mobiyuz
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Post by mobiyuz on Aug 26, 2020 22:09:19 GMT
Celtiaid Am Byth - The Iranian Empire, 1622 AD Iran is ascendant. With its overwhelming victory in the Third Iranian-Rasulid War, Iran has reclaimed lands from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, expanding her territory to extents not seen since the reign of Shahanshah Khosrow II nearly a thousand years prior. Having now reached the Mediterranean, Iran is once again a nation of interest to the Europeans, rather than being a strange nation on the other side of the Caliphate. As well, Iran is once again an undisputed great power, holding hegemony through the Near East and asserting control not just directly over Syria, Cappadocia, Lesser Armenia, and Mesopotamia, but hegemonic control over Oman and a rump state of the Rasulid Dynasty in the southern portions of the Arabian Peninsula.
With his victory, Shahanshah Sukhrah III has been venerated as Sukhrah Anushirvan, the first to be given such an honor since Khosrow I battled the Eastern Roman Empire. While his capital remains in Aspahan, he has already begun an effort to rebuild the once great city of Ctesiphon into a great imperial city once again. Already efforts begin to create an Atash Behram that will reside in the Taq Kasra, once the palace of Khosrow Anushiravan and soon to be re-dedicated as a Fire Temple of the Masdayazna, the centerpiece of a city that may someday eclipse Baghdad in its splendor and magnificence. His generals in this war are similarly honored, many being made governors of the newly reconquered provinces.
Having expanded west of the mighty Zagros Mountains, Iran's immediate future is now tied into integrating the newly-conquered lands and consolidating the power of the Mazdayasna-dominated imperial government. Sukhrah III has stated his intention to treat the conquered peoples with a light touch, being allowed to maintain their Islamic faith with minimal disruption so long as they prove loyal, though even now the armies once dedicated to conquest are reassigned to stamping out the small rebellions flaring against the rule of the Shahanshah. Many are unconvinced that Iran will truly leave the Muslims be, and just as many expect that at some point, an effort to spread the Mazdayasna faith back through the region may occur. Already new Fire Temples are being built in the conquered cities, and new Mazdayasna governors and administrators are being prepared to take the reins of the reconquered provinces.
For one empire to rise, another must fall. And as the Rasulid Caliphate crumbles to ashes, the Iranian Empire rises, bolstered by military might and political supremacy. And the flames of Ahura Mazda burn just as bright as they did when lit by Asho Zarathustra many, many years ago.
Hell I didn't realise that in TTL Iran is again - or stayed] Zoroastrian. That's going to make huge butterflies especially if its a case of stayed as your unlikely to get much of central Asia converted to Islam. Probably no invasions of India either so other than by merchants Islam isn't going to spread in much of south and south-east Asia so OTL Indonesia is likely to stay predominantly Hindu in faith and culture. Also potentially more contact with and also probably tension with China as it could well be clashing with Indian interests in the region if it has a maritime centred dynasty, or at for a period.
Was there any great Mongol type empire at this time, plus possibly later upsurges such as Timur and if so what areas did they come to control.
Steve
Indeed, Iran served as sort of a bulwark against Muslim invasions, and Central Asia is an eclectic mix of Christian, Buddhist, Tengri, Zoroastrian, and even Mithraist faiths. India is indeed majority Hindu and ruled by Hindu Rajas, though there are significant Muslim populations there and in Indochina from the influence of Muslim traders. It's a big mess. And yes, there was a Mongol Empire, but it later collapsed and the Ilkhanate was displaced by the resurgence of a unified Iran under the new Mashmughan Dynasty. |
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mobiyuz
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Post by mobiyuz on Aug 29, 2020 1:59:47 GMT
Timeline 31 - The Ungava District The independence of Quebec in 1953 was controversial for many reasons, not the least of which being that it was done without popular referendum. However, there is one incredibly pertinent issue when it comes to Quebec's independence in the modern day, and that's Ungava. Shortly after independence, Quebec's internal reorganization of itself into Regions also saw the creation of the Ungava Autonomous Region, which comprised approximately a third of its territory as well as being the least densely-populated portion of the country. Having been sparsely populated since the earliest days of colonization, the region was then as it is now primarily dominated by the Inuit and First Nations.
