The Louisiana Independence Timeline

In this timeline, Jefferson decides to let Louisiana become indepedent. It turns out that it wasn't a very good idea after all, and the US soon begins to decline and eventually break apart. The seat of power in Europe is shifted, and Mexico breaks apart.

POD
The POD in this timeline is that Napoleon was less succesful in his revolutionary wars. France was slightly in debt by 1803. When Louisiana was seized from Spain, Napoleon saw no reason for keeping it as a colony. So, as in our timeline, he sold it. But to pay for war debts that were slowly mounting up, the United States was charged about a dollar per acre for the massive purchase. Many French settlers already there wanted to assist their Mother Country, but since the US was neutral, they could not do anything. Only a week after the purchase protests and revolts sprung up. Facing a massive choice, Jefferson and Congress agreed to let Louisiana become an independent nation on December 7, 1803. The Americans were outraged at their tax money being spent of nothing. A coup against Jefferson took place on the New Year of 1804, and he was impeached. Aaron Burr took office as vice-president. This is where things start changing.

1804
January 3d: Growing tension between Spanish and French ethnic groups in Louisiana break out into mass riots. The de facto ruler of Louisiana forces all Louisianans of Spanish descent to emigrate to the nearby Spanish colony of Spain. This greatly increased the Floridan population. Many of the new arrivals missed being independent, and plans to uprise against Spain are drawn up. July 11th: The famous Burr-Hamilton duel takes place in New Jersey. Burr is particularly in a bad mood due to recent tension in the White House. He shoots Hamilton in the head, and kills him instantly. For killing a father of the constitution, Burr is impeached and is exiled from the United States. He moves to Texas in New Spain and starts his conspiracy. Many more conspirators follow due to support for him as president.

1805
February: Burr and his followers overthrow the Spanish government in Texas and istalls his empire. Burrania is run by Burr himself, with his co-conspirors in high positions. Burrania is not yet recognized by the US yet, but Burr already wishes to espand his newborn empire. A messenger goes to France and makes a deal with Napoleon: France invades Spain and with the help of Burrania split the Spanish colonies among themselves. Napoleon recognizes the plan, but for it to work, he needs to move a large portion of his army from the east to the Pyrenees. A temperary truce is made with Austria and Prussia. June: France invades Spain. A massive army of over two hundred thousand men rush down the Pyrenees and quickly subdue most of Spain. By years end, all of Spain is under French control. A sattelite government is set up with one of Napoleon's brothers as the Spanis king. Spain's colonies object to the idea of being ruled by a Frenchman.

1806-1820
Mexico, Central America, Columbia, Peru, Florida, Argentina, and Bolivia rebel against Spain. They all are recognized as independent. Venezuela, Panama, and Ecuador are part of Columbia at this time. The various new government undergo a process of metamorphasis in which the government and many other aspects of their statehood is changed several times before stabling and choosing one idealism. Prussia and Austria decide to join France as allies. Napoleon and his new three way alliance decide to bring several of Spain's former colonies back under European rule. French and Prussian troops set out for Mexico on June 30th. A bloody war ensues, with France and Prussia not really getting anywhere. The US condemns France's action and threatens to intervene. Napoleon knows that Clinton is bluffing, and declares that they will not withdraw.

1807-1815
The war in Europe worsens as Portugal is attacked by France and assisted by Britain. The Royal Navy is in a stalemate with the combined might of Danish, Prussian, and French fleets. They begin impressing American sailors. To keep the impressed sailors in line, various forms of torture and punishment are used. When word of this reaches the White House, Clinton declares war on Britain and authorizes a full scale invasion of Canada. New England objects, and secede from the Union. American troops still pass through, and take Quebec, Labrador, Ontario, New Brunswick, Novia Scotia, and Newfoundland. Washington is burnt in 1810, and in 1812 America surrenders. The captured parts of Canada form the Free Canadian Union. In 1813, Novia Scotia becomes independent from the FCU.