thanks the last post was shorter & less detailed than i had wanted it to be but my uncle had to run to town & get a load of feed & needed me to run the store
America: My Third TL
- Thread starter herricks
- Start date
thanks the last post was shorter & less detailed than i had wanted it to be but my uncle had to run to town & get a load of feed & needed me to run the store
i'll let ya know in the next post. I didn't have time to put all of that in this one before i had to leave.
Cherbourg
Signed on March 16,1808 the Treaty of Cherbourg ended what was being called the 2nd French & Indian War between the United States, France, & Spain however, the treaty did leave out one important detail, & that detail was Britain. When the news of the US’s exit from the war reached London Parliament would be in an uproar declaring the US untrustworthy & a coward for the withdrawal from the war. With the Treaty of Cherbourg all of the progress that had been made between the US & Britain had suddenly came crashing down & the two nations would remain hostile to one another for years to come.
Upon the terms of the treaty France was forced to cede the territory of Louisiana to the US & recognize the independence of Haiti, which was now under US protection & who’s hope it was that they could send freed slaves to the tiny nation. For Spain it would be forced to cede East & West Florida as well as Santo Domingo to the US ending all Spanish presence east of the Mississippi.
The 2nd French & Indian War secured the United States status as a regional power in the Americas & more than doubled the size of its territory. Despite the low support for the war itself by the general public, the returning soldiers would receive a hero’s welcome with some, such as Benjamin Martin, Matthew Perry, & Andrew Jackson standing out among the rest. As peace finally came to the United States the nation would enter its first truly time of peace that it hah had since the end of the Revolutionary War. However the question now was how long would it last?
Wikibox of 2nd French & Indian War
Signed on March 16,1808 the Treaty of Cherbourg ended what was being called the 2nd French & Indian War between the United States, France, & Spain however, the treaty did leave out one important detail, & that detail was Britain. When the news of the US’s exit from the war reached London Parliament would be in an uproar declaring the US untrustworthy & a coward for the withdrawal from the war. With the Treaty of Cherbourg all of the progress that had been made between the US & Britain had suddenly came crashing down & the two nations would remain hostile to one another for years to come.
Upon the terms of the treaty France was forced to cede the territory of Louisiana to the US & recognize the independence of Haiti, which was now under US protection & who’s hope it was that they could send freed slaves to the tiny nation. For Spain it would be forced to cede East & West Florida as well as Santo Domingo to the US ending all Spanish presence east of the Mississippi.
The 2nd French & Indian War secured the United States status as a regional power in the Americas & more than doubled the size of its territory. Despite the low support for the war itself by the general public, the returning soldiers would receive a hero’s welcome with some, such as Benjamin Martin, Matthew Perry, & Andrew Jackson standing out among the rest. As peace finally came to the United States the nation would enter its first truly time of peace that it hah had since the end of the Revolutionary War. However the question now was how long would it last?
Wikibox of 2nd French & Indian War
It seems unlikely to me that with Cherbourg being under blockade, and black market communication from shore to the blockading ships being fairly common, it won't be known to the British that negotiations of some sort are going on.
Presumably the British will just grind their teeth and carry on in the Carribbean. OTL they took Martinique and Guadeloupe by 1809. Since
you have butterflied away France's Peninsular campaign, will Britain take Cuba again as well?
Certainly they will encourage the revolt of Spain's American Colonies. Speaking of the penisular campaign, without it Austria will presumably not launch the 1809 campaign as France doesn't look distracted.
How are things going to play out in Europe? Absent Spain and Austria, which leads to no Russian invasion either, or at least the OTL one, France is awfully strong. Pretty hard for Britain to get at her other than taking away everything overseas. Could be a peace of exhaustion that recognizes most of France's continental gains, and Britain keeps all the colonies. I think you just butterflied away the rise of Prussian Germany.
i'm going to say some things about Europe in the next post i think your off just a bit on the guessing
Backstabbing, Insurrection, & Revolution
The Anglo-American Alliance wouldn’t be the only one in shambles following the 2nd French & Indian War’s conclusion, the 12 year old Franco-Spanish Alliance had also been severely strained by the total defeat in the America’s at the hands of a “fledgling” nation. To make matters worse for Spain, its defeat & the high loss of mostly colonials life caused severe tensions between Spain & its American colonies which began to spark nationalists movements. For the remainder of 1808 Spain would try & resolve the problems arising however, on December 14,1808 it would be struck with a blow that it never saw coming, the attack on Spain by Napoleon.
