Post by Maelstrom on Jun 23, 2021 6:52:16 GMT -6
History of the Commonwealth
Post-Catastrophe: In the immediate aftermath of the calamity that struck the entirety of the Continental United States, the entirety of the region was cast into darkness by the strange ash that accumulated in the atmosphere. With the Federal Government crippled, local governments were emboldened with emergency powers, which teared at the seams of the old republic. The cultural and social bind that New England developed over much of it's history allowed it to remain as a significant regional actor, and maintain steadfast during the waves of famines that it faced, partially alleviated by a dramatic shift from agriculture to fishing and trapping, which were already major regional industries for centuries prior.
The region was spared from much of the geographical changes that were inflicted on the rest of the globe, with even cape cod intact, preserving much of the region's preexisting infrastructure. Having inherited much of the former United States' navy and shipyards, multiple excursions and voyages were charted to nearby landmasses that had manifested in the Atlantic. By the 1880s, pioneer settlements were established on new land outcrops from Nova Scotia.
Up north, Canada appeared to be worse for wear. With the near-deafening silence of their colonial overlords, the entire dominion was thrust into this new era without it's training wheels. For much of this time, where applicable, Quebec and other Atlantic provinces of Canada were provided humanitarian aid by their southern neighbors, following decades of warm relations stemming from New English sentiment towards previous US attempts at annexation. With virtually no social or political cohesion across the vast and increasingly frigid landscape, southern Quebec and Nova Scotia gradually became dependent on the aid of their neighbor, with their gradual de-facto absorption into the Commonwealth having been sealed just before the onset of the 20th century. During which time, Greater Nova Scotia faced significant settlement in it's new, uninhabited southern regions. Maritime industries based along the West Atlantic flourished, fishermen facing record catches that grew steadily, ominously larger over the next few decades.
--WIP--
Pre-Catastrophe: The lands that the modern-day Commonwealth inhabit make up the oldest clearly defined region of the late United States, predating the American Revolution itself by more than 150 years. Puritans fleeing religious persecution in England established Plymouth Colony in 1620, the first English colony in New England and the second in America. A large influx of Puritans followed, populating the greater region during the Puritan migration to New England (1620–1640), largely in the Boston and Salem area. Farming, fishing, and lumbering prospered, as did whaling and sea trading.
By the late 18th century, New English writers and events in the region helped launch and sustain the American War of Independence, which began when fighting erupted between British troops and the Massachusetts militia in the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The region proved to be a major stronghold of the Continental Army, and one of the major deciding factors of the war.
During the early 19th century, tensions flared between New English states and the federal government following the onset of the War of 1812, which the Federalist stronghold vehemently opposed. The lack of involvement and contribution of what was at the time America's arms-manufacturing capital strongly impeded on American incursions into Canada. Seeing this as a betrayal, relations between these semi-autonomous states and the Federal government soured for much of the next few decades.
In the years following, New England swiftly became the center of the American anti-slavery movement and was the leading force in American literature and higher education. It found itself at the center of the Industrial Revolution in America, with many textile mills and machine shops operating by 1830. Consequently, the region became the manufacturing center of the entire United States in contemporary times, and it played an important role during and after the American Civil War as a fervent intellectual, political, and cultural promoter of abolitionism and civil rights.
By the late 18th century, New English writers and events in the region helped launch and sustain the American War of Independence, which began when fighting erupted between British troops and the Massachusetts militia in the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The region proved to be a major stronghold of the Continental Army, and one of the major deciding factors of the war.
During the early 19th century, tensions flared between New English states and the federal government following the onset of the War of 1812, which the Federalist stronghold vehemently opposed. The lack of involvement and contribution of what was at the time America's arms-manufacturing capital strongly impeded on American incursions into Canada. Seeing this as a betrayal, relations between these semi-autonomous states and the Federal government soured for much of the next few decades.
In the years following, New England swiftly became the center of the American anti-slavery movement and was the leading force in American literature and higher education. It found itself at the center of the Industrial Revolution in America, with many textile mills and machine shops operating by 1830. Consequently, the region became the manufacturing center of the entire United States in contemporary times, and it played an important role during and after the American Civil War as a fervent intellectual, political, and cultural promoter of abolitionism and civil rights.
Post-Catastrophe: In the immediate aftermath of the calamity that struck the entirety of the Continental United States, the entirety of the region was cast into darkness by the strange ash that accumulated in the atmosphere. With the Federal Government crippled, local governments were emboldened with emergency powers, which teared at the seams of the old republic. The cultural and social bind that New England developed over much of it's history allowed it to remain as a significant regional actor, and maintain steadfast during the waves of famines that it faced, partially alleviated by a dramatic shift from agriculture to fishing and trapping, which were already major regional industries for centuries prior.
The region was spared from much of the geographical changes that were inflicted on the rest of the globe, with even cape cod intact, preserving much of the region's preexisting infrastructure. Having inherited much of the former United States' navy and shipyards, multiple excursions and voyages were charted to nearby landmasses that had manifested in the Atlantic. By the 1880s, pioneer settlements were established on new land outcrops from Nova Scotia.
Up north, Canada appeared to be worse for wear. With the near-deafening silence of their colonial overlords, the entire dominion was thrust into this new era without it's training wheels. For much of this time, where applicable, Quebec and other Atlantic provinces of Canada were provided humanitarian aid by their southern neighbors, following decades of warm relations stemming from New English sentiment towards previous US attempts at annexation. With virtually no social or political cohesion across the vast and increasingly frigid landscape, southern Quebec and Nova Scotia gradually became dependent on the aid of their neighbor, with their gradual de-facto absorption into the Commonwealth having been sealed just before the onset of the 20th century. During which time, Greater Nova Scotia faced significant settlement in it's new, uninhabited southern regions. Maritime industries based along the West Atlantic flourished, fishermen facing record catches that grew steadily, ominously larger over the next few decades.
--WIP--