How it ties into controversy is that during the negotiations for independence, representation from the First Nations groups in the region made the argument that since the Quebec Sovereignty Movement was driven primarily by Franco-Quebecois interests, then non-Franco-Quebecois groups should be allowed to remain part of Canada, and that it could be done through a region-by-region referendum. This was also driven by fears that while Canada had historically been hostile to First Nations cultures and treated them poorly, Quebec's insistence on a purely Francophone identity would lead to even harsher treatment. Quebec argued back that doing so would violate Quebec's territorial integrity, and that since Quebec wanted independence, it should not have to be partitioned to achieve that. The popular feelings of the time ran in favor of the territorial integrity argument, and as a result Ungava remained as part of Quebec.
Following independence and the creation of the Ungava Autonomous Region, the natives were not forcibly assimilated as feared, but the region suffered from neglect by the Quebecois federal government for years. Consistently ranking as the poorest, least developed, and most impoverished region of Quebec since independence, Ungava had never fully sat well with being part of Quebec, even after new pro-First Nations movements in the 1980s and 1990s did see some improvements in Ungava with increased investment and involvement to the region. This only grew worse for Quebec when in 1994, the Congress of the North American Union passed the Native Land Rights Initiative, which was designed to further improve the rights and status of Native Americans and First Nations groups in NAU Member States, of which which Quebec was not.
While the mood quieted slightly after Quebec joined the NAU in 2005, the failure of the Quebecois economy to improve significantly since the Great Recession (as President Colbert of the CSA disparagingly put it, "A French Fried Basket Case") has only further frustrated the indigenous peoples of Ungava and led to further calls for separation from Quebec. The interesting aspect, though, is that unlike other separatist movements, the Unvaga Secession Movement does not call for an independent Ungava state, but rather for Ungava to secede from Quebec and rejoin Canada, or as it is sometimes called, "Counter-Secession". This is driven not just by problems within Quebec, but the perception that First Nations groups have received substantially better treatment in Canada since 1953 than in Quebec, and that re-joining Canada would not only give them this protection, but also allow them greater fishing rights in the Hudson Bay, which is still legally treated as the internal waters of Canada through its ownership of the manifold islands in the region.
The issue has of course been taken before the NAU Congress many times, especially now that both nations involved are NAU Member States, but it has not yet received major consideration from any of the parties involved. Quebec has naturally opposed any effort at seeing Ungava secede, and Canada has not yet openly supported the Counter-Secession movement, though Canadian Prime Minister David Johnston has instead said "If Ungava were to petition Canada for annexation after secession, they would be welcomed back to the Confederation with open arms." Naturally, Quebec was infuriated by this comment, to which Johnston of course stated that it was purely a hypothetical. Regardless of hypotheticals, intentionals, or anything that may happen in the near future, Ungava will never be happy until it belongs to a nation that it feels comfortable with, whichever one it ends up being.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Aug 29, 2020 14:34:14 GMT
mobiyuz , Nice irony here. French Quebecois " we want independence from Canada, its our right"
Ungava "We want independence from Quebec, its our right"
Quebec "No it isn't"
Steve
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mobiyuz
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Post by mobiyuz on Aug 29, 2020 23:17:31 GMT
mobiyuz , Nice irony here. French Quebecois " we want independence from Canada, its our right"
Ungava "We want independence from Quebec, its our right"
Quebec "No it isn't"
Steve
Well, it's less "Independence" so much as "We wanna go back to Canada". |
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 1, 2020 8:24:27 GMT
Timeline 31 - The Middle East If ever there was a poster child for the effects of Post-Colonial Conflict, it's the Middle East. Long a region that held great influence over world affairs, the region was carved up by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire with little regard for tribal boundaries and established people-groups. At this time, the only nation that really escaped colonization was the Kingdom of Najd, while its neighbor the Kingdom of Hejaz survived only as a British protectorate. After World War II, the European nations began the process of decolonization, and did so in a somewhat haphazard manner: local governments were cobbled together and the slapdash borders were maintained even through the independent states. And then there's the mess in Israel and Palestine, but let's not go there for now.
