---The Quincy Presidency (1871-1877)---
Simply put, public education in America would be what it is today without Frederick Preston and his followers. Preston began teaching in 1812 at the age of 22 in New York, in a simple city-funded school near Albany. By the age of 39, he was a professor at Columbia University, researching and teaching on psychology and human development, and a major advocate of expanding public education. He proposed his “Pyramid Education System” at the age of 43, in 1833, and soon got the ability to test his proposal in the nation’s new capital in the District of Washington. In January, 1834, Preston was appointed as Franklin, DW Director of Schools, whereupon he set about establishing primary, secondary, and tertiary schools based on his model, and partnering with the University of the United States, then still in it’s infancy.
Under the system, primary schools, for students ages 5-12, students learned basic reading, writing, and arithmetic skills, along with basic geography and social studies. At the end of primary school, students took an exit exam, and if passed, they would be funneled on to secondary schools for ages 13-15, where students would learn more advanced math and writing, as well as public speaking and debate skills, and some basic introduction to classical history and language. At the end of secondary school, students passing the exit exams graduated up to tertiary schools for ages 16-18, where they learned business skills, Greek and Latin, world history, and advanced debate and rhetoric. And from tertiary school, passing students would head on to college or university.
Students thrived under this system, and ten years later, Preston gave a glowing report about its success and expansion into much of southwestern Ohio and neighboring states. Preston wanted the Federal Government to adopt this system on a national scale, proposing the establishment of a Department of Education to oversee the massive system. If approved, it would have established the largest expansion of Federal bureaucracy at that time. However, political will was against such a system, so Preston’s dream of a national system seemed to vanish. He would instead focus on state systems, which saw some success, in Ohio in 1844, Kentucky and Indiana in 1845, and Illinois in 1847. Iowa would follow suit in 1849, and Missouri in 1852. It was a harder sell back East, where a mix of state funded schools and private schools made up much of the educational landscape. Preston found almost no interest in the South, where people were more spread out, and the people of means hired private tutors and were unconcerned about having a system in place to educate the masses.
During the War Between the States, Preston lived in Columbus, overseeing the Ohio Education System, but returned to Franklin in 1865 after the inauguration of President Brandt. Seeing the President’s plans to “go West,” Preston saw a perfect opportunity to spread his system more nationally. He drafted a proposal to have the Federal Government set up a pyramid system in the western territories as they were divided up and established. The “Preston Pyramid Proposal” was submitted to the President for review in March of 1867. Tragically, Preston died in April at the age of 77. His protege, Daniel Osmond, took up his mentor’s mantle and continued to advocate for the Preston Plan. Brandt and his cabinet liked the idea, and started to look into Congressional support. By 1868, the “Western Education Act” was being debated in Congress, and passed in early 1869. The law established a Federal Office of Education, under the Secretary of the Interior, to manage all education in the Federal Territories. It mandated the establishment of the Preston Pyramid System in the West, promoting the establishment of territorial teacher academies, territorial colleges, and schools in the major settlements, along with territorial education councils similar to those in the Midwestern states. Daniel Osmond, at 47, found himself appointed as the first Director of the Federal Office of Education.
Osmond was a tireless proponent of the Preston System, and he continued to advocate for its adoption nationally. The African-American controlled states of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, all got on board by the time of the 1870 election. During that race for the Presidency, the Democrats adopted a platform that called for the spread of the Preston Education System wherever possible, while the Federalists remained opposed, opting to leave education a state or local issue, like it had been handled in New England. With the election of John P. Quincy, Osmond and his fellow Preston System advocates felt a wind of change coming to Franklin.
