Anti-immigration has always been around, even today(to a much lesser extent, of course). With the post-war recession and all those unemployed ex-soldiers and ex-slaves coupled with the racism of the era, immigrants aren't really seen in a positive light, and tend to be portrayed more as job takers.
A House Divided-An American Timeline
- Thread starter Superman
- Start date
Hmmm... True. This is an era where the majority of the people have yet to find out that immigration is very good for the country
[FONT="]The Progressive Era[/FONT]
Despite the rapid economic growth, industrialization and the increasing influence the United States had on the world, income inequality was at an all-time high. Over half of the nation’s wealth was concentrated in 1% of its population, while workers worked long hours for low wages. The federal government, however, seemed unconcerned, and many politicians had ties to big businesses. Corruption and bribery were common, and many cities were controlled, directly or not, by party “bosses”, who ran the local political machines. New York City in particular was run as the personal fiefdom of “Boss” Nicholas Montagno, an Italian immigrant-turned-politician. “Boss” Montagno, a Democratic politician who ran the local party and dominated city politics, was also rumored to have close ties to the Mafia. During the period from 1880 until his arrest in 1893, Montagno directly or indirectly ruled New York City, with his associates controlling the mayor, City Council and even as high as the Governor at various times. New York was but just one example of the corruption that was so entrenched in nearly every aspect of life in what has come to be known as the Rotten Age.
Progressive leader George Thompson
As a reaction to social injustice and corruption, progressive activists rose to the challenge to combat this. The Progressive Movement had its roots in the lower class of major cities like New York or Chicago, but soon spread like wildfire to the entire country. A major force in the Progressive Movement was George Thompson. Thompson had grown up in a poor family in rural Indiana and had worked various jobs as a teenager to be able to save enough money to study law at Princeton University. He began his political career by campaigning for Thomas Black in his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1880. Thompson joined the Progressive-Labor Party in 1880, and then switched over to the Democrats when the PLP collapsed shortly afterwards. Thompson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1884 as a Democratic Congressman from Indiana, but later split from the Democratic Party and was a leading member of the Progressive Movement, where Progressive members of both major parties split off and formed their own party. Thompson unsuccessfully ran as the Progressive Party’s presidential candidate in 1892, but was extremely successful as a third-party candidate, and showed the support that Progressivism had in America.
Women voters in the late Progressive Era
The Progressive Movement brought many reforms to American society, and especially to the economy. The Child Protection Act of 1902, passed during the administration of President Thomas Wilson near the tail end of the Progressive Era, was highly controversial at the time due to it preventing businessmen from gaining access to cheap labor and hurt families who depended on every member to contribute some amount of money, but was hailed by Progressive activists and today by society as a whole as an important step towards ending child labor. The Progressive Movement also brought women’s suffrage to the national stage, and eventually led to the passage of the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote throughout the nation.
The Chicago General Strikes
The Progressive Movement was not without its critics. Many businessmen and conservatives saw the Progressive Reforms as socialist, and un-American. They claimed that government regulation was “tying the hands of businesses” and would lead to collectivists taking control of America. Such fears seemed to be confirmed in the Chicago General Strikes in late 1893 and early 1894, which were led by a group of socialists and collectivists following the teachings of a German philosopher named Karl Marx. The so-called Marxists took control of many factories in Chicago, and declared the Chicago Commune in January, 1894. President Carlisle had Federal Police sent to retake the city. After a brief battle, the Chicago Commune was abolished, and the Marxists were arrested. Though Progressivism would return many times, often under different names, the fear of collectivism effectively prevented any true socialist movement from arising in the United States.