Thousands of French troops had been in Spain since late 1807 assisting in the war against Portugal which had started due to Portugal’s refusal to join the Continental System. However with the increasing problems Spain was beginning to face, once in Spain the French Army would stay. Problems would continue to increase throughout 1808 & Napoleon, eager to completely secure his dominance over Europe would take advantage of the situation, ordered his armies to seize Spanish fortresses while Spain’s king Charles IV & his heir Ferdinand were in Paris.
Following Napoleon placing his elder brother Joseph on the Spanish throne overthrowing Charles on January 20,1809 unrest turned to insurrection & the Spanish Army, which Napoleon thought would remain either neutral or join him, would resist. This would be the beginning of the Peninsular War that would, unlike many of the recent wars against France, drag on for years siphoning off men out of France & causing tens of thousands of casualties.
Out of desperation more than anything else Spain entered an at times uneasy alliance with its old enemy Britain who, over the course of the war, sent thousands of troops to battle France & putting large numbers British troops on the ground against Napoleon in Europe since the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars. The Peninsular War broke the final straw holding Spanish America to its motherland & between 1809 & 1813 rebellions began in the American Viceroyalties putting most of the Americas back in war for more than a decade. In March 1809 in Europe a Fifth Coalition behind Austria would also rise up against Napoleon bringing all of Europe back into war. However after nearly 8 months of bloody fighting across much of Central Europe & hundreds of thousands of casualties the Fifth Coalition was defeated & outside Iberia the major European powers would not rise against France for nearly 4 more years.
World as of 1809
The Anglo-American Alliance wouldn’t be the only one in shambles following the 2nd French & Indian War’s conclusion, the 12 year old Franco-Spanish Alliance had also been severely strained by the total defeat in the America’s at the hands of a “fledgling” nation. To make matters worse for Spain, its defeat & the high loss of mostly colonials life caused severe tensions between Spain & its American colonies which began to spark nationalists movements. For the remainder of 1808 Spain would try & resolve the problems arising however, on December 14,1808 it would be struck with a blow that it never saw coming, the attack on Spain by Napoleon.
Thousands of French troops had been in Spain since late 1807 assisting in the war against Portugal which had started due to Portugal’s refusal to join the Continental System. However with the increasing problems Spain was beginning to face, once in Spain the French Army would stay. Problems would continue to increase throughout 1808 & Napoleon, eager to completely secure his dominance over Europe would take advantage of the situation, ordered his armies to seize Spanish fortresses while Spain’s king Charles IV & his heir Ferdinand were in Paris.
Following Napoleon placing his elder brother Joseph on the Spanish throne overthrowing Charles on January 20,1809 unrest turned to insurrection & the Spanish Army, which Napoleon thought would remain either neutral or join him, would resist. This would be the beginning of the Peninsular War that would, unlike many of the recent wars against France, drag on for years siphoning off men out of France & causing tens of thousands of casualties.
Out of desperation more than anything else Spain entered an at times uneasy alliance with its old enemy Britain who, over the course of the war, sent thousands of troops to battle France & putting large numbers British troops on the ground against Napoleon in Europe since the beginning of the Napoleonic Wars. The Peninsular War broke the final straw holding Spanish America to its motherland & between 1809 & 1813 rebellions began in the American Viceroyalties putting most of the Americas back in war for more than a decade. In March 1809 in Europe a Fifth Coalition behind Austria would also rise up against Napoleon bringing all of Europe back into war. However after nearly 8 months of bloody fighting across much of Central Europe & hundreds of thousands of casualties the Fifth Coalition was defeated & outside Iberia the major European powers would not rise against France for nearly 4 more years.
World as of 1809
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The Expeditions
Once again at peace, President Madison began steps in speeding up the settling of Americas new territory. In the south the newly acquired territory of West Florida & much of East Florida’s panhandle was attached to the Mississippi Territory & the remainder of Florida becoming the Florida Territory however, that wouldn’t be all. Following the defeat of the hostile Indian tribes in the Indiana & Mississippi Territories settlement in these areas began to pick up. This resulted in the Mississippi Territory being split & its western half becoming the 18th state in the Union on January 1,1809 & the eastern portion renamed the Alabama Territory. In the Indiana Territory the southeastern third of the territory would be admitted a year later as the 19th state, Indiana while the remainder would form the Illinois Territory. Across the Mississippi into Louisiana the Louisiana Territory was created in February 1809 out of the territory south of the Arkansas River while the remainder remained unorganized until 1814 when it became the Missouri Territory.