The present state of the Middle East should be understood through the lens of the early 2000s and the "Arab Renaissance". With the rise of the internet, the Great Recession, and increasing social agitation all coming together to form a greater whole, the Middle East has gone through a period of transition in many ways. For example, the Shah of Iran was overthrown and the government replaced with a republic, becoming a fully-fledged and healthy democracy as of 2019 that remains strong. The Kingdom of Najd, however, went the opposite route and became in effect a military dictatorship that was kept from becoming an international pariah only by its vast oil deposits. Kurdistan had already broken away in the 1980s, and is considered the best example of a true democracy in the region, while the Arab Republic of Egypt is under the control of an absolutist Sunni theocracy that is only just recently beginning to enact some democratic reforms.
Other tensions exist at the fringe. Sudan fell apart during the Renaissance, seeing both Darfur and South Sudan seceding and leaving a lot of disputed territory and ongoing ethnic conflicts in the region. The northern regions of Iran broke away to join Azerbaijan during the fall of the Shah's regime, something that Iran has never been fully at peace with. Greece and Turkey have been fighting over the Anatolian coastline for almost a full century. And of course, there's Israel and Palestine. Summarized very briefly, Israel was from British Palestine as a homeland for the world's Jews, which the Arabs did not support and resulted in several wars being fought over the issue. In 1983, the Fort Ross Accords saw the majority of Arab nations recognize Israel and Israel recognize Palestine, but no firm resolution has been reached on the issue of their borders. The current borders shown are the de facto political situation, which is also what Israel claims its borders as, but be aware that Palestine claims a much larger area of territory.
As the source of the world's largest supplies of petrochemicals, the Middle East is in many ways at the heart of the global economy, which does give most of the world's major organizations such as the NAU or the European Commonwealth or the region's own Supranat, the Arab League, a vested interest in maintaining some kind of status quo if not a real lasting peace. Even with this, there is a sort of "cold war" going on in the region between Israel, Iran, and Egypt, all with a real interest in maintaining their own spheres of influence: Hejaz is often called an Egyptian puppet, while Iraq has been called an Iranian satellite state. Israel's main stake is to keep its neighbors squabbling among each other instead of going after them. And in many ways, this does seem to be working. The last major military conflict between two nations in the region was the invasion of Qatar, when Najd invaded the small country in 2010 to secure several political dissidents, but this was halted by Iran moving in to back Qatar, and rather than face off against Iran, Najd backed down and the status quo ante bellum was achieved. While "peace" isn't exactly the term that should be used to describe the motley mix of republics, dictatorships, absolute monarchies, and constitutional monarchies, all of which are constantly eyeing each other with suspicion, it's close enough for the time being.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Sept 1, 2020 11:51:17 GMT
Timeline 31 - The Middle EastIf ever there was a poster child for the effects of Post-Colonial Conflict, it's the Middle East. Long a region that held great influence over world affairs, the region was carved up by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire with little regard for tribal boundaries and established people-groups. At this time, the only nation that really escaped colonization was the Kingdom of Najd, while its neighbor the Kingdom of Hejaz survived only as a British protectorate. After World War II, the European nations began the process of decolonization, and did so in a somewhat haphazard manner: local governments were cobbled together and the slapdash borders were maintained even through the independent states. And then there's the mess in Israel and Palestine, but let's not go there for now.
The present state of the Middle East should be understood through the lens of the early 2000s and the "Arab Renaissance". With the rise of the internet, the Great Recession, and increasing social agitation all coming together to form a greater whole, the Middle East has gone through a period of transition in many ways. For example, the Shah of Iran was overthrown and the government replaced with a republic, becoming a fully-fledged and healthy democracy as of 2019 that remains strong. The Kingdom of Najd, however, went the opposite route and became in effect a military dictatorship that was kept from becoming an international pariah only by its vast oil deposits. Kurdistan had already broken away in the 1980s, and is considered the best example of a true democracy in the region, while the Arab Republic of Egypt is under the control of an absolutist Sunni theocracy that is only just recently beginning to enact some democratic reforms.
Other tensions exist at the fringe. Sudan fell apart during the Renaissance, seeing both Darfur and South Sudan seceding and leaving a lot of disputed territory and ongoing ethnic conflicts in the region. The northern regions of Iran broke away to join Azerbaijan during the fall of the Shah's regime, something that Iran has never been fully at peace with. Greece and Turkey have been fighting over the Anatolian coastline for almost a full century. And of course, there's Israel and Palestine. Summarized very briefly, Israel was from British Palestine as a homeland for the world's Jews, which the Arabs did not support and resulted in several wars being fought over the issue. In 1983, the Fort Ross Accords saw the majority of Arab nations recognize Israel and Israel recognize Palestine, but no firm resolution has been reached on the issue of their borders. The current borders shown are the de facto political situation, which is also what Israel claims its borders as, but be aware that Palestine claims a much larger area of territory.