In 1872, Quincy proposed raising the Office of Education to a cabinet position, and calling for a “comprehensive national education system” to be implemented by 1880. In 1873, Daniel Osmond was confirmed by the Senate as the first Secretary of Education, and in 1875 helped guide the “United States School System” Bill through Congress. The law, signed on Frederick Preston’s birthday on April 13, 1876, mandated that all states reorganize or establish schools along the Preston Pyramid System, establishing primary, secondary, and tertiary schools throughout each state. The law allowed each state to determine how many students would be in each school, and how many schools to build per township (something that would become federally regulated in the 20th century). The states were given until 1880 to have legislation in place to set up the systems in their states, and until 1885 to have the systems at least partially operational. Due to practical matters, this implementation would take until the mid 1890s, but by 1893 the system was completely implemented throughout the United States.
Wilcox, Dr. Julia.
Educating Americans: A Comprehensive History. Franklin, DW: UUS Press House, 2008.
---
The American political scene after the War Between the States was, to put it plainly, a mess. The Democrats were the only large, nationally potent party. The Federalists maintained their control of New England, but failed to catch on in large numbers outside of that area. The Republicans were devastated after the war, and nearly vanished from federal office in the first few decades after the conflict was over. They managed to hold on to state level office in Georgia and South Carolina during the Restoration Era, despite attempts by federal officials to prevent this, and then thanks to the Dixian Diaspora, the Republicans found a new home base to thrive in out West at the base of the Rockies. Then in the Deep South, in African American controlled states, the newly established Freedmen’s Party ruled supreme, though in Congress and in the 1870 presidential election the Freedmen worked with the Federalists. In the newly established Western territories, and in Oregon, new local parties were starting to form. Granted, most of the settlers in the West were either Democrats or Old South Republicans, the issues in the new lands were different than that of those living back East, and while the Democrats supported Westward settlement, they didn’t always care what happened to the people once they got there. Some political observers of the day wondered openly whether or not it was even possible for the United States to have any truly national parties anymore.
This prediction proved false for the most part, and in part this is due to the “Grand Coalition of 1876.” In that election, as the nation geared up to choose the next President, there was a huge debate among Federalists about a possible “unity ticket” with the Freedmen’s Party. Many members supported this idea for reasons of principle: the Federalists had literally fought a war to achieve equality for the former slaves, and now the party should welcome them in as part of their own organization or at least work alongside them in partnership. Other members objected for practical reasons: they feared there was no way they would gain enough votes nationally if a Freedmen candidate was on the national ticket, or even endorse by the party. And it is likely this could have hurt the Federalists, but in the end, the moral argument won. Then, fate would have it that a huge scandal would rock the Democrats the summer before the election, greatly evening the playing field.
Phillips, Dr. George.
Politics in the Early New Union. New Orleans, LA: Crescent Press, 2011.
---
CENSUS RESULTS: POP REACHES 26 MILLION
FRANKLIN - The Census Bureau has certified the results of the 1870 election, announcing that the population of the United States is now at 26,763,747. New York remains the most populous state, with 2.8 million people, but Pennsylvania is now getting close, at 2.2 million. There are now 7 states with over a million people up from 4 in 1850. Several states in the South have seen a massive jump in population, due in large part to former slaves now being counted as full citizens. There has been some criticism of the Census, as it did not count people in the territories, and there have been tens of thousands of people who have immigrated West since the War. It seems likely, however, that by the time the next census is conducted in 1880, that several of the territories in West will have become states.
“Census Results: Pop Reaches 26 Million.”
Franklin Observer, April 1, 1871.
---
IS THE HOUSE TOO BIG?
FRANKLIN - With the latest election, and following the 1870 census, the House of Representatives is now over 600 members in size, and there are many that feel it is too large. Democratic Representative Thomas Gifford of Ohio has suggested that a committee be established to consider possible fixes to the size of the House. Some are suggesting reducing the number to exactly five or six hundred, and coming up with a formula for appropriating seats to states based on population. This idea is most popular among the Democrats, whereas the Federalists tend to support raising the number of people per representative from the current 1 representative per 40,000 citizens, to 1 representative per 100,000. President Quincy has expressed approval of setting up a committee, and the overall idea of capping or reducing the size of the House, saying “If we don’t do something, by the end of the century we could have more than a thousand members, and that is just too many.”
“Is the House Too Big?”
Boston Eagle, March 1873.