As for the newly acquired territory west of the Mississippi which had nearly doubled the size of the United States, two separate expeditions were given funding by Washington. One led by Colonel William Clark was sent up the Missouri River in May 1808 from St. Louis with the intent of reaching the Pacific Ocean. The Clark Expedition would last over two years as it mapped & explored the northern portion of Louisiana & established an American claim to the Pacific Northwest. The second, led by Colonel Zebulon Pike, set out on March 1809 traveling the Red River & exploring the southern portion of Louisiana. The Pike Expedition mapped & explored much of the southern Great Plains & areas of the Rocky Mountains including the discovery of a mountain that they named Pikes Peak. Upon returning from their Expeditions both Clark & Pike were hugely popular throughout the nation & their documented accounts would go on to be published in several languages & read across the globe.
The acquisition of Santo Domingo had largely been a surprise when the news of the peace treaty reached Washington. When the diplomats had set out it was instructed that the colony, which had been under Spanish rule for over 300 years, could be used as a bargaining chip to gain reparations from Spain. However upon hearing of Pinckney’s demand for $15,000,000 Spain, mainly because of being unable to acquire enough money, rejected the demand & the American diplomat James Monroe had Spain cede the territory to the US as well. So now the US had ownership of a territory full of a Spanish speaking majority that was largely unfriendly towards the US. To help integrate the territory into the US President Madison supported American immigration & businesses to the island & supported integrating the locals as well by teaching them English & such. On May 10,1809 while the territory’s capitals name would remain Santo Domingo the territory itself would be renamed the Dominica Territory. However, many of these moves would only keep the local populace unruly & unrest would grip the territory for more than a decade.
Once again at peace, President Madison began steps in speeding up the settling of Americas new territory. In the south the newly acquired territory of West Florida & much of East Florida’s panhandle was attached to the Mississippi Territory & the remainder of Florida becoming the Florida Territory however, that wouldn’t be all. Following the defeat of the hostile Indian tribes in the Indiana & Mississippi Territories settlement in these areas began to pick up. This resulted in the Mississippi Territory being split & its western half becoming the 18th state in the Union on January 1,1809 & the eastern portion renamed the Alabama Territory. In the Indiana Territory the southeastern third of the territory would be admitted a year later as the 19th state, Indiana while the remainder would form the Illinois Territory. Across the Mississippi into Louisiana the Louisiana Territory was created in February 1809 out of the territory south of the Arkansas River while the remainder remained unorganized until 1814 when it became the Missouri Territory.
As for the newly acquired territory west of the Mississippi which had nearly doubled the size of the United States, two separate expeditions were given funding by Washington. One led by Colonel William Clark was sent up the Missouri River in May 1808 from St. Louis with the intent of reaching the Pacific Ocean. The Clark Expedition would last over two years as it mapped & explored the northern portion of Louisiana & established an American claim to the Pacific Northwest. The second, led by Colonel Zebulon Pike, set out on March 1809 traveling the Red River & exploring the southern portion of Louisiana. The Pike Expedition mapped & explored much of the southern Great Plains & areas of the Rocky Mountains including the discovery of a mountain that they named Pikes Peak. Upon returning from their Expeditions both Clark & Pike were hugely popular throughout the nation & their documented accounts would go on to be published in several languages & read across the globe.
The acquisition of Santo Domingo had largely been a surprise when the news of the peace treaty reached Washington. When the diplomats had set out it was instructed that the colony, which had been under Spanish rule for over 300 years, could be used as a bargaining chip to gain reparations from Spain. However upon hearing of Pinckney’s demand for $15,000,000 Spain, mainly because of being unable to acquire enough money, rejected the demand & the American diplomat James Monroe had Spain cede the territory to the US as well. So now the US had ownership of a territory full of a Spanish speaking majority that was largely unfriendly towards the US. To help integrate the territory into the US President Madison supported American immigration & businesses to the island & supported integrating the locals as well by teaching them English & such. On May 10,1809 while the territory’s capitals name would remain Santo Domingo the territory itself would be renamed the Dominica Territory. However, many of these moves would only keep the local populace unruly & unrest would grip the territory for more than a decade.
Latin Rising
Though the general US populace had always been weary of a large standing military, following the countries experiences it was decided by President Madison authorize the funding to keep the Army at a level of 15,000 & in the Navy keep all current frigates in service, many of the brigs, sloops, & schooners, & funding the construction of 3 80 gun third rate ship of the lines which were completed over the next 5 years. As settlers immigrated in to the vast new territory many of these troops kept around would come in handy as defense against the Indians, whose territory many settlers began to settle on. As a result many forts & settlements began to sprout up throughout the unorganized territory as the US expanded westward. By 1812 garrisons & even some small settlements reached as far as the end of the Arkansas & Platte Rivers.
