State of Franklin: 1865

[Malta]

Reading "Lincoln's Loyalists: Union Soldiers from the Confederacy" by Richard Current.

There are two sections talking about Unionist efforts in Tennessee and North Carolina. The Tennessee section primarily talks about East Tennessee, desertion and prominent Tennesseans bush-whacking or organizing loyal regiment in Kentucky but it does mention interest in forming a separate state similar to West Virginia. The North Carolina section talks first about Pro-Unionists and recruitment efforts in the Outer Banks then shifts to the Piedmont and Western regions with high dissatisfaction as the way went on. Also a mention of secret meetings in the western counties and East Tennessee counties of forming a new state.

So, I propose that a push by Pro Unionist delegates from the region in the final years of the civil war sees the creation of a State of Franklin from mentioned portions of Tennessee and North Carolina.

How is a good question. Part of it may be thwarting Johnson from becoming the governor of Tennessee or an earlier Union plunge into the region to set up a Pro Union government in the area.

 

[The Tai-Pan]

It would be a very poor state with few natural resources, internally divided by mountains and with no good river/sea outlets.

 

[Malta]

It would be a very poor state with few natural resources, internally divided by mountains and with no good river/sea outlets.

The region did struggle with transportation before the advent of the railroad which changed all of that.

 

[zert]

It might also have some changes during Reconstruction and Republicans having an extra State or two that they might be able to control.

 

[Anaxagoras]

An interesting scenario.

 

[Arkenfolm]

It's pretty much gonna be a permanent Republican stronghold, unless you can build a strong union tradition like West Virginia and get a significant Democratic base. For everything else, I think "West Virginia on the Tennessee" would be a pretty good analysis of the place.

For the rest of Tennessee, that's pretty much gonna kill the Republican Party on a state level. There's a high likelihood for no Republican governors for a century, barring a realignment of the Republican Party (as nowadays), unless once again, you manage to switch things up in politics which would probably end up having repercussions on the South as a whole, if not the entire country.

But for the Republicans, two free senators, and probably at least one or two safe House seats is pretty nice to have.

 

[History Learner]

It's pretty much gonna be a permanent Republican stronghold, unless you can build a strong union tradition like West Virginia and get a significant Democratic base. For everything else, I think "West Virginia on the Tennessee" would be a pretty good analysis of the place.

For the rest of Tennessee, that's pretty much gonna kill the Republican Party on a state level. There's a high likelihood for no Republican governors for a century, barring a realignment of the Republican Party (as nowadays), unless once again, you manage to switch things up in politics which would probably end up having repercussions on the South as a whole, if not the entire country.

But for the Republicans, two free senators, and probably at least one or two safe House seats is pretty nice to have.

East Tennessee has been strongly Republican since before the Civil War and has remained as such consistently since then, so I think it's safe to say its a net boon for the Republicans at the Senate and House level. Presuming population develops at a roughly equal rate and depending on the size of the state, you're also looking at possibly six house seats I think.

 

[Arkenfolm]

East Tennessee has been strongly Republican since before the Civil War and has remained as such consistently since then, so I think it's safe to say its a net boon for the Republicans at the Senate and House level. Presuming population develops at a roughly equal rate and depending on the size of the state, you're also looking at possibly six house seats I think.

In older times? By the 2010 Census, East Tennessee (we'll use the Tennessee government's legal definition of East Tennessee as reproduced on the Wikipedia page--it's more or less what would have become the Civil War version of the State of Franklin) would get either three or four seats in Congress (all nowadays are represented by Republicans), depending on apportionment. But the two Senate seats which will rarely be seriously contested by Democrats are the big pickup. It pretty much balances out Tennessee's own delegation. And those 5 or 6 (more, I believe, in older times) electoral votes are also great to have in elections, since OTL those votes more or less went to the Democrats.

 

[raharris1973]

Over the long haul, would Franklin stay Republican dominant? I don't think West Virginia did. It started going Democratic more often than Republican in Presidential elections by the early 20th century at the latest

 

[Malta]

Over the long haul, would Franklin stay Republican dominant? I don't think West Virginia did. It started going Democratic more often than Republican in Presidential elections by the early 20th century at the latest

I would say it does depend on the economic development of the state. In OTL it was a prime center for interstate trade and manufacturing and mining.

Would the Tennessee Valley Authority constructing major dams and a navigable channel even happen in this TL?

Also as mentioned it depends on how Union support develops in a Franklin TL in the state specifically and in the country due to butterflies.