State suicide theory prevails: How does the RP change the state lines

In TTL the Federal Government decides all the seceding states committed suicide when they voted for secession and all those states are now part of a territory known as the Southwest Territory. How do you think that the Republican Party would draw the state line maps to maximize Republican seats ?
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
In TTL the Federal Government decides all the seceding states committed suicide when they voted for secession and all those states are now part of a territory known as the Southwest Territory. How do you think that the Republican Party would draw the state line maps to maximize Republican seats ?

Wouldn't it be the "Southeast Territory?"
 
If the goal was to maximize Republican representation in the South, the state of Nickajack as well as a state straddling the southern Mississippi, and some way to maintain Republican dominance in the New Orleans area (whether that means expanding or shrinking Louisiana I don't know).
 
When I see "RP", I always think of "Received Pronunciation", that is BBC English. Better chang "RP" into GOP (Grand Old Party).
 
If the goal was to maximize Republican representation in the South, the state of Nickajack as well as a state straddling the southern Mississippi, and some way to maintain Republican dominance in the New Orleans area (whether that means expanding or shrinking Louisiana I don't know).

Nickajack would be one or possibly two states. You might also have the rebirth of the State of Franklin with more counties coming both from NC and TN. I see SC dying entirely being divided between NC and GA. Anything else?
 
One thing to keep in mind is that the Republicans intended originally to use a combination of restricted franchise for ex-Confederates, legal voting for former slaves and a newly created network of patronage in order to create a new, Republican-supporting South. The terms "Carpet-baggers" and Scalawags are obviously pejorative, but they also represent a real fear on the part of the Redeemers that the Republicans might succeed (and thus doom the Redeemers plans of a restored white hegemony).

Now OTL that all fell apart with the collapse of Reconstruction, but the Republicans ITTL might not realize that. If they are pressing for a more radical reconstruction as suggested by the OP, they probably anticipate doing a better job, and might continue attempting to conduct Reconstruction rather than acquiescing to the Redemption of the South. As such, changes in borders might be more minor than people are suggesting (and hiving off solidly Republican areas from more divided states might be seen as counterproductive; better to have 11 states you'll always win 55-45 than to have 2 you win by 80% and 10 where you're 50-50).

In the aftermath of the Civil War, a Radical Republican-controlled government might be inclined to think big and overestimate their own capabilities even more than OTL. Why settle for creating a few new Republican states when you can turn the entire South into a solid GOP stronghold? It won't work (anymore than OTL) but they may not realize that.
 
Even with the 'state suicide' theory I can't imagine the southern states being radically changed all that much in the long haul.

Though I could picture Virginia and South Carolina being punished for their prominent role in the Civil War. Virginia being the most influential Confederate state, South Carolina for being the first to secede.

Virginia could be broken up into two/three states. South Carolina divided up between Georgia and North Carolina.
 

birdboy2000

Banned
I think it's possible that East Tennessee would manage to separate, largely for the same reason West Virginia did. However, I think on the whole the result would not be a wholesale redrawing of state lines, but at least an attempt towards a slower readmission of southern states to the union, and holding them in limbo Utah-style until the population started electing people acceptable to congress.

Then again, the radicals tried military occupation and denied state governments readmission until they allowed black suffrage and civil rights without the state suicide theory, Republicans won control of many state governments, and the redeemers still ultimately won. The factors that ended radical reconstruction and drove a quick readmission would apply whether it's justified based on reestablishing a republican form of government or state suicide, so despite a firmer legal basis I sadly don't see it making that much of a difference.
 
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