---
CONCERN OVER MANHATTAN’S FUTURE
MANHATTAN ISLAND - Ever since Special Commissioner Hamilton announced the plan to rebuild New York City eight years ago, there has been a flood of new immigration to the island to kickstart the reconstruction of the island. Some have been American citizens looking to start fresh in a city going through a rebirth. But many have come from overseas: Irish, Italians, Germans, Jews, Turks, Frenchmen, Spaniards, Russians, and the list goes on. It is estimated that nearly 200,000 people now call Manhattan Island home, and of that 200,000, over half is likely foreign born. This is causing endless headaches for the Commissioner's office, as clashes between locals trying to return, other Americans coming from other parts of the country, and foreigners happen daily. The Friends of New York Society, an organization made up of former New York City residents now living in Westchester and other communities in neighboring counties, has expressed concern that their beloved home is being overrun by the “unwashed masses.”
Compounding this tension is the chronic lack of funds the city suffers. Investment from private sources has been slow for several years, and there is only a limited amount of money coming from New York State and almost nothing coming from the Federal Government, despite promises to the contrary. There have been proposals to dissolve the city and hand the land over to the jurisdiction of Brooklyn, which have been rebuffed by local officials in the strongest possible terms. Mayor William Porter stated, “Brooklyn is thriving as New York’s premier port, and one of the major ports of entry for the whole region, possibly the country. There is no way we want to be burdened with the Manhattan Quagmire.” Some in the New York State Assembly have proposed a different solution. State Assemblyman from Queens Robert Wray proposed that, “Manhattan Island should be discharged from the State of New York, and turned into a Federal District under Federal management. Let it be like Franklin, and administered by people appointed by Congress.” There has been some support from those in the State Assembly who would like to be rid of the financial burden of supporting the city, but this has been vehemently opposed by Commissioner Hamilton and his allies in Albany.
“Concern Over Manhattan’s Future.”
Brooklyn Standard, April 2, 1874.
---
Ferdinand Zeppelin was born in the short-lived German Republic outside Frankfurt am Main in 1838. His parents, Friedrich and Amélie von Zeppelin, immigrated to what was then the Mexican Province of Texas in 1842, just ahead of the wave of 45ers, settling near what would become Neu Frankfurt, the German settlement near Franklin-on-the-Brazos. The Zeppelin family bought property and became cattle farmers, though it was far from their only pursuit. Friedrich quickly became involved in local politics, and helped represent the German community as the new Federation was established in 1848. In 1850, Friedrich was elected to the National Assembly. In 1857, Ferdinand’s father found himself appointed as a special assistant to the Texan Ambassador in Franklin, and Ferdinand accompanied his father there. This posting to the United States was important for several reasons.
First, the young Zeppelin would meet his future wife in Franklin, the daughter of a prominent member of the Franklin Germantown community, Elsa Frahm. The Zeppelins would be in Franklin from 1857 until 1866, and during that time Ferdinand and Elsa began a serious courtship, and the two would marry in 1864. Ferdinand’s father approved of the match, wanting his family to help be a link between the German community in Texas and its counterpart in the United States.
During the War, the Texans stayed neutral, and stayed in their embassy in Franklin as observers. When the Brandt government took the city, the Texans stayed on and did not follow the Slaver Union government to Atlanta. It was during this conflict that the second reason the Texas posting turned out to be so important for Zeppelin’s life. Both the Slaver and Northern Union used hot air balloons to use as observation posts during the fight for Franklin, and these observation balloons utterly fascinated Ferdinand, and he got the chance to ride in one of the Northern balloons twice. This fascination would fester long after the War and after the Zeppelins returned to Texas, and would result in Ferdinand becoming a major part of aviation history.
Anderson, Dr. Jacob.
The Zeppelin Story. Nacogdoches: TU Press, 1999.