While in the West America was expanding, back East an election was occurring. Though his first 4 years as president had seen the nation at peace & steadily expanding into their new territories, as the election of 1812 neared it seemed that Madison could very well lose the presidency & have it fall back into Federalists hands. However Madison would remain in the White House as in the election he would narrowly defeat Federalists Jared Ingersoll.
The high points of Madison’s second term would revolve around “settling” many boundary disputes that the US had with its neighbors, & the rising tide of revolutions occurring in the American colonies. Though the Treaty of Cherbourg had made peace between the US & Spain, along the Louisiana-Texas border disputes still remained. While feelings between the US & Spain were still tense at best with much of its American colonies in revolt & Spain itself engulfed in the bloody Peninsular War the country needed to gain some form of money. With this in mind in June 1813 American & Spanish representatives met in Washington where they would sign the Treaty of Washington on June 27,1813. In the terms of this treaty Spain agreed to recognizing America’s claims to the Spanish areas of the Pacific northwest, the Sabine River as the border with Louisiana, & the Red River as is boundary with the unorganized territory in exchange for $2,500,000 & the cancellation of Spain’s debts. Adding more territory to the US this treaty would give a lasting peace, Madison hoped, between the US & Spanish America.
Despite the governments attempts at mending relations with Spain, many private businesses within the country saw the Spanish American revolutions as a prime area for profit while still others, many that had been too young for the 2nd French & Indian War saw the wars as an opportunity for adventure. Of all the men that traveled to Latin America, mostly to New Spain, many would be boys no older than 18. Despite the young age several would do well in the wars including one New Yorker Jason Anthony, who in 1816 at just 20 years old was given the rank of general in the Mexican Army. While foreign volunteers only made up a fraction of the soldiers that fought in these wars they all would have their place in history as victors as by 1820 all North & South American mainland territory belonging to Spain had gained its independence.
Though the general US populace had always been weary of a large standing military, following the countries experiences it was decided by President Madison authorize the funding to keep the Army at a level of 15,000 & in the Navy keep all current frigates in service, many of the brigs, sloops, & schooners, & funding the construction of 3 80 gun third rate ship of the lines which were completed over the next 5 years. As settlers immigrated in to the vast new territory many of these troops kept around would come in handy as defense against the Indians, whose territory many settlers began to settle on. As a result many forts & settlements began to sprout up throughout the unorganized territory as the US expanded westward. By 1812 garrisons & even some small settlements reached as far as the end of the Arkansas & Platte Rivers.
While in the West America was expanding, back East an election was occurring. Though his first 4 years as president had seen the nation at peace & steadily expanding into their new territories, as the election of 1812 neared it seemed that Madison could very well lose the presidency & have it fall back into Federalists hands. However Madison would remain in the White House as in the election he would narrowly defeat Federalists Jared Ingersoll.
The high points of Madison’s second term would revolve around “settling” many boundary disputes that the US had with its neighbors, & the rising tide of revolutions occurring in the American colonies. Though the Treaty of Cherbourg had made peace between the US & Spain, along the Louisiana-Texas border disputes still remained. While feelings between the US & Spain were still tense at best with much of its American colonies in revolt & Spain itself engulfed in the bloody Peninsular War the country needed to gain some form of money. With this in mind in June 1813 American & Spanish representatives met in Washington where they would sign the Treaty of Washington on June 27,1813. In the terms of this treaty Spain agreed to recognizing America’s claims to the Spanish areas of the Pacific northwest, the Sabine River as the border with Louisiana, & the Red River as is boundary with the unorganized territory in exchange for $2,500,000 & the cancellation of Spain’s debts. Adding more territory to the US this treaty would give a lasting peace, Madison hoped, between the US & Spanish America.
Despite the governments attempts at mending relations with Spain, many private businesses within the country saw the Spanish American revolutions as a prime area for profit while still others, many that had been too young for the 2nd French & Indian War saw the wars as an opportunity for adventure. Of all the men that traveled to Latin America, mostly to New Spain, many would be boys no older than 18. Despite the young age several would do well in the wars including one New Yorker Jason Anthony, who in 1816 at just 20 years old was given the rank of general in the Mexican Army. While foreign volunteers only made up a fraction of the soldiers that fought in these wars they all would have their place in history as victors as by 1820 all North & South American mainland territory belonging to Spain had gained its independence.
