America: Write Your Own History

Well, I tried. Hopefully the American Empire doesn't collapse of instability.

President Blaine Assassinated!



July 2nd, 1881
Halifax Railroad Station

Shot by Charles J. Guiteau at 9:30 AM. This was less than 4 months into Blaine's second presidency. Blaine died 11 weeks later on September 19th, 1881. His vice president, James A. Garfield, succeeds as 15th president of the United States. Authorities report that Guiteau had been laid off from the postal service following Blaine's crackdown on appointed positions without merit.

Picture of Guiteau


Below is a picture of France giving a gift to Halifax, in light of the assassination.


Picture of the 15th President, James A. Garfield

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Blaine's Second Term: 1880-1881
Following his successful campaign for a second term, Blaine's first decision was to decline annexation of Colombia. He and his cabinet agreed that this action would lead the United States into a war with several European nations; Spain, Britain, and even Brazil.


Blaine also gave the okay on the amphibious invasion of Arkhangelsk, a bold move that took the city with very little American casualties. Russia refused to surrender communism, however, and the war raged on.



It was then that Blaine took the train to Halifax to catch a ship to Africa, where Blaine had wished his whole life to travel. In his diary, he noted his plans to raise morale in the territories and oversee their improvements. His vice president, James A. Garfield, gave his oath to office following Blane's passing.

Mind = Blown

How did you determine whether he would die?

Because that assassin killed the president, and Blaine was president instead of Garfield. Both Blaine and Garfield did the same civil reforms, so it makes no difference.

1881-1884: The Gilded Age



After the assassination of President Blaine, Vice President Garfield took the oath to office. In it, he vowed to stay closer to Blaine's vision than what Garfield campaigned for.

‘Fellow-Citizens: We stand to-day upon an eminence which overlooks a hundred years of national life—a century crowded with perils, but crowned with the triumphs of liberty and law.’

Click to expand...

One of his first actions was to, controversially, give independence to Fiji. The territory, which United States corporations exploited, was being maintained by taxpayer's money and overall drained the economy. He then gave Dar Es Salaam, a city conquered from Ethiopia during wars with Britain, back to Ethiopia. The goldmines, however, stayed in American control.



He then gave aid to Colombia, which was in a bloody war with Spain, Britain, Russia, and Brazil. By sending over American technologies for machine guns and modern infantry, Garfield was sure that Colombia would rebuild itself.


The Finland Conflict raged on, and Garfield followed in Blaine's footsteps by continuing amphibious invasions on Russia's northern coasts. During this time, he also negotiated the handover of Finland back to Sweden. In this, he also negotiated a great trading agreement!




By 1883, Industrialization seemed to be sweeping the nation during this Golden Age! Skyscrapers were constructed, blueprints for the Empire State Building was drafted in New York City, and industrial parks popped up around the world. An Olympic Park, named Blaine Fields in James Blaine's memory, opened up in New York City early in the year. The Golden Age seemed like it would last the rest of American history.



Furthermore, the Brisbane National Park was completed in Australia.


By mid 1883, Russia finally accepted the terms and conditions of peace, and abolished communism. The democratic world hailed America as a hero! Garfield quickly handed over many Russian possessions to Sweden.



Garfield then made a trip to the Middle East, where he conversed with Iran. After agreeing to give Iran modern technology, Iran agreed to become a democratic nation and open up trade with the United States.



Following Russia's communist collapse, Poland cut off their ties with Russia and became a client state of Germany, being renamed South Prussia. This led to a rekindled friendship, and trade was re-opened.


By July 1883, Garfield signed the independence of Tahiti, an island sharing a similar situation as Fiji.


In January 1884, after only around 6 months of trade with the United States, Iran became a client state of the United States.


The first tank was constructed in Chicago that month.


In July 1884, American soldiers returning from Finland had to stop in Frankfurt after the French government fell into anarchy. American troops, with Garfield's orders, marched into France; poised to restore order.



At the end of Garfield's term, Russia began trading wool to America. The Russians were reluctant, but they needed the cash.


In addition, Garfield used funds to expand the American army; marines and tanks. Some old ironclads were converted into modern battleships as well.

Election of 1884: A Reformed World


Republican Party
James A. Garfield, Age 52, Current President. Skilled orator. Defeated Russian communism and followed in Blaine's political footsteps. Granted independence to several unneeded American possessions. Wants to rebuild nations such as France, Korea, and the Congo as democratic, American allies. Wants to continue military build-up and domestic focus.