---
COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED ON HOUSE REDUCTION
FRANKLIN - First Secretary Benjamin Bentley announced that Democratic Representative Thomas Gifford and Federalist Representative Jacob Hammon have been appointed to set up a committee to come up with a plan to reduce the size of the House of Representatives, now with over 600 members. Federalists support changing the formula that calculates representation from 1 representative for every 40,000, to 1 representative for every 100,000. The Democrats want the House to be capped at 500 permanently, and dividing the number among the states based on population. The new Gifford-Hammon Committee has been tasked to create a proposal on membership by the end of the year. Speaker Bentley stated that he wants this change enacted, in whatever form, by the end of 1875.
“Committee Established on House Reduction,”
Franklin Observer, November 6, 1873.
---
KINGDOM OF BOREALIA ESTABLISHED
YORK, UPPER CANADA - In accordance with an act of the British Parliament, the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Columbia, and Vancouver have been combined together to form the semi-independent Kingdom of Borealia. The name derives from the Latin word “borealis,” meaning “northern,” and was chosen to be a counterpart to the British-held Australia, the name of that territory also being derived for the Latin word for “southern.” The territory between Columbia and the eastern provinces, known as Rupert’s Land, has been divided, with North Rupert’s Land remaining under Crown Control, and South Rupert’s Land placed in trust for the Kingdom of Borealia, to be temporarily controlled by both York and London.
George Campbell, the 8th Duke of Argyll, has been installed as Governor-General, the acting representative of Queen Victoria and the Royal Family, who will serve as Head-of-State. Surprising no one, Anthony Martin of Detroit, co-founder of the Federation Party, has been appointed as Acting Prime Minister of the new kingdom, until elections can be held in August for the new parliament, which is set to conveen in York, which has been chosen as the seat of the new government. President Quincy spoke favorably of the development, stating, “I am glad to see our neighbors to the north have more direct say over their lives, and welcome the creation of Borealia.”
“Kingdom of Borealia Established,”
Brooklyn Standard, May 1, 1874.
---
WAR IN EUROPE! PRUSSIA AND AUSTRIA GO TO ARMS!
BERLIN - War has been declared between the Kingdom of Prussia and the Austrian Empire. There has been growing tension in the German Confederation for over a decade, ever since King Frederick William V took the throne in Prussia in 1861. The relatively young Prussian monarch is a political moderate, quite the contrast with the ageing, conservative Austrian Emperor Ferdinand I, who turned 81 this year. Squabbling between the two German powers has been going on for years, over various border disputes and each trying to outmaneuver the other within the German Confederation. This conflict arose from a dispute over the Free City of Frankfurt, once the capital of the short-lived Republic of Germany from 1839-1841. When the city fell in 1841, it was held jointly by the Prussians and the Austrians. The Prussians want to see the city be fully independent, and hoped to craft it into an ally within the Confederation. The Prussian representative in the German Federal Assembly, Otto von Bismarck, made a proposal to this effect late last year, stating that Frankfurt has been under joint-occupation for over thirty years, and it was time to allow the city to breath free once more. Austria stalled on the motion for a long time, but finally crushed the proposal in a vote earlier this year. Last week, the Austrians forced through a counter proposal ending joint-occupation and placing Frankfurt solely under Austrian control. The Prussian Government in Berlin has cried foul, and is refusing to remove its troops from Frankfurt. The Austrians announced that this was tantamount to an act of war. Early this morning, a telegram was recieved from Vienna stating that the Austrians had declared war. Prussia’s parliament followed suit this afternoon.
“War in Europe! Prussia and Austria Go to Arms!”
Boston Eagle, July 2, 1874.
---
FREEDWOMAN CLAIMS TO HAVE BASTARD CHILDREN OF QUINCY
FRANKLIN - A Freedwoman by the name of Nancy Clark claims to be the mother of President Quincy’s bastard children, and has come forward now that she is free and relocated to Ohio from Arkansas, where she was previously held in bondage. According to Mrs. Clark, the young Mr. Quincy forced her to lie with him several times while he worked on his uncle’s plantation in the 1820s and 1830s, and that he fathered at least three children by her during that time, and possibly did the same with other slave women. Mrs. Clark, now in her 60s, is looked after by her youngest son, Joshua Clark, who appears to be much lighter skinned than his mother, giving some legitimacy to his claim. According to the records presented to this paper by Mr. Clark from the plantation in Arkansas where he was born in 1836, his father was “unkown, possibly a white oversee hired for summer.”
