SinghKing
Banned
Here's one which I've been thinking about: WI the early Champoeg Meetings (specifically, those in early 1842 in Oregon City, at the Oregon Lyceum), had gone differently? At these meetings, the pioneers of the Oregon Country debated the aspects of either forming a regional government or forming an independent country. Those favoring an independent nation were led by Lansford Hastings, then employed by Dr. McLoughlin, while George Abernethy led those opposed to a new country. The proposal for full independence won support at first, and a resolution was adopted, but ultimately, those favoring waiting for the United States to take ownership of the region won out in the debates. At least, they did IOTL.
But WI Lansford Hastings had won out in the debate instead, and the proposed Republic of Oregon had elected to issue its declaration of independence (say, in May 1843, predating the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, and probably butterflying away the Oregon Treaty)? Reportedly, both the British and the US of Americans were open to the possibility of the Oregon Country becoming an independent nation at this time- joint control was steadily growing less tolerable for both sides, and they were seemingly at a diplomatic impasse (prior to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War), with no appetite on either side to declare war in order to annex the region for themselves.
Could the Republic of Oregon (Oregon Country + Lower British Columbia) potentially survive, in the short term? Or even to the present day? And could the RoO potentially even thrive, expanding its population, power and territories still further, beyond those held at its formation? Making the Alaska Purchase certainly seems like a realistic ambition ITTL, and even annexing or forming a federal union with the Republic of California upon its emergence (the area which was actually militarily controlled by it IOTL, to the north of the San Francisco Bay in the present-day state of California) seems like a outside possibility- one which would see the Republic of Oregon (or 'Pacific Confederation') reaping the full rewards of the impending California Gold Rush all for themselves, and benefiting fully from the ensuing population explosion?
But WI Lansford Hastings had won out in the debate instead, and the proposed Republic of Oregon had elected to issue its declaration of independence (say, in May 1843, predating the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, and probably butterflying away the Oregon Treaty)? Reportedly, both the British and the US of Americans were open to the possibility of the Oregon Country becoming an independent nation at this time- joint control was steadily growing less tolerable for both sides, and they were seemingly at a diplomatic impasse (prior to the outbreak of the Mexican-American War), with no appetite on either side to declare war in order to annex the region for themselves.
Could the Republic of Oregon (Oregon Country + Lower British Columbia) potentially survive, in the short term? Or even to the present day? And could the RoO potentially even thrive, expanding its population, power and territories still further, beyond those held at its formation? Making the Alaska Purchase certainly seems like a realistic ambition ITTL, and even annexing or forming a federal union with the Republic of California upon its emergence (the area which was actually militarily controlled by it IOTL, to the north of the San Francisco Bay in the present-day state of California) seems like a outside possibility- one which would see the Republic of Oregon (or 'Pacific Confederation') reaping the full rewards of the impending California Gold Rush all for themselves, and benefiting fully from the ensuing population explosion?
