Timeline (Dixie Forever)

The Dixie Forever alternate history is one in which several events in the past culminated in the southern United States seceding successfully from the United States, and remaining an independent country to this day. Unlike other, very stereotypical timelines, in this timeline the South does not involve (a) becoming a Nazi/fascist/socialist/totalitarian/communist dictatorship/analogue of any kind, (b) collapsing into some failed state, (c) being partially or completely annexed back into the United States, (d) maintaining slavery, segregation, racism, or any kind of second-class status for minority citizens. This is intended to be an enjoyable alternate history timeline.

16th Century
1521: Martin Luther pins his 95 Theses on the door in a Wittenberg Cathedral, launching the Protestant Reformation. Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales all become majority Protestant, as do the various German nations of the Holy Roman Empire, including the regions of Austria and Bavaria, along with Bohemia (Hussite). 1540s: Klein Venedig is settled by Germans by treaty with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. The region would remain under the rule of Spain, but have colonization rights of the Holy Roman Empire. Later, Spain and Portugal sign a treaty with Prussia to hold Uruguay as a territory, bound by the Uruguay River (OTL Uruguay and Rio Grande do Sul), naming it New Brunswick. This territory is also populated by Germans, who will spend their time pacifying the land of Indians and being a buffer between Spain and Portugal, a role it would play until the early 19th century. 1555: The Peace of Augsburg ends the Spanish war with the Holy Roman Empire, letting the prince's determine the religion of their region, while the Emperor would be required to be Protestant.

18th Century
1783: The United States achieves independence from the United Kingdom, and through the efforts of Jonathan Eddy, includes Nova Scotia and St John Island, which are united in the state of Nova Scotia. Since the colony, now state, was not part of the original colonies to secede, the United States flag as of 1783 has 13 stripes, with 14 stars. Once Vermont joins and another stripe and star are added, Congress will decide to limit it to 13 stripes and only change the stars on the flag.

1803
Louisiana Purchase is signed. The states of New England (Nova Scotia, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut) threaten to secede over the purchase, which they fear will dilute their power.

1812
War of 1812 is fought between the United States and the United Kingdom over impressment, trade, and other various reasons that have been building over the last decade. New England threatens to secede over the harm that the war is bringing to their states. New England creates a flag for their proposed union. The talks of secession amount to nothing, and it helps brand the Federalist Party, which is especially strong in New England, as unpatriotic. No state and no national officeholder makes any statement that secession is illegal or unconstitutional, and President Thomas Jefferson has been quoted as saying that if they want to leave, then let them leave.

1820
The Compromise of 1820 is reached, often called the Missouri Compromise. Missouri is made a slave state, and slavery is limited to south of the 36°30' line extending due west, and Maine is made a free state to maintain the balance between free and slave states.

1850
Compromise of 1850 is reached, a series of compromises, admitting California as two states (North California and South California) with a split at the 37° N parallel, with South California being a slave state, and North California being a free state.

1860
South Carolina secedes from the United States. It blockades Charleston Harbor, and forces the Union forces to fire first near Fort Sumter, while Union reinforcements wait outside the harbor.

1861
February 22: The seven states which seceded form the Confederate States of America. The first flag is made of alternating red-white-red stripes, with a blue canton and a ring of seven stars.

1961
On February 22, the Confederate States celebrate the centennial of the founding of the country.

July
The centennial of the Confederacy's independence is celebrated on July 4th, the date of the official exchange of the ratified treaties between the CSA and USA at Alexandria, DC.