Arming Revolutionaries
The final few years of Madison’s presidency went by fairly uneventful. The creation of the Missouri Territory & Wisconsin Territory in 1814 & 1816 & the admission of the states of Louisiana & Illinois in August 1816 as the nations 20th & 21st states were the only major events to occur in his final years before ending his term. As it ended the country saw another Democrat-Republican elected into office as the country’s 5th president, Madison’s former Secretary of War William Eustis.
Eustis, like many Americans was against European colonialism especially in the Americas. With these feelings upon entering office in March 1817 would change the US’s stance on the revolutions going on in Spanish America. American representatives were soon sent to meet with revolutionary leaders in New Granada & Mexico where deals would be struck to allow weapons & material, much of it surplus from the 2nd French & Indian War, to be sent to these nations further helping them rid their countries of Spanish colonial rule. From 1817-1820 tons of material was sent by land & sea to the rebels greatly helping these nations achieve independence in 1820, Gran Colombia, & 1821 Mexico.
The final few years of Madison’s presidency went by fairly uneventful. The creation of the Missouri Territory & Wisconsin Territory in 1814 & 1816 & the admission of the states of Louisiana & Illinois in August 1816 as the nations 20th & 21st states were the only major events to occur in his final years before ending his term. As it ended the country saw another Democrat-Republican elected into office as the country’s 5th president, Madison’s former Secretary of War William Eustis.
Eustis, like many Americans was against European colonialism especially in the Americas. With these feelings upon entering office in March 1817 would change the US’s stance on the revolutions going on in Spanish America. American representatives were soon sent to meet with revolutionary leaders in New Granada & Mexico where deals would be struck to allow weapons & material, much of it surplus from the 2nd French & Indian War, to be sent to these nations further helping them rid their countries of Spanish colonial rule. From 1817-1820 tons of material was sent by land & sea to the rebels greatly helping these nations achieve independence in 1820, Gran Colombia, & 1821 Mexico.
The Last Days
By 1813 what had originally thought of as an easy conquering of Spain had turned into a bloody insurrection that had begun to slowly but steadily drive the French back. However despite these growing problems to their south Napoleon, had his eyes set on the east where the always troublesome Russia was defying his Continental System. On May 2,1813 Napoleon, with an army of nearly 700,000 French, Polish, Italian, German, Prussian, & Austrian troops, invaded Russia marching towards Moscow & hoping to decisively defeat Russia & compel its Emperor Alexander I to remain in the Continental System. However as Napoleon pushed deeper & deeper into Russia attempting to force the Russian army into battle, all he got was minor battles & skirmishes as the Russians continued to stretch out & weaken Napoleons supply lines. Russia also used scorched earth tactics burning & destroying everything they passed which began to slowly demoralize & starve out the French. While Napoleon would get his major battles defeating his opponents on three separate occasions, by the time he reached Moscow in late September Napoleon found the city abandoned & with hardly any supplies.
Unable to support his army & with Alexander I refusing to capitulate, Napoleon began to withdraw from Russia in October. Along the way Napoleons Grande Armee lost over half of his remaining forces due to desertion, starvation, freezing, & constant harassment by Russian forces. Finally on December 20 he would cross the Neman River reentering Poland. Once in Poland Napoleon immediately returned to Paris to prepare for Poland’s defense against the oncoming Russians. However following this disastrous invasion the nations of Europe, seeing the weakness of France, on January 17,1814 formed a Sixth Coalition of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Britain, Sardinia, Sicily, Sweden, & after their April defection back to the allies Prussia & Austria.
Napoleon soon found himself outnumbered 2-1 up against nearly a million Coalition troops that overwhelmed his forces & drove him & his allies back on all fronts. By the Fall 1814 Coalition forces had driven his forces out of Denmark, Eastern Europe, & nearly all of Spain & Napoleon was desperately trying to hold them off along the Pyrenees & in the Rhine Confederation. However October 1814 would see the defeat of the French forces in Spain at the Battle of the Pyrenees on the 3rd & on the 21st the largest European battle up to that time at the Battle of Nations a few miles from Frankfurt.
The Battle of Nations saw France, & its German & Polish Allies numbering nearly 250,000 against Prussia, Russia, Austria, Sweden, & their German allies numbering just over 400,000 battle each other for 5 days causing over 150,000 casualties before Napoleon was forced to retreat, leaving all territory east of the Rhine in Coalition hands. The war soon came to France as Coalition forces moving out of Iberia, Germany, & the Low Countries pushed for Paris. France would hold the Coalition at bay for another 6 months before on May 9,1815 Napoleon abdicated the throne & France surrendered.
