Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Weird Alternate History World Setting

So here's 2 points of divergence and where I went from there
  • Joseph Smith, III takes over the Mormon church after the death of his father, the followers of Bringham Young are removed from the church thereby removing the practices of polygamy, the Endowment ritual would be different, and Baptism for the dead would not be practiced.

  • The Civil War is won by the Confederate States of America after they allow slaves to fight in the war and received freedom for their efforts.
What does this change? All manner of things. First -- the Confederacy wins the first war of the America and quite possibly in the process takes back West Virginia as part of Virginia and Maryland, which would have peacefully joined had they been allowed. Second, the Mormons out west may still be armed, but they're not quite as alienated as they were for their beliefs because they don't have the polygamy or baptism of the dead. The Book of Mormon was enough through most of the early history of the church, but these new views put them at odds with a lot more people...especially the government of the US. Instead, they were able to spread their word much more readily. Thirdly? A new Native American nation would have been established in area of the modern state of Oklahoma, independent of both the CSA and USA, but protected by the CSA as one of its allies. This would make for an interesting buffer zone and new nation of Indian peoples in the Americas. What could happen following this historically? Well -- here's my ideas of big events.
  • 1882 -- Mexican land grab where the CSA purchases a plot of land from Mexico leading to border conflicts with the US that escalates into full scale war. Large Mormon community in Utah secedes from the union leading to a two fronted war. The Confederates and Mormons win -- the United People of New Zion is founded as the Mormon nation and the Confederates take parts of Arizona and New Mexico, collecting them into the states of Jefferson and Arizona (different borders) by 1892. All blacks who join the Army are granted freedom upon finishing their terms of services again leading to over 50% of the black people in the CSA being free persons. The idea for a war over this is similar to the ideas from historian/alternative history writer Harry Turtledove's "How Few Remain" world setting. Amazing novel, by the way.
  • 1884 -- Non-black slaves granted the vote in the CSA.
  • 1892 -- Indians males granted the vote in New Zion.
  • 1895 -- Virginia and Maryland officially ban slavery within their borders.
  • 1900 -- New England secession movement begins to grow. Slavery banned in CSA by Constitutional Amendment.
  • 1901 -- Indian Territory joins the CSA as the state of Cherokee (modern Oklahoma) -- Indian men granted the right to vote simultaneously, considering 80% of the people living in Indian Territory were Indians.
  • World War I breaks out with the US, Germany, Austria-Hungary on one side and Neo Zion, CSA, UK, France on the other. Russia is neutral after pulling out like in real life. Allied powers win and CSA does a little land grab taking Kansas.
  • New England secedes after WWI -- war almost breaks out, but UK and CSA intervene with troops to keep the peace.
  • Israel founded prior to World War II, dominantly Jewish state with a large Mormon temple in Jerusalem.
  • Socialism rises in Germany, Hitler rises in Austria instead of Germany.
  • Soviet Germany, UK, CSA, New Zion, China, Soviet Union, France against Austria, Italy, and Japan in WWII. United States remains neutral. New England sides with Allied forces, begins to build standaing army by the end of the war and enters in around D-Day.
  • Women granted the vote in CSA and New Zion after WWII.
After that, I'm not sure. Anyone who would want to help me flesh out the history of such a world, by all means. I'm going to call this universe "Confederate Zion" in case I come up with future posts on the topic of this world-setting.

Here's who the current North American leaders are --
  • President of New England -
  • President of the United States - Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (Whig)
  • President of the Confederate States of America - Angus King (Democrat)
  • President of New Zion - Merrill J. Bateman
The major political parties --
New England
  • Progressive Party - Exactly as it sounds, akin to the Progressive party of LaFollette, it supports a larger role of the unified federal government.
  • Unity Party - The Unity Party is a big tent party that encompasses conservative populists, conservatives, and libertarians.
  • Unionist Party - A minor party that has been opposed to secession from the beginning. They have called for reunification with the US and hold a majority of the state legislature in the state of Vermont. They do not hold a single seat in the New England Congress.
United States
  • Democratic Party -- Akin to the modern Republican Party, the Democratic party remained the house of the more conservative thinkers. The party of Jefferson, Jackson, and Goldwater. Remains a dominant force in modern politics.
  • Whig Party -- After the collapse of the Republican Party in 1864, the Whig Party surged in the 1868 election with former Republicans and Unionists with unity candidate and President Henry Wilson. They've been the competing party since. Slightly more progressive than the Democratic party.
CSA
  • Democratic Party -- The state's rights party followed exactly the same path as the US Democratic Party listed above.
  • Confederate Party -- The party that supports a more unified confederation, direct election of Senators, and has the most moderate members who support more federal measures.

2 comments:

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Anonymous said...

Wow, geat info.
Can someone start a website for us Sons ( decendants ) of Confederarte Veterams that are Mormons. We are the guys that have inherited the CHARACTER of the Southern way of life and family, love of the greatness of the American Revoluion War, of Liberty, and love of the great god Jehovah.