WI: American Revolution spreads

As is known if you've read on the period (but is sadly neglected in the folk history of the time) the war against the colonies was very unpopular back in Britain. The bulk of the population were fully in support of them- they had every right to protect their rights, it was good to see the government getting a nice big fuck you for once, etc...

So...WI the rebellion spread from a revolt out in the colonies to a wider civil war back home?
Probally not entirely probable and very unlikely to suceed but a British Revolution would certainly be interesting.
Have the POD before the revolution itself kicks off and make the government more incompetant and commit more abuses....
 

Keenir

Banned
As is known if you've read on the period (but is sadly neglected in the folk history of the time) the war against the colonies was very unpopular back in Britain. The bulk of the population were fully in support of them- they had every right to protect their rights, it was good to see the government getting a nice big fuck you for once, etc...

So...WI the rebellion spread from a revolt out in the colonies to a wider civil war back home?
Probally not entirely probable and very unlikely to suceed but a British Revolution would certainly be interesting.
Have the POD before the revolution itself kicks off and make the government more incompetant and commit more abuses....

wasn't the Restoration still within living memory? people back in the Home Islands might be reluctant to return to that sort of situation (civil war)
 
wasn't the Restoration still within living memory? people back in the Home Islands might be reluctant to return to that sort of situation (civil war)

Keenir

Not really within living memory as its over a century but probably well within cultural memory, so to speak. Possibly more importantly would be the 1688 revolution and the fact that was contested. As such still, albeit by this time faint, threat of a Stewart claim to the throne. Also, there have been the frequent threats to the country from hostile neighbours. That is a great incentive to avoid internal conflict.

While there was a resentment at the high taxes and lack of public consultation, the latter was still more than in most of Europe. There was also pride in the country and resentment about the behaviour of the rebels in wanted their favoured status continued. As such while there was some fellow feeling, partly because of rebel propaganda, there was also the vastly different interests of the two groups. One predominantly was a conservative reaction to maintain privileges while in Britain the tension was between the reactionary controlling group and those who wants reform.

Steve
 
One predominantly was a conservative reaction to maintain privileges while in Britain the tension was between the reactionary controlling group and those who wants reform.

Steve

Hrmm. This is a gross oversimplification (at best) of the motives of the american rebels.
 
Hrmm. This is a gross oversimplification (at best) of the motives of the american rebels.

Faeelin

It covers the basic factors. Simplifies a bit but a lot less than the old falsehoods that the rebellion was motivated by feeling of human rights and civil liberties.

Steve
 
Faeelin

It covers the basic factors. Simplifies a bit but a lot less than the old falsehoods that the rebellion was motivated by feeling of human rights and civil liberties.

Steve

It also ignores the words and deeds of the revolutionaries.
 
The Revolution might have spread to the sugar islands of the Caribbean, but the whites were too frightened of slave risings to risk alienating the Brits. There were protests and meetings by the planters critical of Britain for various issues.

Of course, that doesn't mean the rebellion spreads to Britain, but it is certainly a wider revolution.
 
Faeelin

It covers the basic factors. Simplifies a bit but a lot less than the old falsehoods that the rebellion was motivated by feeling of human rights and civil liberties.

Steve

Why are those falsehoods?

Faeelin pointed out the Patriots words and deeds and that's a very good point.

The fact that the Patriots were hypocrites re: slavery does not mean they didn't believe that the Crown was violating their "rights as Englishmen," if that's what your objection is.
 
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