As the source of the world's largest supplies of petrochemicals, the Middle East is in many ways at the heart of the global economy, which does give most of the world's major organizations such as the NAU or the European Commonwealth or the region's own Supranat, the Arab League, a vested interest in maintaining some kind of status quo if not a real lasting peace. Even with this, there is a sort of "cold war" going on in the region between Israel, Iran, and Egypt, all with a real interest in maintaining their own spheres of influence: Hejaz is often called an Egyptian puppet, while Iraq has been called an Iranian satellite state. Israel's main stake is to keep its neighbors squabbling among each other instead of going after them. And in many ways, this does seem to be working. The last major military conflict between two nations in the region was the invasion of Qatar, when Najd invaded the small country in 2010 to secure several political dissidents, but this was halted by Iran moving in to back Qatar, and rather than face off against Iran, Najd backed down and the status quo ante bellum was achieved. While "peace" isn't exactly the term that should be used to describe the motley mix of republics, dictatorships, absolute monarchies, and constitutional monarchies, all of which are constantly eyeing each other with suspicion, it's close enough for the time being.
Well in some ways that looks more chaotic than OTL. Although we do seem to have more functioning democracies in terms of Iran and the rump Kurdistan as well as presumably Israel. However a lot more tension between Greece, which is larger here including Constantinople and the straits and Turkey. Although with a larger Armenia and the Kurdish state to their east the Turkish position is distinctly weaker than OTL.
Then you have the reassuring [not] reference to the Islamic Republic of Yemen. I wonder if that is Sunni or Shia but either way its going to be bad for the other element of the population. As well as suggesting that reactionary Islamic extremist is here as well.
What's the situation with Cyprus which seems to be united but not clearly aligned with Greece or Turkey? Wondering how stable that might be.
Very interesting thanks. A number of borders very similar to OTL but other distinctly different.
Steve
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
Posts: 167
Likes: 161
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 1, 2020 12:22:02 GMT
Timeline 31 - The Middle EastIf ever there was a poster child for the effects of Post-Colonial Conflict, it's the Middle East. Long a region that held great influence over world affairs, the region was carved up by Britain and France in the aftermath of World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire with little regard for tribal boundaries and established people-groups. At this time, the only nation that really escaped colonization was the Kingdom of Najd, while its neighbor the Kingdom of Hejaz survived only as a British protectorate. After World War II, the European nations began the process of decolonization, and did so in a somewhat haphazard manner: local governments were cobbled together and the slapdash borders were maintained even through the independent states. And then there's the mess in Israel and Palestine, but let's not go there for now.
The present state of the Middle East should be understood through the lens of the early 2000s and the "Arab Renaissance". With the rise of the internet, the Great Recession, and increasing social agitation all coming together to form a greater whole, the Middle East has gone through a period of transition in many ways. For example, the Shah of Iran was overthrown and the government replaced with a republic, becoming a fully-fledged and healthy democracy as of 2019 that remains strong. The Kingdom of Najd, however, went the opposite route and became in effect a military dictatorship that was kept from becoming an international pariah only by its vast oil deposits. Kurdistan had already broken away in the 1980s, and is considered the best example of a true democracy in the region, while the Arab Republic of Egypt is under the control of an absolutist Sunni theocracy that is only just recently beginning to enact some democratic reforms.
Other tensions exist at the fringe. Sudan fell apart during the Renaissance, seeing both Darfur and South Sudan seceding and leaving a lot of disputed territory and ongoing ethnic conflicts in the region. The northern regions of Iran broke away to join Azerbaijan during the fall of the Shah's regime, something that Iran has never been fully at peace with. Greece and Turkey have been fighting over the Anatolian coastline for almost a full century. And of course, there's Israel and Palestine. Summarized very briefly, Israel was from British Palestine as a homeland for the world's Jews, which the Arabs did not support and resulted in several wars being fought over the issue. In 1983, the Fort Ross Accords saw the majority of Arab nations recognize Israel and Israel recognize Palestine, but no firm resolution has been reached on the issue of their borders. The current borders shown are the de facto political situation, which is also what Israel claims its borders as, but be aware that Palestine claims a much larger area of territory.
