WI US purchases Danish West Indies in 1867

Shortly after the American Civil War, Denmark offered to sell the islands of St John and St Thomas to the US for around eight million dollars. However, the US Senate didn't ratify the treaty in time since they were busy worrying over the impeachment of President Johnson.

What if the Senate had accepted the offer and subsequently purchased what would IOTL eventually become the US Virgin Islands some 50 years ahead of schedule?

Would the possession of the islands alter in any way America's foreign policy agenda in the Caribbean?
 
Hm. Assuming that the Spanish-American War still happens in some recognizable form ITTL, it would be interesting to see some Caribbean state formed around Puerto Rico and these two islands. Then again, this assumes that the US decides that dark-skinned people arten't so bad much sooner than IOTL.
 
Hm. Assuming that the Spanish-American War still happens in some recognizable form ITTL, it would be interesting to see some Caribbean state formed around Puerto Rico and these two islands. Then again, this assumes that the US decides that dark-skinned people arten't so bad much sooner than IOTL.

Interesting idea, but I doubt the Americans at this time would give statehood to a bunch of "Spics" and "Niggers", as they view it.
 
Maybe it would lead to Puerto Rico being a state later though? Given an extra 40 years of American rule, maybe Puerto Rico (plus the virgin islands) becomes a state around 1976?
 
Hm. Assuming that the Spanish-American War still happens in some recognizable form ITTL, it would be interesting to see some Caribbean state formed around Puerto Rico and these two islands. Then again, this assumes that the US decides that dark-skinned people arten't so bad much sooner than IOTL.
:confused:Given that the same sale went thru 50 years later, why would that make a difference. IOTL, there's no move to join PR and USVI, why would there be iTTL?
 
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