Atlantic Islands

What if Some of sea mounts and sea ridges in the Atlantic Ocean were a bit higher so that there were a lot more islands between the Old World and the New World?



Timeline
The Ampere Islands were known in ancient times and were settled by Portuguese fishermen in the 10th century.


 * c 13,000 B.C.

Stone Age hunters from Europe cross to North America during the last Ice Age. They use the Atlantic Islands as stepping stones. During the Ice Age, the sea level was lower meaning there were even more, and larger islands, than there are at present. The European nomads add to the genetic diversity of the mostly Siberian descended native Americans, especially on the eastern seaboard of the North American continent. Also, a few pockets of habitation remain on the larger of the Greater Azores.


 * c 300 B.C. A Phoenician expedition reaches the Greater Azores. There, they find an obscene basalt altar dedicated to an Octopoid god together with the Pnakotic manuscripts. They destroy these but none of the expedition ever returns. It is thought that they were lost in a terrible storm.

12th Century
 * The Greater Azores were discovered by Basque fishermen and soon hosted small settlements from Portugal and France.

13th Century
 * Basques discovered the Corner Islands in the early 13th century and tried to keep their existence a secret. By the end of the century they also discovered the Greater Bermuda Islands, Kelvin Islands, and the North America.

14th Century
 * The existence of the islands and of the new world became common knowledge in Europe and North Africa. Semi-permanent settlements were established in Bermuda and New England.
 * 16th Century
 * The previous existence of the handful of European colonies innoculated the Native Americans against the worst of Old World diseases, such as cholera, influenza and smallpox. Although these diseases still devastated the Native Americans, especially the Aztec Empire, they were better able to resist the Conquistadors and retain more of their identity.
 * 1725
 * The Greater Bermuda Alligator, a rare form of crocodile becomes extinct.
 * 1801
 * Freed slaves and runaway slaves form a new republic on one of the Kelvin Islands. They call it New Ghana with a capital of Freeville. Unfortunately, despite its idealistic aims, it becomes a byword for corruption and poverty. It establishes relations with Britain, which causes an American blockade during the War of 1812-1814.
 * 20th Century
 * The islands create a new dimension in WWII.
 * 1801
 * Freed slaves and runaway slaves form a new republic on one of the Kelvin Islands. They call it New Ghana with a capital of Freeville. Unfortunately, despite its idealistic aims, it becomes a byword for corruption and poverty. It establishes relations with Britain, which causes an American blockade during the War of 1812-1814.
 * 20th Century
 * The islands create a new dimension in WWII.
 * The islands create a new dimension in WWII.


 * The French and Portuguese colonies are taken over by Great Britain and USA to make air bases for the RAF and USAAF. Because of this, the Battle of the Atlantic is a lot less severe for the allied forces as the bases provide better air cover for the convoys. There is no "black gap" in the middle of the Atlantic where there is no air cover. The U-Boat campaign causes far fewer merchant ships to be sunk and so more supplies reach Britain and Europe. Also, the convoys do not have to go the long way round via Iceland. The effects of the blitz on British morale is not as bad. D-Day is still June 1944 and the allies allow the Soviet forces to take Berlin for political reasons, even though American forces could have finished the war by Feb 1945.


 * German U-Boats concentrate more in the Mediterranean and off West Africa instead.


 * 1960s-1970s
 * The growth in package tourism benefits the economies of the Greater Azores and other Atlantic Islands. As there are fewer tourists to the Spanish Costas, they are not as overdeveloped.
 * The growth in package tourism benefits the economies of the Greater Azores and other Atlantic Islands. As there are fewer tourists to the Spanish Costas, they are not as overdeveloped.


 * During the Cold War the United States took control of every Atlantic island, and used them as missile bases and refueling stations for spy planes.

Open to any suggestions for events or timing.