In August the Congress of Berlin began between the victorious powers as the set about redrawing the map & stripping France of much of its revolutionary territories. While the Congress of Berlin was still ongoing however Napoleon, exiled to Elba since Frances surrender, would return to France in late January 1816 & upon his reentering of Paris quickly began raising a new army. On February 1 the Congress declared Napoleon an outlaw & most nations of Europe quickly began mobilizing to defeat him. In the following War of the Seventh Coalition or Eight Week War the two sides fought fiercely across France & the Low Countries before on March 29,1816 an 85,000 strong Prussian led Anglo-German Army inflicted Napoleon with his final defeat in the climactic Battle of Hautmont. The decisive defeat at Hautmont saw Napoleons second abdication on April 5 & his exile to the British island of Bermuda where he would live until his death in 1833 of natural causes.
World of 1817
By 1813 what had originally thought of as an easy conquering of Spain had turned into a bloody insurrection that had begun to slowly but steadily drive the French back. However despite these growing problems to their south Napoleon, had his eyes set on the east where the always troublesome Russia was defying his Continental System. On May 2,1813 Napoleon, with an army of nearly 700,000 French, Polish, Italian, German, Prussian, & Austrian troops, invaded Russia marching towards Moscow & hoping to decisively defeat Russia & compel its Emperor Alexander I to remain in the Continental System. However as Napoleon pushed deeper & deeper into Russia attempting to force the Russian army into battle, all he got was minor battles & skirmishes as the Russians continued to stretch out & weaken Napoleons supply lines. Russia also used scorched earth tactics burning & destroying everything they passed which began to slowly demoralize & starve out the French. While Napoleon would get his major battles defeating his opponents on three separate occasions, by the time he reached Moscow in late September Napoleon found the city abandoned & with hardly any supplies.
Unable to support his army & with Alexander I refusing to capitulate, Napoleon began to withdraw from Russia in October. Along the way Napoleons Grande Armee lost over half of his remaining forces due to desertion, starvation, freezing, & constant harassment by Russian forces. Finally on December 20 he would cross the Neman River reentering Poland. Once in Poland Napoleon immediately returned to Paris to prepare for Poland’s defense against the oncoming Russians. However following this disastrous invasion the nations of Europe, seeing the weakness of France, on January 17,1814 formed a Sixth Coalition of Russia, Spain, Portugal, Britain, Sardinia, Sicily, Sweden, & after their April defection back to the allies Prussia & Austria.
Napoleon soon found himself outnumbered 2-1 up against nearly a million Coalition troops that overwhelmed his forces & drove him & his allies back on all fronts. By the Fall 1814 Coalition forces had driven his forces out of Denmark, Eastern Europe, & nearly all of Spain & Napoleon was desperately trying to hold them off along the Pyrenees & in the Rhine Confederation. However October 1814 would see the defeat of the French forces in Spain at the Battle of the Pyrenees on the 3rd & on the 21st the largest European battle up to that time at the Battle of Nations a few miles from Frankfurt.
The Battle of Nations saw France, & its German & Polish Allies numbering nearly 250,000 against Prussia, Russia, Austria, Sweden, & their German allies numbering just over 400,000 battle each other for 5 days causing over 150,000 casualties before Napoleon was forced to retreat, leaving all territory east of the Rhine in Coalition hands. The war soon came to France as Coalition forces moving out of Iberia, Germany, & the Low Countries pushed for Paris. France would hold the Coalition at bay for another 6 months before on May 9,1815 Napoleon abdicated the throne & France surrendered.
In August the Congress of Berlin began between the victorious powers as the set about redrawing the map & stripping France of much of its revolutionary territories. While the Congress of Berlin was still ongoing however Napoleon, exiled to Elba since Frances surrender, would return to France in late January 1816 & upon his reentering of Paris quickly began raising a new army. On February 1 the Congress declared Napoleon an outlaw & most nations of Europe quickly began mobilizing to defeat him. In the following War of the Seventh Coalition or Eight Week War the two sides fought fiercely across France & the Low Countries before on March 29,1816 an 85,000 strong Prussian led Anglo-German Army inflicted Napoleon with his final defeat in the climactic Battle of Hautmont. The decisive defeat at Hautmont saw Napoleons second abdication on April 5 & his exile to the British island of Bermuda where he would live until his death in 1833 of natural causes.
World of 1817
Destiny
As the Napoleonic Wars ended in Europe America was continuing its expansion west as under the belief of “Manifest Destiny”. These Americans believed that their nation was destined to span the continent & strongly advocated this expansion & the spreading of American virtues & interest as well. The number of Americans with these beliefs grew steadily & by 1820 a slow but steady stream of settlers were moving west. As expansion occurred west of the Mississippi, to the east of it new stars would make the nations flag as in September 1820, following a referendum to split with Massachusetts, Maine was admitted as the nations 22nd state. Alabama soon following being admitted as the 23rd in November.