Chester A. Arthur, Age 55, New York Lawyer and Politician. Wants to reimpose the spoils system. After returning from Brisbane National Park on a trip to cure his health, he had a new sense of environmentalism. Wants to send troops to Iran to fight British imperialism in Pakistan and India; saving the jungles there and reconstructing the Pakistani and Indian governments. Wants to remove British Caribbean possessions as well, and fight for Irish independence.

John Sherman, Age 63, Ohio Senator, Representative, and Secretary of State. Want to strengthen ties with China. Wants to focus on diplomacy and trade, avoiding any military intervention or wars.

George F. Edmunds, Age 56, Vermont Senator. Wants to improve working conditions and union rights. Wants to fight with Britain until they disband communism, proposing a fight over India, New Zealand, the Caribbean, and Ireland while reconstructing those nations as independent.

John A. Logan, Age 58, Illinois Governor, Representative, and Senator. Popular Civil War general. Wants the United States to adopt Memorial Day for returning Finland Conflict soldiers. Wants to take a strong stance on diplomacy, not wishing to beat around the bush. Wants to fight Britain until they abandon communism, and wants to fight the Spanish out of Latin America and return the cities to Colombia.


Democratic Party
Grover Cleveland, Age 47, New York Governor and Sheriff. As a Bourbon Democrat, he opposes imperialism, war, and subsidies. Wants to keep America isolated during his term, choosing to focus on military, domestic policies, and neutral trade. Wants to lower science rate to 60 and use surplus to stimulate economy. Wants to diplomatically try to remove European influence in Latin America.

Thomas F. Bayard, Age 56, Delaware Senator. Wants to improve relations with England, and focus on rebuilding Latin America after several regions collapsed and reverted back to Spanish rule. Wants to reinvigorate the ideals of the Monroe Doctrine.


Greenback Party
Benjamin Butler, Age 66, Massachusetts Governor, Senator, and Representative. Famous for his donations through the church and his protection of runaway slaves. Wants to war with Britain, stating that English relations will not improve until they abandon communism. Wants to expand American culture and ensure basic American happiness, through happiness, health, and protection. Wants to grant independence to American possessions that only benefit corporations, such as Tasmania.


Equal Rights Party
Belva Ann Lockwood, Age 54, Attorney, Author, and Educator. Wants to extend the right to vote to women, and fight discrimination of Blacks in the South. Wants to expand American education and scientific research. Wants to rebuild Korea, France, and the Congo as democratic, American allies and expand the espionage system to bring down British communism without war.


Campaign News:
First Woman President! Read All About it!

The race was legendary. The Republican Party, the titans of the political arena since Abraham Lincoln in 1864, broke up into bickering factions and gained nearly none of the national vote. President Garfield left the political arena after the results of this election; disgraced. The Republican Party during the next few years would fail to stay influential.

The Democratic Party had a surge in popularity during these years. Grover Cleveland, who promised complete isolationist policy, was heavily favored among the masses during these roaring golden ages. As soldiers began returning from Russia and Finland (with most soldiers still in France), the general census was a stall in military activity.

However it was the re-emerging Equal Rights Party, founded by Victoria Woodhull but rekindled by the enthusiasm of Belva Lockwood, who surprised the nation. Lockwood, widowed at 22, who then pursued a career of law and activism, garnered 50% of the national vote; just enough to be qualified. Non-feminists cried rigging some states, such as New York that votes Lockwood over Cleveland by just 1,141 votes! Lockwood, commonly referred to as Lady Lockwood with the victory, strengthened executive power by surrounding herself with a network of bodyguards and spies -- she knew that if Blaine could be assassinated over firing a postman, she could be assassinated for being the most powerful woman in the world in an era of men. With most her victories in the North, the South once again had a reason to complain.

Ballot:
(Those with leading votes within a party garner all party votes at election end)
Republican Party 2
•Garfield 0
•Sherman 1
•Edmunds 1

Democratic Party 6
•Cleveland 6

Equal Rights Party 8
•Lockwood 8

Grover Cleveland. Enough wars have been fought, instability is bad, time to dump the anti-communist crusade for a while and focus inwards. Besides, give the Dems a chance now .

We need spies.
Belva Ann Lockwood

It's a close race! Seeing how the average voting turnout is 12 people, and only 8 have votes, the race could be won by any candidate still!

Changing my vote (from Garfield) to Grover Cleveland.