Mrs. Clark has stated that she wants the President to recognize his children and grandchildren, especially since he has no children by his wife Virginia. “Slavery days are gone,” says Mrs. Clark, “and gone are the days when the master’s family can use slave women for pleasure. He and his party say they believe in equality and justice and all of that, but he’s a hypocrite if he won’t acknowledge his only descendents.” So far, no one at Washington House has acknowledged the story.
“Freedwoman Claims to Have Bastard Children of Quincy,”
Franklin Observer, December 9, 1874.
---
The Clark Controversy likely would have died out quickly and be almost forgotten today, had it not been for the fact that President Quincy’s cousin, Amanda Ball, came forward in early January 1875 to corroborate Nancy Clark’s claim that a young John Quincy raped her several times in the 1820s and 1830s, and had multiple children by her. She was quoted in the Observer that January as saying, “it was the worst kept secret on the plantation. My Father said nothing, my mother said nothing, and the slaves said nothing, but they all knew. My cousin got that slave pregnant.” This practice wasn’t exaclty uncommon, and had just been swept under the rug. In 1836, He and Virginia Campton married in Little Rock and then moved to St. Louis so that Quincy could work for his bride’s father’s law firm. The whole episode was forgotten. Up until the Amanda Ball confession, Washington House refused to comment on the story, but afterwards they had no choice. Members of Congress began to demand an explanation. On March 3, President Quincy held a conference before the press where he acknowledged that he had had “intimate relations” with slave women on his uncle’s farm in his youth, sowing his wild oats, but that he had fathered no children. Members of the Democratic caucus defended the President, as did Vice President Kinder. Federalists in Congress and in the Press did not buy the story at all. Editorials ran all over the country, with photographs of the President printed next to those of Joseph Clark, his purported progeny.
On May 9, Virginia Quincy had a heart attack due to the stress of the scandal. She survived, but doctors stated that it would be best for her to get out of Franklin and away from political life. On June 1st, President Quincy resigned, making Bradley Kinder of Indiana the 16th President of the United States. Kinder had been an elder statesman and considered a balance to Quincy’s brashness. It was understood that after 1877, Kinder was ready for retirement and the Vice Presidency had been a nice way to round out his political career spent mostly in the Senate.
Kinder may have been Quincy’s legal successor, but his political heir apparent was Secretary of the Interior Austin Campbell of Kentucky. The rumor around Franklin was that Campbell was really running things for Kinder, who was already in his 80s when he took office and still holds the record for oldest President of the United States. In late 1875, Campbell, 47, announced his intention to run for President.
Patrick, Dr. William.
The Election of 1876. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.
---
GILFORD-HAMMON ACT PASSES
FRANKLIN - The Gilford-Hammon Act, proposed earlier this year by the committee of the same name, has passed both houses of Congress and is likely to be approved of by President Kinder. The Act resets the formula for how many representatives in the House each state receives, going with the Federalist proposed plan of 1 per every 100,000 people in each state. The new formula will go into effect for the 1876 election.
“Gilford-Hammon Act Passes,”
Brooklyn Standard, October 3, 1875.
---
HISTORY MADE: FREEDMAN ON FEDERALIST TICKET!
PROVIDENCE - The Federalist Party convention has elected Augustus Bailey, a well known former advocate of abolition and a Freedmen’s Party leader in Mississippi, as the party’s Vice Presidential Candidate. The Freedmen’s Party has also voted to endorse the Federalist Party and caucus exclusively with the Federalists in Congress. There is talk that, if the Federalists retake Washington House in November, that the two parties may combine as one. New York Senator Horace Littlefield, the party’s presidential nominee, led the charge on the convention floor to have a “racial unity ticket.” Senator Littlefield told the convention that, “in this day and age, where the ghosts of slavery still haunt our nation, where the former President of the United States disgraced himself by forcing himself on an innocent slave woman, and where even now his party defends this action as a ‘youthful dalliance and indiscretion,’ it is up to our party, the party of equality, to stand up and say no, say that this is not acceptable in the Land of Liberty anymore. This party must integrate and prominently feature people regardless of race.”