Despite the rapid economic growth, industrialization and the increasing influence the United States had on the world, income inequality was at an all-time high. Over half of the nation’s wealth was concentrated in 1% of its population, while workers worked long hours for low wages. The federal government, however, seemed unconcerned, and many politicians had ties to big businesses. Corruption and bribery were common, and many cities were controlled, directly or not, by party “bosses”, who ran the local political machines. New York City in particular was run as the personal fiefdom of “Boss” Nicholas Montagno, an Italian immigrant-turned-politician. “Boss” Montagno, a Democratic politician who ran the local party and dominated city politics, was also rumored to have close ties to the Mafia. During the period from 1880 until his arrest in 1893, Montagno directly or indirectly ruled New York City, with his associates controlling the mayor, City Council and even as high as the Governor at various times. New York was but just one example of the corruption that was so entrenched in nearly every aspect of life in what has come to be known as the Rotten Age.
Progressive leader George Thompson
As a reaction to social injustice and corruption, progressive activists rose to the challenge to combat this. The Progressive Movement had its roots in the lower class of major cities like New York or Chicago, but soon spread like wildfire to the entire country. A major force in the Progressive Movement was George Thompson. Thompson had grown up in a poor family in rural Indiana and had worked various jobs as a teenager to be able to save enough money to study law at Princeton University. He began his political career by campaigning for Thomas Black in his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1880. Thompson joined the Progressive-Labor Party in 1880, and then switched over to the Democrats when the PLP collapsed shortly afterwards. Thompson was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1884 as a Democratic Congressman from Indiana, but later split from the Democratic Party and was a leading member of the Progressive Movement, where Progressive members of both major parties split off and formed their own party. Thompson unsuccessfully ran as the Progressive Party’s presidential candidate in 1892, but was extremely successful as a third-party candidate, and showed the support that Progressivism had in America.
Women voters in the late Progressive Era
The Progressive Movement brought many reforms to American society, and especially to the economy. The Child Protection Act of 1902, passed during the administration of President Thomas Wilson near the tail end of the Progressive Era, was highly controversial at the time due to it preventing businessmen from gaining access to cheap labor and hurt families who depended on every member to contribute some amount of money, but was hailed by Progressive activists and today by society as a whole as an important step towards ending child labor. The Progressive Movement also brought women’s suffrage to the national stage, and eventually led to the passage of the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote throughout the nation.
The Chicago General Strikes
The Progressive Movement was not without its critics. Many businessmen and conservatives saw the Progressive Reforms as socialist, and un-American. They claimed that government regulation was “tying the hands of businesses” and would lead to collectivists taking control of America. Such fears seemed to be confirmed in the Chicago General Strikes in late 1893 and early 1894, which were led by a group of socialists and collectivists following the teachings of a German philosopher named Karl Marx. The so-called Marxists took control of many factories in Chicago, and declared the Chicago Commune in January, 1894. President Carlisle had Federal Police sent to retake the city. After a brief battle, the Chicago Commune was abolished, and the Marxists were arrested. Though Progressivism would return many times, often under different names, the fear of collectivism effectively prevented any true socialist movement from arising in the United States.
Will the Progressive Party last longer? Will it become a major party in the country?
This is going to be the first in a series of mini-updates that I will sporadically post. They will be in the form of excerpts from magazine articles from the present day ITTL, and will focus on the Presidents and other influential persons in the United States and its southern neighbor, with the possibility of occasionally throwing in people from other countries as well. Here's Lincoln.
Lincoln in his later years
In modern day America, Lincoln is seen either as a weak and ineffective leader who didn’t do enough to prevent the Confederacy from seceding, or a tyrant whose suppression of civil rights was what led the South to secede in the first place(not surprisingly, the latter view is much more common in what was formerly the Confederacy). While both views do have some merit, the former much more than the latter, the truth behind Lincoln is that he was a very complex man. After the death of three of his children and losing his reelection campaign, Lincoln retired to rural Illinois, near Springfield, with his wife. A post-war outbreak of cholera resulted in her death, and he fell into a deep depression. In 1867, a recovering Lincoln came to work for the American Colonization Society, and helped to relocate freed slaves to Liberia and later the Congo in Africa. Lincoln never returned to politics, and died in 1876.