Although much of Eustis’s presidency was focused on Americas westward expansion, his biggest achievement as president didn’t come from the west but instead from New York where the construction of a canal from the Hudson River to Lake Erie began. Originally proposed in 1807 problems with budget, mainly due to the war, forced any plans to be held off on. 10 years later in July 1817 President Eustis approved the funding of the project that would help link the eastern seaboard with the American interior began. The project would take 8 years & hundreds of workers to complete but, upon its completion in 1825 the Erie Canal became a great economic benefit to the US, greatly dropping shipping costs & allowing easy access of manufactured goods into the American interior.
Despite these achievements however this would not keep Eustis in office. In November 1820 President Eustis would lose the election to the Federalist Party candidate, victor of New Orleans General Herman Wilcox of Virginia. As a Federalists Wilcox hoped to try & mend the damaged relations that had occurred over the past decade with Britain. One of the first ways to do this came in March 1822 when Wilcox & the British Ambassador to the US Stratford Canning signed the Treaty of 1822, which finally resolved the border dispute between Canada & Maine. The completion of the treaty would boost Wilcox’s popularity in the nation, especially in New England however, his next move would be one of the most controversial yet.
As the Napoleonic Wars ended in Europe America was continuing its expansion west as under the belief of “Manifest Destiny”. These Americans believed that their nation was destined to span the continent & strongly advocated this expansion & the spreading of American virtues & interest as well. The number of Americans with these beliefs grew steadily & by 1820 a slow but steady stream of settlers were moving west. As expansion occurred west of the Mississippi, to the east of it new stars would make the nations flag as in September 1820, following a referendum to split with Massachusetts, Maine was admitted as the nations 22nd state. Alabama soon following being admitted as the 23rd in November.
Although much of Eustis’s presidency was focused on Americas westward expansion, his biggest achievement as president didn’t come from the west but instead from New York where the construction of a canal from the Hudson River to Lake Erie began. Originally proposed in 1807 problems with budget, mainly due to the war, forced any plans to be held off on. 10 years later in July 1817 President Eustis approved the funding of the project that would help link the eastern seaboard with the American interior began. The project would take 8 years & hundreds of workers to complete but, upon its completion in 1825 the Erie Canal became a great economic benefit to the US, greatly dropping shipping costs & allowing easy access of manufactured goods into the American interior.
Despite these achievements however this would not keep Eustis in office. In November 1820 President Eustis would lose the election to the Federalist Party candidate, victor of New Orleans General Herman Wilcox of Virginia. As a Federalists Wilcox hoped to try & mend the damaged relations that had occurred over the past decade with Britain. One of the first ways to do this came in March 1822 when Wilcox & the British Ambassador to the US Stratford Canning signed the Treaty of 1822, which finally resolved the border dispute between Canada & Maine. The completion of the treaty would boost Wilcox’s popularity in the nation, especially in New England however, his next move would be one of the most controversial yet.
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Mississippi Act
President Wilcox was born April 1,1770 to a wealthy slaveholding Virginian plantation family. The oldest of seven children & only boy Wilcox was poised to inherit his father Jonathan Wilcox’s estate however, at 20 Wilcox would leave his home & join the army soon becoming an officer being stationed at various areas throughout the country. During his travels at age 22 Wilcox began courting the young 17 year old daughter of a successful Bostonian merchant owner & strong abolitionist family Katherine Pierce & after a year the two were eventually married. Though neither money nor any of the usual marriage problems plagued the young Wilcox’s Katherine’s views on slavery severely conflicted with them of her new family whom had grown their wealth & power on the backs of hundreds of slaves. While like his family Wilcox’s views on the position of slavery often differed from his wife’s, he loved his wife dearly & over the next 30 years their family grew as they had 6 children together.
During their marriage & travels Katherine’s views began to gradually open his eyes to the true evilness of slavery & following his fathers death in 1810 & his inheritance of his estate, Wilcox would free the over 200 slaves that were in his family’s possession. Many of whom remained on the plantation continuing to work for Wilcox however now as freedmen. While this move caused controversy with many other wealthy Virginian families, further north, Wilcox’s “ conversion” to abolitionist greatly increased his popularity allowing him to secure the presidency in 1821.