Mr. Bailey, who has served in various public functions in Mississippi since he moved there in 1863 to help Joshua Black and other members of the Freedmen’s Party take over the state goverment, was elected to represent the state capital, Joshuaville, in Congress in 1866, a position he has held ever since. Born a slave in Maryland before escaping to Freedom in the 1830s, Mr. Bailey is a well known national figure, especially in traditionally Federalist New England, making him probably the most ideal Freedman for the party to put on the national ticket.
“History Made: Freedmen on Federalist Ticket!”
Boston Eagle, July 20, 1876.
---
AUSTRIA DEFEATED NEAR MUNICH!
BERLIN - Prussian officials announced today that the Austrian Army has been defeated outside the city of Munich, Bavaria, after four days of bloody fighting. The Prusso-Austrian War has dragged on for over two years, and thousands of men have been killed on the battlefields of southern Germany. The Austrians had a solid start to the war in 1874, but after Emperor Ferdinand died childless in 1875, the leadership of the Empire has been unstable. The emperor’s brother, Franz Karl, took the throne after his brother’s death, but passed away earlier this spring. Franz Karl’s oldest surviving son, Maximilian, has been suddenly thrust into leadership, and has been beset by poor judgement on his part and that of his military staff. Maximilian himself was in Munich during the battle, and was captured by the Prussians. A formal peace conference is expected to be held soon, likely here in Berlin.
“Austria Defeated Near Munich,”
Franklin Observer, August 9, 1876.
---
FIFTH NATIONAL ROAD & RAIL LINE COMPLETE!
CASCADIA TERR. - In a moment shared nationwide via the marvel of telegraphy, the final spike connecting the two halves of the Fifth National Road Rail Line, connecting St. Louis, Missouri to Astoria, Oregon, has been driven into the ground. Telegraph operators hooked up wires so that when the spike was driven into the ground at 12:00 noon near the settlement of Preston’s Crossing, a signal would be sent out instantly to telegraph operators across the country. The actual Fifth National Road was finished at the beginning of the summer, but the rail line being built by USRC just now caught up. For the first time ever, it is now possible to ride a train from Boston, Massachusetts, on the Atlantic Coast, all the way to Astoria, Oregon, on the Pacific.
“Fifth National Road & Rail Line Complete!”
Boston Eagle, September 8, 1876.
---
The 1876 presidential campaign changed how American politicians ran for President. Using mostly his own funds, Senator Littlefield travelled to major cities across the country from August until the end of October, holding rallies and calling on people to oust the Democrats from Washington House and from Congress. Secretary Campbell and his running mate, Governor of Kentucky George Plank, were caught off guard and initially dismissed the stunt, preferring instead to follow tradition and allow surrogates to speak for him, and not campaign himself. “I will not demean myself or the office I seek to hold by going out and personally begging people to vote for me. It is unbecoming someone who seeks to be President.” It wouldn’t be until late September that Campbell changed his mind, but by then it was probably too late. Senator Littlefield held rallies in Boston, Brooklyn, Cumberland, Columbus, Chicago, St. Louis, New Orleans, Mobile, and Charleston, making a loop on the Federal Railways and National Roads. He told reporters if he had more time he would have trekked to Oregon too.
