I've been doing allot of reading on populist and progressive eras of American history. And like many books on this period they all bring up Theodore Roosevelt in one way or another. I have been itching to start writing again and I really want to start fresh with a turn of the century timeline. I have two potential timeline ideas I want to run by you.
Idea One: There is no Spanish-American War (most likely PoD avoid the explosion on the USS Maine). Some immediate impacts of this would be that TR is not thrust onto the national scene. At this time he was well known in Washington DC and within the Republican Party but not as much by the wider public. This means that there is less incentive to put him on the Republican ticket in 1900. Avoiding the Spanish-American War would also keep Speaker Thomas Reed from resigning. Does this keep him in politics (and good health) enough for him to get another crack at the Republican Party nomination in 1904? With the US avoiding this war than the country and many politicians remain more war hungry when a potential war breaks out in Europe. This also leads to the question of Spanish possessions in the Caribbean and Pacific. How long does Spain hold onto Cuba and the Philippines? Can they hold on to Puerto Rico?
Idea Two (Working title "Killing a Bull Moose"): TR is killed at his speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 14th, 1912. I know the idea of Teddy being killed is verboten, but that's the idea. Does this lead to Taft winning the 1912 election, or does a dead TR still get votes? If Taft does win how does his second term go and how does he respond to war in Europe?
Idea One: There is no Spanish-American War (most likely PoD avoid the explosion on the USS Maine). Some immediate impacts of this would be that TR is not thrust onto the national scene. At this time he was well known in Washington DC and within the Republican Party but not as much by the wider public. This means that there is less incentive to put him on the Republican ticket in 1900. Avoiding the Spanish-American War would also keep Speaker Thomas Reed from resigning. Does this keep him in politics (and good health) enough for him to get another crack at the Republican Party nomination in 1904? With the US avoiding this war than the country and many politicians remain more war hungry when a potential war breaks out in Europe. This also leads to the question of Spanish possessions in the Caribbean and Pacific. How long does Spain hold onto Cuba and the Philippines? Can they hold on to Puerto Rico?
Idea Two (Working title "Killing a Bull Moose"): TR is killed at his speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on October 14th, 1912. I know the idea of Teddy being killed is verboten, but that's the idea. Does this lead to Taft winning the 1912 election, or does a dead TR still get votes? If Taft does win how does his second term go and how does he respond to war in Europe?