Secession Comes Early: ATL

ive been working on the early stages of a TL in which the south secedes earlier than in OTL and with the help of a few friends becomes some what of a world power. Ive tried to steer away from cliches and make it as ASBless as possible. so with out further ado...

1859- After years of bloodshed "Bleeding Kansas" finally comes to an end with a decisive Free-Solier victory; James Buchanan tries to make slavery illegal in both Kansas and Nebraska. . Citizens in the South are outraged and conventions are held, particularly in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. At these conventions, delegates discuss possible “revolution” the conventions vote. Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas also hold conventions. Buchanan takes no action in stopping the conventions,. In October John Brown leads a raid on the Harper's Ferry. Moving rapidly he manages to escape to the hills of western Virginia before federal forces arrive. In November he begins to insight uprisings in Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Federal forces are unable to catch Brown and he escapes to Kansas territory. The slave uprisings and the lack of federal aid only inflame anti-northern sentiment. In December a vote is taken in S.C. to secede. The vote passes and soon Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Texas follow. Charleston S.C. is chosen as the capital of the new “Confederacy of Southern States”. The resignation of several of Buchanan’s cabinet, as well as the leaving of many southern congressmen deals a server blow to the U.S. Since he took no action Buchanan is impeached on grounds that he his only aiding the rebels; John Breckinridge fills in temporary as the 16th president however he does just as little as Buchanan and by the end of the year Arkansas secedes.

comments please!
 
Do have this happen you would need a completely different Buchanan. Pres. Buchanan was a doughface, i.e. a Northerner who supported the rights of slavery even in the Federal territory. During his presidency nearly every single confrontation over slavery ended in a manner that favored the South. Even in regards to Kansas statehood was delayed, despite a vast majority of the legitimate settlers there desiring statehood as a free state, just because Buchanan and the South were mad that it was not made a slave state.

As for John Brown, his raid was ill-planed, and he seems not to have contemplated a means of escape. Brown wanted to die a martyr knowing full well that it would increase tensions between the free and the slave states. A full scale slave revolt was very unlikely. As for his escaping to Kansas, that's a near impossibility. All the slave states along with Federal authorities would be looking for him and as I've said he wanted to fight to the last.

If you want an earlier Civil War you could go for the Fremont wins the 1856 election scenario or but its unlikely so long as a South loving President like Buchanan is in office.

Benjamin
 
Buchanan decided to support the north in this case because he saw the "victory" of free soilers in Kansas as the excuse to make slavery illegal. as for brown i see raid in my tl as the first step in an all out slave revolt.
 
1860- Dubbed the "Year Without a President" by Harper's Weekly. James Buchanan stands trail for sedition and aiding traitors; while awaiting trail he dies. Breckenridge resigns when he is recalled to Kentucky to vote in his county’s convention. A special election is held in which Abraham Lincoln, running for the new Republican party is pitted against Stephen Douglas, running for the Democrats.. Lincoln trumps Douglas on the platform that he will bring the Union back together and the fact that the south is full of Democrats. In the south an election is held with Jefferson Davis beating Howell Cobb Davis runs as a New Whig while Cobb runs as a Democrat. With the election of Lincoln, North Carolina, Tennessee secede. Open rebellion begins in Utah as Mormons, seeing their second chance at making a nation of their own, deiced to rise up. In December the C.S.A. is officially recognized by Brittan, France, Spain, and Russia. All U.S. forts and instillations are to turn over their equipment to C.S. authorities and leave. Fort Sumptner in Charleston refuses and under the command of Major Robert Anderson, the fort prepares for a siege. Leading an army of militant abolitionists and armed slaves, john brown attacks several towns in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi before slipping into Kentucky, and eventually retuning to Kansas territory. The government of the C.S.S. meets and votes to change the name of the new country to “the Confederate States of America” the vote passes; the next thing that is brought up is the constitution. It is undecided on what will go into it and who will write it. Each state is required to raise 5,000 volunteers and outfit them as best they can. An agreement with Brittan leads to Birmingham, Ala. and Atlanta, GA. being chosen for steal production. Brittan asks the C.S.A. to abolish slavery, the C.S.A. refuses. In an agreement with France, the C.S.A. receives French military aide.
 
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