As with any election, there were many different issues at stake when voters headed to the polls in November of 1876: Continued westward expansion; the enactment of the US School System Act; enforcement of racial equality in the West; trade with Europe, Mexico, and South America; expansion of power into the Pacific; how to react to growing Prussian influence in Central Europe. But all of these were dwarfed by the still lingering Clark Scandal. Early on, Secretary Campbell had spoken up for then-President Quincy, saying outright vulgar things about Mrs. Clark in an attempt to downplay her credibility, and saying that Quincy had no reason to acknowledge the issue at all. He then verbally attacked Clark and reporters in the press after Mrs. Quincy had a heart attack. He was the bulldog for Quincy, and his champion. His forthright support haunted him throughout the entire campaign. Senator Littlefield attacked the Democrats and Campbell in particular for being cowardly, for allowing the old attitudes that had allowed slavery to thrive to still linger, that Campbell and his supporters were constant reminders of the “Old Union,” of Slavery, and of racial inequality.
When the votes were counted, it wasn’t even close. States that were traditionally Federalist went solid Federalist. States that were battleground states between the two parties went in some cases more than 2/3rds Federalist. And in traditional Democratic stronghold states, at least a few electors went to Littlefield. 162 electors were required for a candidate to win the 1876 election. Littlefield finished with 196 to Campbell's 116 (with 9 going to the Republican Preston McCleary, Senator from Dixiana, and his running mate, businessman William Barton of Jefferson). It was only the third time that a Federalist would occupy the Presidency, and the first time since the election of 1796 that a Federalist outright won the election (Hamilton’s 1828 election had been decided in the House of Representatives in the infamous “Devil’s Bargain”).
Patrick, Dr. William.
The Election of 1876. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.
Map of the United States and North America in 1877
Name of the States and Territories in former Upper Louisiana
- Platte (OTL northern Kansas and parts of Nebraska)
- Dixiana (OTL western Kansas and eastern Colorado)
- Metropotamia (North of Platte)
- Lakota (North of Metropotamia)
- Washington (West of Lakota, Metropotamia, and Dixiana)
- Cascadia (Sandwiched between Washington and Oregon)
Map of Major American Transportation Routes in 1877
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some Notes:
- The Population: OTL US population in 1870 was 39 million. I am factoring without having Texas or California, and less flow of people from regions south, along with not having Michigan and Wisconsin and parts of Upstate New York, the population would be lower than OTL, at least for now. It'll probably catch up or get close to OTL levels by the 20th Century.
- Manhattan: The jury is still out. Part of me wants the city to rally and remain part of New York State and recapture it's place of prominence soon, but part of me is intrigued by the idea of it essentially failing for a long time and Brooklyn and other places picking up the slack. What do you all think?
- Clark Scandal: Looking for a away to break the seeming hegemony that the Democrats had on the Presidency and Congress. They had the largest national appeal among white voters. Factoring in black voters, the Federalists had a better chance, but to really win over the South I felt they had to really be true to their pledge about racial equality and bring a Freedman on the ticket, something that could hurt the Federalists outside New England and the New South.
- Augustus Bailey: Known in our timeline as Frederick Douglass (Augustus was one of his middle names OTL, and Bailey was his original surname that he dropped after reaching freedom).
- Austria and Prussia: Germany won't be fully unified yet (and tbh it may not happen ever). But Austria is going to lose its buddy Bavaria over this, and the Bavarian King will be forced to abdicate in favor of a pro-Prussian noble, and pretty much everyone else in Germany is now going to be allied or annexed by Prussia.
- The 1876 election: So I debated, a lot, about having a black VP so early. But I really felt that this TL was seeing a shift in demographics and values that does not mirror how things played out OTL after the Civil War. With so many southerners leaving the South for the West and allowing former slaves to take over some states, it seemed plausible enough for me for a unity ticket between the Federalists and the Freedmen. Maybe not the most plausible thing ever, but I felt it was good for the overall story and development of the TL.
- Transportation Map: First time making one of these. Probably could use work but was a fun first attempt. A few "new" cities: In Dixiana, New Charleston; in Platte, Ft. Calhoun; in West Virginia, Wheeling (OTL city, original terminus of the First National Road); Cumberland, Maryland (OTL start of the First National Road, now a semi-major transport hub and junction between the First, Second, and Third National Roads)
