What if Lord North was persuaded to end slavery in 1773, due to pressure from the church and nobles. The southern American Landowners, after hearing this declare independance of the 13 colonies. The war goes the same way with the British losing, but the history of the United States was based on keeping slavery and kicking out the British who wanted to end it, apposed to the no tax without representives, how would the modern day Americans in this timeline see their nation, and history?
WI the ending of slavery had started the AWI
- Thread starter Wyboy26
- Start date
I don't think New England would fight for slavery at all. The South was screwed by the OTL British policies 1763-75, but in this ATL the North just wouldn't care. Yes, New York City had a lot of slaves, but they weren't central to the economy and if no bordering colonies went, NY wouldnt. (plus, the British could just repeat OTL's Battle of Long Island and that'd be it).
The southern colonies couldn't stand alone. The rebellion would be over long before anyone got serious. (Plus, the backcountryfolk wouldn't care enough to fight, so it'd just be tidewater landholders). Probably only a few hangings, then some racial violence for a while. Most of the blacks head out to the frontier, where land is cheap and racial discrimination less ingrained.
The southern colonies couldn't stand alone. The rebellion would be over long before anyone got serious. (Plus, the backcountryfolk wouldn't care enough to fight, so it'd just be tidewater landholders). Probably only a few hangings, then some racial violence for a while. Most of the blacks head out to the frontier, where land is cheap and racial discrimination less ingrained.
NapoleonXIV
Banned
I don't see how France could be persuaded to help the slaveowner's keep their slaves. Also, this was before the invention of the Cotton Gin and the Plantation system, so I don't see how even the South would declare independence over slavery.
However, given that it does and that it somehow wins alone, then slavery would be a protected, almost sacred institution here. It would largely affect the way we see ourselves and the development of our institutions that guarantee freedom would be severely curtailed if not altogether stopped. Possibly America would not be seen as a 'free' country at all but rather as one where property rights are paramount to all other considerations.
It would also probably not last past 1815. The British crusade against the slave trade had begun by this time and they would regard another war with us as a part of that. A lenient peace would not be a part of their plans, war weary or not. They would also be able to propogandize a return to the Mother Country as a moral imperative to nascent abolitionists in the North and the South since again, the Plantation system would still be in its infancy and slavery thus almost an economic liability.
However, given that it does and that it somehow wins alone, then slavery would be a protected, almost sacred institution here. It would largely affect the way we see ourselves and the development of our institutions that guarantee freedom would be severely curtailed if not altogether stopped. Possibly America would not be seen as a 'free' country at all but rather as one where property rights are paramount to all other considerations.
It would also probably not last past 1815. The British crusade against the slave trade had begun by this time and they would regard another war with us as a part of that. A lenient peace would not be a part of their plans, war weary or not. They would also be able to propogandize a return to the Mother Country as a moral imperative to nascent abolitionists in the North and the South since again, the Plantation system would still be in its infancy and slavery thus almost an economic liability.
I read recently that it was the Landowners and merchants who were pushing for independance the hardest.
Another AH, i have just thought of, what if instead of the impressment of sailors causing the war of 1812, WI the British started stopping slave ships at the sametime, and southern Congress men pushed America into war over this instead?
Another AH, i have just thought of, what if instead of the impressment of sailors causing the war of 1812, WI the British started stopping slave ships at the sametime, and southern Congress men pushed America into war over this instead?
Let's look at 1773.
In 1773 there were more slaves in New York than Georgia, more slaves in the Caribbean than in America, and more slaves in Latin America than in both. Abolishing slavery would have caused a lot of American landowners to default on their mortgages to the British. It was only Napoleon's pushing of the sugar beet industry that crushed the sugar that most slave were producing.
To abolish slavery in 1861 you need rayon. To abolish slavery in 1773 you need some really good sugar beets or some other sugar crop you could grow with cheap European labor. Maybe a mutant corn crop that New York could grow?
In 1773 there were more slaves in New York than Georgia, more slaves in the Caribbean than in America, and more slaves in Latin America than in both. Abolishing slavery would have caused a lot of American landowners to default on their mortgages to the British. It was only Napoleon's pushing of the sugar beet industry that crushed the sugar that most slave were producing.
To abolish slavery in 1861 you need rayon. To abolish slavery in 1773 you need some really good sugar beets or some other sugar crop you could grow with cheap European labor. Maybe a mutant corn crop that New York could grow?