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

• 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.

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

• 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.

• 17th Century

Spanish galleons returning from the New World are heavily attacked by British and French privateers and pirates operating from numerous bases on the islands. Far fewer ships reach Spain and so Spain is unable to finance its wars against the Dutch rebels to the same extent. The Netherlands gains its independance sooner and Spain takes a less active role in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648). Spain sinks into economic decline by the 1640s.

1650 Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate seize a few of the Corner Islands and the whole of the Greater Bermudas for England.

1650s-1680s. Numerous plantations and depots established throughout the Islands. Slave ships lose far fewer of their cargo as they are better supplied and sick captives are discharged onto the Islands. Although slavery still takes place, fewer Africans are needed and taken on the Middle Passage to the New World. The economies and societies of West Africa are not quite as traumatised by the savagery and depopulation and there are some independant native African Kingdoms and countries throughout the colonial period. These are mainly to be found in the more developed Islamic areas of what in OTL is Northern Nigeria and Timbuktu etc.

• 18th Century

1725 The Greater Bermuda Alligator, a rare form of crocodile becomes extinct.

1776-1785 Britain uses its bases in the Greater Bermudas and Corner Islands in the American Revolution. Although fewer sailors and troops get scurvy or other diseases, the 13 Colonies still become independant and become USA.

1799 The Kelvin Islands become a State of the USA.

19th Century

1801

Freed slaves and runaway slaves form a new republic on one of the western Corner 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.

1864 General Augustus P Barrard from the Kelvin Isles is shot by a sniper at the Battle of the Wilderness leading his Federal Troops.

20th Century

1939-1945

The islands create a new dimension in WWII.

The Vichy 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.

1959

Kelvin, Greater Bermuda, and Corner Islands become US territories

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.

• Early 1980s

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

Open to any suggestions for events or timing.