As the source of the world's largest supplies of petrochemicals, the Middle East is in many ways at the heart of the global economy, which does give most of the world's major organizations such as the NAU or the European Commonwealth or the region's own Supranat, the Arab League, a vested interest in maintaining some kind of status quo if not a real lasting peace. Even with this, there is a sort of "cold war" going on in the region between Israel, Iran, and Egypt, all with a real interest in maintaining their own spheres of influence: Hejaz is often called an Egyptian puppet, while Iraq has been called an Iranian satellite state. Israel's main stake is to keep its neighbors squabbling among each other instead of going after them. And in many ways, this does seem to be working. The last major military conflict between two nations in the region was the invasion of Qatar, when Najd invaded the small country in 2010 to secure several political dissidents, but this was halted by Iran moving in to back Qatar, and rather than face off against Iran, Najd backed down and the status quo ante bellum was achieved. While "peace" isn't exactly the term that should be used to describe the motley mix of republics, dictatorships, absolute monarchies, and constitutional monarchies, all of which are constantly eyeing each other with suspicion, it's close enough for the time being.
Well in some ways that looks more chaotic than OTL. Although we do seem to have more functioning democracies in terms of Iran and the rump Kurdistan as well as presumably Israel. However a lot more tension between Greece, which is larger here including Constantinople and the straits and Turkey. Although with a larger Armenia and the Kurdish state to their east the Turkish position is distinctly weaker than OTL.
Then you have the reassuring [not] reference to the Islamic Republic of Yemen. I wonder if that is Sunni or Shia but either way its going to be bad for the other element of the population. As well as suggesting that reactionary Islamic extremist is here as well.
What's the situation with Cyprus which seems to be united but not clearly aligned with Greece or Turkey? Wondering how stable that might be.
Very interesting thanks. A number of borders very similar to OTL but other distinctly different.
Steve
Cyprus is currently unified under a sort of Greco-Turkish coalition, and it's able to keep itself together because Greece and Turkey are too busy trying to kill each other than worry about some island somewhere in the Mediterranean. |
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 3, 2020 4:49:09 GMT
TL31 - The Californian Century
14 October 1961
Eureka, Capital District
"Are you sure that you need me to give the speech, Leland?"
"Ellie, gallbladder surgery like mine isn't something that you can bounce back from in just a few days. They found gallstones the size of marbles in there."
Vice President Eleanor Parker sighed and leaned back in her chair. "And did they tell you the reason why?"
"Apparently high cholesterol diets are a contributing factor."
She smiled and leaned forward again. "And who was it that told you to cut back on those fatty foods you like?"
His sigh was audible through the phone. "You were, Ellie. But that's neither here nor there. Even if I were healthy enough to give this speech today, I'd still want you to be the one giving it. People appreciate your energy more than me. You know, back in the hospital when I was coming out of anesthesia, I remember a nurse talking about me when she thought I was still out of it, and you know what she called me? 'Professor Stanford', saying that I sounded like some dried-up old fogey she'd had as some professor or another in university."
"I mean, she's not wrong." She chuckled, and could hear him chuckle at that too.
"They're going to love you, Ellie. Everyone loves hearing you speak, you've always been the voice of this administration."
"And the brains."
"Yes, and the brains. Whatever I need to say to get you to do this for me."
"You could plead a bit more, that might do it." Another smile. "I'll do it, Leland, don't worry. You just rest up and recover."
"Thank you, Ellie. I'm going to hang up and try to sleep now, but I'll listen to you on the radio."
"Thanks, Leland. Talk to you later." She hung it up and stretched out her back, taking stock of the situation in her head then standing up and walking out of her office toward the President's office on the upper floor, walking right in to several of President Stanford's staff in a small meeting together. "Alright, it's official. Leland's out for the speech, he wants me to do it. Do you have a copy for me?"
The group took a moment to get oriented to her sudden arrival and the news, and then one of them handed her a folded packet of paper. "Just got it proofread this morning. Not a single semicolon out of place."
"Excellent. How long do I have to practice?"
