaimed Vermont Republic. However, no state in North America recognized the Vermont republic, so the other states dealt with Vermont as if a territory up for grabs. The Green Mountain Boys(GMB) started a guerilla war against both the NEC and New York in the Winter. Both Sides were force to take these attacks until April of 1792, when the weather became tame enough to continue fighting. At that time the GMB went into hiding untill winter came back.
The NEC coalition pushed the New Yorkers back out of Vermont by September of 1792. In the NEC assembly in Boston, they met with New York ambassadors and settled on an agreement, New York would pull out of the Vermont Valley, recognize the disputed territory as part of New Hampshire, and pay a reparations to New Hampshire and to the NEC general Fund.(Each killed soldiers family received 10 dollars in condolances).
The peace Agreement was approved 3 to 4, New Hampshire voting no. The movement passed, and the peace agreement accepted by all the members of the NEC except for New Hampshire. When the coalition forces from the other states withdrew, the New Hampshire forces stayed in place. In January of 1793, New Hampshire forces invaded Eastern New York, caught off guard, they made a good spear head into the enemy state. New York wasn't able to muster a force that could fight back untill March of 1793, when they pushed New Hampshire all the way back into the Vermont valley and beyond. When this happened New Hampshire pleaded for help from the other NEC members, but the constitution of the NEC did not require the other states to respond, so they didn't. New York pushed back New Hampshire forces all the way to the Concord. When New York forces captured the capitol, they forced a very strict treaty on New Hampshire.
The treaty was made in Albany, so it became known as the Treaty of Albany. The first part of this treaty was that the previously disputed Vermont Valley would be cedded to New York. New Hampshire must recognize it as a New York province. New Hampshire was to pay reparations to New York and pay for the condolances to each family(15 dollars). New Hampshire would not be allowed to have a "Payed" standing army, and could not Conscript people into service untill 1805. On top of that, Western New Hampshire was to be occupied by New York Forces untill 1805. The treaty was signed in Albany New York on October 20th, 1793. This treaty humiliated New Hampshire, as was the goal of New York, in hopes it would never rise to challange it. This treaty would be the foundations of future conflicts in New England.
The Southern Divide: 1790-1793
In the south, there were territorial issues as well, But unlike up in New England where it escalated into war, they were far more civil in the south. Even before their new governments were formed, Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia were negotiating how to divide the land south of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi. Between Carolina and Virginia, they decided to make the border as what had been recognized by the continental congress. Maryland and Virginia had not determined the border between them. They both lay claim to the Potomac River, which remains the main conflict between them. They eventually decide in 1791 to have it be a neutral river, alowing both access to it at all times, minus the use for military purposes. Maryland was the last of the southern states to form a new constitution. In 1790, they adopted a form similar to that of Virginia.
The land south and east of the two rivers was divided in 3 sections. Virginia and Carolina had the largest standing armies in the South, with Georgia, having the smallest. They gave Georgia apprx 1/4 of the disputed land, furthest in the south, completely along the border of Spanish Florida, both east and west. The remaining apprx 3/4 of the territory was divided equally between Virginia and Carolina. Virginia possessing OTL Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and the northern half of Tennessee. Carolina annexed the Southern half of Tennessee, and the upper halfs of OTL Alabama and Mississippi. This, for the time being, successfully divided the disputed territory in the south. It won't be too long before conflict arises in the south.