Having made initial moves to mend Anglo-American relations in the first year of his term in 1823 Wilcox turned his attention to slavery & the frontier. Wilcox feared that as the nation expanded slavery would also expand further strengthening its cause so much that he believed it would eventually cause strife between the slaveholding & free states that could result in a fracturing of the young nation. With this thought in mind Wilcox spent much of the next year attempting to gain support for his plan to ebb slavery’s expansion until, after he had hopefully gained enough support behind him in October 1823 Wilcox brought his proposal before Congress. This proposal was to pass a bill that with the exception of Louisiana, which had already achieved statehood, would outlaw slavery in all future American territories/states west of the Mississippi River.
This proposal caused strife among the nations government as the debate on whether or not to pass such a bill occurred. Though the loudest voices of opposition came from those of slaveholding states, another significant group also brought up the issue of the Missouri Territory which was due to be admitted into the Union the following year & a longtime slaveholding territory. The debate would go on for days as arguments went back & forth over the deal before finally on November 1 an agreement would be made. After fierce debate over whether or not to pass the bill at nearly 2300 a vote was casted &, by on 4% the Mississippi Act of 1823 would pass.
The passing of the Mississippi Act put into effect that on January 1,1824 slavery in all current & future territories/states west of the Mississippi River, Louisiana excluded, would be outlawed. In regards to Missouri the bill also stated that upon its admission into the union, set also for January 1, the new state would undergo a 10 year period where its slaveholding citizens could either move out of the state or be fully compensated by the state & federal government for the slaves freedom. While some would immigrate to Louisiana & other slaveholding states, over the next decade this act resulted in the freeing of over 20,000 slaves from Missouri territory.
President Wilcox was born April 1,1770 to a wealthy slaveholding Virginian plantation family. The oldest of seven children & only boy Wilcox was poised to inherit his father Jonathan Wilcox’s estate however, at 20 Wilcox would leave his home & join the army soon becoming an officer being stationed at various areas throughout the country. During his travels at age 22 Wilcox began courting the young 17 year old daughter of a successful Bostonian merchant owner & strong abolitionist family Katherine Pierce & after a year the two were eventually married. Though neither money nor any of the usual marriage problems plagued the young Wilcox’s Katherine’s views on slavery severely conflicted with them of her new family whom had grown their wealth & power on the backs of hundreds of slaves. While like his family Wilcox’s views on the position of slavery often differed from his wife’s, he loved his wife dearly & over the next 30 years their family grew as they had 6 children together.
During their marriage & travels Katherine’s views began to gradually open his eyes to the true evilness of slavery & following his fathers death in 1810 & his inheritance of his estate, Wilcox would free the over 200 slaves that were in his family’s possession. Many of whom remained on the plantation continuing to work for Wilcox however now as freedmen. While this move caused controversy with many other wealthy Virginian families, further north, Wilcox’s “ conversion” to abolitionist greatly increased his popularity allowing him to secure the presidency in 1821.
Having made initial moves to mend Anglo-American relations in the first year of his term in 1823 Wilcox turned his attention to slavery & the frontier. Wilcox feared that as the nation expanded slavery would also expand further strengthening its cause so much that he believed it would eventually cause strife between the slaveholding & free states that could result in a fracturing of the young nation. With this thought in mind Wilcox spent much of the next year attempting to gain support for his plan to ebb slavery’s expansion until, after he had hopefully gained enough support behind him in October 1823 Wilcox brought his proposal before Congress. This proposal was to pass a bill that with the exception of Louisiana, which had already achieved statehood, would outlaw slavery in all future American territories/states west of the Mississippi River.
This proposal caused strife among the nations government as the debate on whether or not to pass such a bill occurred. Though the loudest voices of opposition came from those of slaveholding states, another significant group also brought up the issue of the Missouri Territory which was due to be admitted into the Union the following year & a longtime slaveholding territory. The debate would go on for days as arguments went back & forth over the deal before finally on November 1 an agreement would be made. After fierce debate over whether or not to pass the bill at nearly 2300 a vote was casted &, by on 4% the Mississippi Act of 1823 would pass.
The passing of the Mississippi Act put into effect that on January 1,1824 slavery in all current & future territories/states west of the Mississippi River, Louisiana excluded, would be outlawed. In regards to Missouri the bill also stated that upon its admission into the union, set also for January 1, the new state would undergo a 10 year period where its slaveholding citizens could either move out of the state or be fully compensated by the state & federal government for the slaves freedom. While some would immigrate to Louisiana & other slaveholding states, over the next decade this act resulted in the freeing of over 20,000 slaves from Missouri territory.
thats what i was kinda hoping for in making him a southerner & former slave owner