Abraham Lincoln (Republican)-1861-1865:
In modern day America, Lincoln is seen either as a weak and ineffective leader who didn’t do enough to prevent the Confederacy from seceding, or a tyrant whose suppression of civil rights was what led the South to secede in the first place(not surprisingly, the latter view is much more common in what was formerly the Confederacy). While both views do have some merit, the former much more than the latter, the truth behind Lincoln is that he was a very complex man. After the death of three of his children and losing his reelection campaign, Lincoln retired to rural Illinois, near Springfield, with his wife. A post-war outbreak of cholera resulted in her death, and he fell into a deep depression. In 1867, a recovering Lincoln came to work for the American Colonization Society, and helped to relocate freed slaves to Liberia and later the Congo in Africa. Lincoln never returned to politics, and died in 1876.
-Linda L. Rudy, “The Presidents”, The Times of America, June 2010
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*sigh* In OTL, he is one of the greatest presidents in American history. I guess that doesn't apply in this timeline.
That's kind of unfortunate, TBH, but I do hope Lincoln will still be *somewhat* respected ITTL.
He's seen as a bit of a hero in Liberia, but in America itself, he's pretty much hated, unfortunately.
On the upside, "what was formerly the Confederacy". I never do get tired of those words 
The South sees Lincoln as a tyrant that takes away their civil rights? They do know that he never did or planned to do any of that, right? They really just threw a fit like spoiled kids and seceded out of paranoia because of Lincoln's personal stance on slavery, even though he made it clear that he's not going to be touching slavery. Got to find that scapegoat.
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I won't get there for a while, but you'll see what I mean.On the upside, "what was formerly the Confederacy". I never do get tired of those words
Like IOTL, those people are mostly neo-Confederates, though there are some who legitimately believe that Lincoln's suspension of habeus corpus, for example, was unnecessary.The South sees Lincoln as a tyrant that takes away their civil rights? They do know that he never did or planned to do any of that, right? They really just threw a fit like spoiled kids and seceded out of paranoia because of Lincoln's personal stance on slavery, even though he made it clear that he's not going to be touching slavery. Got to find that scapegoat.
Not really. The Democrats are bigger than the GOP for now, considering the Civil War and all, but the Republicans will be back. The Progressives will be the biggest third party(for now), but they'll still just be a third party.
Also thank you.
The Sandman
Banned
I'd think San Antonio would end up as the West Texan capital.
Also, on the borders front, I'd have expected that Virginia between the Potomac and Rappahannock, far-western (aka Appalachian) North Carolina and northern/northwestern Arkansas would have ended up staying in the Union as well.
Also, on the borders front, I'd have expected that Virginia between the Potomac and Rappahannock, far-western (aka Appalachian) North Carolina and northern/northwestern Arkansas would have ended up staying in the Union as well.
President Seymour
Thomas Seymour (Democrat)-1865-1869:
A war hero from the Mexican-American War and a Peace Democrat, Seymour successfully defeated General George McClellan for the Democratic nomination in 1860 and later defeated unpopular incumbent Abraham Lincoln. He successfully negotiated an end to the war, resulting in the independence of the Confederacy, but also managed to keep the states of West Texas, West Virginia, Tennessee(and the new state of East Tennessee), Kentucky and Missouri in the Union, as well as Arizona and Indian territories. Though he is not as associated with the loss as his predecessor, those that do remember President Seymour still believe that he deserves some of the blame. Indeed, even back in 1868 this was the case. Unable to get nearly any of his proposals passed and being blamed for the loss of the South almost as much as Lincoln, Seymour lost reelection and returned to Connecticut. He attempted to return to politics later, and unsuccessfully ran for US Representative from Connecticut in 1870. He died in 1873.
-Linda L. Rudy and Chris Randolph, “The Presidents”, The Times of America, July 2010