A counterfactual timeline

[Mirannan]

This one is really fairly simple, AFAIK; which may not be all that far, because my knowledge of American history is sketchy - reasonably enough as I'm not American.

The branch point I would like to discuss is the beginning of the American Rebellion. Specifically, that George III was less mad and/or more reasonable than in the real timeline, and/or better advised; with the result that the colonists didn't rebel - at least not in the same manner, and not then.

There was some reason on the British side, because at that time the nascent colonies were under attack (or at least a threat of it) from hostile Indians and also by the French. Paying for at least some of the military protection might have been said to be reasonable, but it was clumsily handled to say the least.

In this timeline, the events of 1776 and a decade or so afterwards never happened. What I think is worth discussing is this: Would America have broken away at some point anyway, and if they did in what manner? For what it's worth, I think that it would have taken maybe another hundred years but America would have broken away anyway, and the culture of the UK and the Americas would have diverged rather less than in OTL. The Americans would probably drink more tea, for a start!

Obviously, other people will have other opinions. Have fun! (Including: what effects would a much bigger British presence in North America have on Europe?)

 

[BAYLOR]

If they has been able to hang on the colonies , I think that ultimately Britain ends up taking over the rest of North America . Taking Texas ,Mexico, and California, Cuba and pushing out The French and the Spanish in the process. Slavery disappears alot sooner in the south then it did in the our History. Native Americans would probably have fared somewhat better under British rule. There would have still been occasional skirmishes with Indian but Crown would have ceded land to the various tribes and would have been more likely to kept their treaties with them.

 

[reiver33]

I would see two things;

(1) Colonial America wouldn't be as expansionistic as the early USA, although those dissatisfied with British rule would probably drift out west. The Spanish would probably get turfed out as a consequence of the Napoleonic Wars, but I don't see an independent Texas, California, etc. petitioning to join the British Empire.

(2) Colonial America wouldn't play host to the 'huddled masses' of Europe. Without this safety value then there would be increased social and political unrest, probably resulting in the overthrow of some monarchies and/or independence movements. This would provoke the early collapse of both the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires, early Balkan wars, and perhaps stymie Prussian plans for German unification.

The 13 States would ultimately end up as part of 'Canada' or become a separate Dominion on their own, alongside the other English-speaking territories.