|
The following Immune Americas Immune Americas is under construction.
Please do not edit or alter this article in any way while this template is active. All unauthorized edits may be reverted on the admin's discretion. Propose any changes to the talk page. |
Long ago, when the continents of Eurasia and America were joined together by the Bering strait, a large group of people fled over and established themselves on this new continent. These people would develop flourishing and complex societies, but would lack access to livestock (pigs, cows, sheep, and horses) which were vital to the advancement of civilization in the old world. They also exposed Afro-Eurasia to a number of infectious diseases carried by these animals. When Europeans did finally make contact with the peoples of the Americas, 90% of them were wiped out by infectious diseases. Any large civilization that could practically resist the colonial onslaught was weakened severely. Although the indigenous people continue to put up resistance against colonialism, nearly everywhere Europeans have come to dominate over them. What if these animals (pigs, chickens, yak, and horses) had crossed over the Bering strait with the humans and had survived and live alongside them. This leads to an advancement in pre-columbian technology, notably the wheel in 1500 BCE in OTL Veracruz. By the time of European contact, several advanced civilizations had already developed.
Norse Contact[]
The Kinngait kingdom (based on the OTL Dorset culture) emerged as a maritime empire in northern canada and rapidly expanded, establishing colonies in Greenland by 900 AD, 100 years before Erik the Red would arrive. Erik and his settlers would form a new community alongside the Kinngait colonies while other Norse explorers and travelers would penetrate deeper into the kingdom. The introduction of more modern european technology would soon spread throughout OTL Canada. The Norse and Europeans would come to refer to this new land as Thule after the ancient Roman far-away land. From 1000 AD to around the 14th century, relations between Kinngait and the Norse went well and there was a significant amount of mixture between the cultures. Churches were established in areas of Greenland at the height of this interaction in the 14th century. In the 1300s, Kinngait would be beset by a series of invasions from Inuit tribes in the east. These Inuits themselves had been pushed out of their native land in Alaska by the Punuk and Birnirk, who had established themselves on both sides of the Bering strait. In 1453, the Inuktitut armies would sack the capital and proclaim the kingdom of Nunavut. Nunavut would take a much more hostile approach towards the Norse and would burn the churches and would expel the Norse populations.
Meanwhile, Leif Erikson would mount an expedition to Vinland or Beothuk as it was known to its inhabitants. Unlike our timeline, the Beothuk had developed their island into a prosperous maritime state with cities and farms. Leif Erikson's attempt at building a settlement in Beothuk would still be met with resistance, and he would be forced to flee back to Greenland. With the help of Kinngait and Norway, Erikson was able to secure a second expedition with more military intent. Using classic Viking tactics, Leif Erikson would launch several raids on the coastal towns and would conquer the capital, installing himself as King of Vinland. Vinland would soon become a hybrid state, with the Norse settlers merging with the Beothuk elites to form a new people, the Vinlanders (similar to the Normans in France).
The Little Ice Age[]
As temperatures dropped, contact between Thule and Scandinavia became increasingly strained. Nunavut would fall into decline as the little ice age would cause a series of civil wars, usually caused by shamans who had claimed the current ruler was forsaken by the gods due to bad weather and famines. Vinland would continue to grow in power through intervention in these wars.
Spanish Contact[]
Christopher Columbus's Voyages[]
In 1492, Christopher Columbus would attempt to sail around the world to find another route to India. He would land in the Taino Caciquedoms of the OTL Caribbean. These states, although ethnically similar, often competed with each other through a series of maritime struggles and fought for control over trade routes and goods. Columbus's ships wouldn't make it the Bahamas in his first voyage as he would be attacked by pirates. His fleet damaged, he was forced to make a complete change in direction and eventually landed in the Chiefdom of Ayiti, one of the biggest states in the Caribbean and a once great maritime power. Ayiti had once ruled most of the Caribbean and had profited from trans-continental trade (primarily dealing in silver, textiles, corn, and leathers) and boasted a number of cities and a large merchant class. Columbus would remark how Ayiti reminded him of his native Genoa in his private journals and was pleased at how the Cacique honored him and was eager to adopt christianity. The Cacique was so friendly because he saw the potential power he could have by using these newcomers and their advanced weapons and technology in order to reclaim his empire and deal with the upstart merchant class. The Cacique offered Columbus a noble title and wealth in exchange for leading his army to destroy a regional rebellion of the Ciguayo people in the north of his kingdom. Columbus would write back to Spain, urging Queen Isabella to agree to an alliance with Ayiti. Cacique Guacanagarix would convert to Christianity and allow Spanish missionaries and soldiers to come in. In 1496, Ayiti would mount a war against Yamaya (Jamaica) with the help of the Spanish. The war was originally meant to settle trade debt that the Yamayan Cacique had refused to pay (he no longer saw Ayiti as credible threat due to their waning power), however Columbus insisted that the land be given to him as a personal fiefdom to be ruled on behalf of the King of Spain. Gaucanagarix was wary of allowing the Spaniards to do this, partially because his acceptance of them had distanced himself from his people and he felt that allowing them any more power would lead to a full scale revolt. This angered Columbus, who staged a coup with the help of the noble families and established the Spanish Ayiti Protectorate.