Divergence Factor -0.229
From Alternative History
The year is 1860. The point of divergence is 1784. The Republican Party is never formed, John C. Breckenridge is elected President and New England secedes from the union. Texas is still a republic and California, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan are all still territories.
Both New England and the South wanted to call their nation the United States of America and keep the original flag, even though by rights the New England states left the union and had no claim to the title.
The leadership of the United States offered a compromise they hopped would cool the tensions and proposed that neither nation be called the United States. The United States of America changed it's name to the Federated States of Appalachia and the seceding states became the United States of New England.
British sent ships and renforced their garrisons on the borders with Maine, vermont and new hampshire because New England made claims to territories in Canada. New England claimed that these actions were illegal and were occurring in land belonging to them. The British Blockaded New England ports, New England opened fire and before anyone knew it there was war. Breckinridge feared that New York and Pennsylvania could be threatened because it had a huge border with New England and he asked for volunteers. He didn't want war but thought that by building a formidable military force he could discourage an invasion.
Contents |
[edit] Timeline
- POD: 1784:
- Thomas Jefferson's proposal to ban slavery in all new territory after 1802 is ratified by a narrow margin.
- 1860:
- Vice President John Breckinridge defeats his opponent, Edward Everett, in the presidential election of 1860.
[edit] Nations
- Canada (British Colony)
- France
- Mexico
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Republic of Texas
[edit] People
- Geoffrey Thornton
- John C. Breckinridge
- George M. Dallas
- Franklin Pierce
- Stephen A. Douglas
- Edward Everett
- Robert Patterson
- Winfield Scott
