AU thought

[avevale_intelligencer]

I'm a historical ignoramus, so I don't do alternate histories, but it just occurred to me; what would have happened if, in 1776, the British had revolted against George III, and he and his household had been banished to still-loyal America? Could that have even happened?

Happy Independence Day to my friends in and from the former Colonies, who are probably glad it happened the way it did, and rightly so.

Comments

[legoline.livejournal.com]

I'm a historical ignoramus, so I don't do alternate histories,

That's a shame because that sounds like a brilliant idea for a book that you should write, so I can read it.

[the-alchemist.livejournal.com]

There's no constitutional reason why it couldn't happen, and something similar could still happen if the UK became a republic.

In fact, Alex Salmond has said that if the rUK becomes a republic, he would support an independent Scotland keeping the Queen.

[bedlamhouse]

I think it would have been very unlikely that a revolt against George III would have ended in banishment.

I am not a historical ignoramus, but I am unfamiliar with the exact socio-economic-political situation on the British side in that period. Was there a strong enough republican movement to make this viable, both in sentiment and in control of military forces?

For me, viable alternate history stems from the smallest possible change being required to make the alternative happen. I'd be more fascinated by the idea of a better handover of power after Oliver Cromwell and what form the government might have taken in the following years - would it simply have become the same sort of constitutional "monarchy" only with a different way of choosing the "monarch"?

[baka-kit.livejournal.com]

I want to read this.

[jahura.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Cause and effect supposition, I love it.

Speedy and I would be Mexican.
America would be a Canadian province.
Everything west of the Mississippi and east of Nevada extending up to Oregon would be like Quebec and Saskatchewan.
Alaska would be part of Russia and the pipeline would be extending west, not south.

This is provided that Spain and France's sentiments toward England at the time were extended to the Colonies. But of course, I'm just as ignorant of history and who knows what revolts and treaties would befall the region.