1837:
January:
After two years since the pro-reform factions gained their ambitions after the near Civil War and the Shawnee Nation was an almost entirely different country. The Tribes had been centralised to a large degree, the Army was under the direct control of the Parliament and a system of schools had been set up with aid from the British Government in Canada. These reforms had led the Shawnee to become an almost modern nation as its adaptation of the British way of doing things became more and more efficient. With these events actually taking place, the British Government realised that it needed to seriously take another look at its priorities concerning the Shawnee Nation. Another tour with British officials was organised for July.
March:
The Imperial Federacion issued a formal complaint against the Royal Navy when the Royal Navy boarded a Spanish ship and stripped it, claiming the crew were smuggling goods into Jamaica without a pass from the governor. The ship and its crew were let go once nothing was found but the sheer arrogance of the action outraged many in the Federacion, believing that it was a deliberate slight by the British against them. Many called for War but they were calmed down by the more moderates who saw that in order to stand a certain chance against the British in a War, they’d need an Ally. The United States of America and the Imperial Federacion began to formalise their anti-British Alliance and take a united front against their enemy.
June:
William IV, King of Great Britain passed away leaving the Throne to his eight year old son, Alfred. Due to Alfred’s age, a Regency was organised with Alfred’s mother, Adelaide, taking the role until her son’s eighteenth birthday. William IV was mourned by the nation, although a Conservative to his core, his down to Earth nature had endeared him to the public and he had been moderately popular up until his death. The Liberal Party weren’t sorry to see him go, the King being a scapegoat for the Party’s loss of the elections, them blaming him for rallying support for the Conservative Party. Business would carry on as normal though with the young Prince Alfred as being the first potential monarch to be born after the French Revolution.
July:
The tour of British officials around the Shawnee Nation took place to assess the prospects of the Nation. The one eleven years previous had given an entirely different message than what had was received during this visit. The Shawnee Nation had drastically changed in two years alone and was still greatly modernising in terms of social policies. Talks regarding the opening of mines and other industries were being considered along the opening of Universities and higher places of education. There was notable resistance to all of these proposals, particularly in the Tribes of the west, but the pro-reformers had gained the upper hand in Parliament, the measures would come quickly and in a way to change the Nation for good.
The meeting between the British officials and the Shawnee Members of Parliament went well, the British officials being impressed by the progress the Shawnee had made in such a small amount of time. With the modernisation taking place, the British Government was forced to reassess its view of the Shawnee. Rather than seeing it as a weak nation with a competent Army, it was now assessed as being a potential minor industrial nation. One that could serve as a counter to the US along with the New England Republic which had started to take an even firmer line against any sort of perceived slight by the US.
British industries began looking into expanding into the Shawnee Nation via Canada only to be politely refused. Independence was still the greatest virtue that the Shawnee saw in themselves. If they were to industrialise, it would be by their own hand. Britain accepted this and soon began to take measures to take the Shawnee Nation as a serious commitment in terms of an Alliance as opposed to seeing it as a short term aid. This was a turning point for the Shawnee as Britain had finally began to take them seriously and gave it the status according to a true nation. This went a long way to secure the Shawnee Nation its place in the World.
November:
At Havana Cuba, a Treaty was signed between America and the Imperial Federacion detailing a mutual defence agreement. The Treaty had come about following constant competition between the two Powers and Britain itself. Economic Warfare between Britain and the Federacion and the rising dispute over the Oregon Territory with the US had brought the former enemies together. It was a powerful Alliance which Britain was able to counter in the north with the Shawnee Nation and the New England Republic. In the south, Britain began to make moves for an Alliance with Brazil. Slowly but surely, the American Continent was being divided into armed camps.