"About 4 hours, madam Vice President, then we go live. TV, radio, the whole nine yards." They started walking with her as she left the office, surrounding her and adding information whenever it was appropriate. "CBN is going to be handling the national broadcast, and we've got a few Spanish language networks there to translate in real time. There's a few local networks here and there, too, a few out of Salt Lake City and a few from San Francisco, things like that." "I'd make sure that your makeup is done up too, CBN's going to be doing color TV broadcasts as well." "International press has been invited from all over the world, we've got people from the UK, France, Japan, places like that who'll record today and broadcast tomorrow."
"Thank you, all of you, but I need to take a moment. I'll be back with you in just a moment." She turned down a corridor off the main hall, and the rest of the people around her dispersed to go do some other task. She stopped in a bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror, then began to speak aloud as she read it off.
As Eleanor Parker stepped out onto the steps of the Capitol, the crowd roared in approval, although even from here she could tell that many were confused. Perhaps the news that Stanford wouldn't be the one speaking hadn't spread fast enough. Taking stock of that, she stepped to the podium, where the cameras were trained on her and a vast number of microphones had been arranged like some metallic bouquet. As she made herself ready to speak, loudspeakers set up for maximum acoustic effectiveness let out a short metallic squeal, silencing the crowd as the microphones made ready.
"My fellow Californians, thank you all for coming here tonight. And for those who could not be here, those in their homes, their offices, and anywhere in the world, on this auspicious day, I am honored to be invited into your lives through the miracle of broadcasting that unites our world today. Unfortunately, President Stanford continues to recover from his operation, but he is healing rapidly, and will soon be fully ready to appear before you once again as your President." A roar of approval. If anything, the people liked her more than Stanford. She was so much better at speaking to them.
"100 years. For 100 years now, our nation has stood firm as a sovereign nation, stood firm in the face of foreign opposition, and stood firm against the tempest that a century can bring for a nation. We have withstood war, natural disasters, outbreaks of disease, and economic crisis. And not only have we survived, we have thrived. We have prospered and flourished in the arts and sciences, in politics and culture, in both war and peace. In this past century, we have been involved in 5 military conflicts, and we did not lose or surrender in any of them, but stood triumphant against our adversaries, many of whom have now become some of our closest friends and allies.
"Our modern world is vastly different from the modern world of our forefathers. When California came into existence as a nation, the world was divided into spheres of influence dominated by the European colonial powers. In that world, the only true international laws were 'might makes right', where a nation could move in and conquer whatever they pleased so long as they were stronger than who they were taking it from. Now, we live in a new world and a new age, where we have come together and declared that such a system can no longer exist, can no longer be tolerated. The United Nations is the pinnacle of this effort, which we ourselves worked to see realized, and has become a policeman for the world, helping to keep us all from destroying ourselves. As well, the North American Union has shown above all else that though we may be divided still, the descendant nations of the United States of America are still united, that we may indeed still find common cause between us.
"Technology has also changed the world dramatically. When we declared independence, the latest in information technology was the telegraph, where a simple button clicking along a wire was the best way to communicate quickly across vast distances. Now, through the miracles of radio and television, my face and words can be broadcast across the entire world, into your homes and offices and vehicles. The world is shrinking rapidly. No longer is a trip from San Francisco to London a journey requiring multiple trains and a ship over two weeks, but can be accomplished within a single day by a plane's flight. News and information can be delivered instantly, and products can be moved all over the world to new markets and consumers.
"We have also seen hardship and sorrow, a considerable amount caused by our own hands. The wars of the past 100 years have killed millions across the world, again in part to the rapid development of technology. A gun once required a minute of loading time to fire a single bullet. Now a single gun can shoot hundreds of bullets a minute. The tank can move with the speed of a horse and fire with the strength of artillery. The plane can drop hundreds of tons of explosive ordinance on an enemy within seconds. And perhaps most frighteningly, the power of the atom has been harnessed to create a weapon unlike any the world has ever seen, that not only kills in its blast but with the lingering effects of radioactive poison. With the new tools we have created to kill, for the first time, the threats to mankind are no longer existential, but self-imposed. For the first time in our history, we have the capacity to cause our own extinction." The crowd had gone a bit more somber. Time to pick up the tone.
"But we have moved beyond this. We have advanced and progressed as a society, as a people, as a civilization. We have agreed to use technology as a force for good, to improve lives rather than destroy them, to extend life rather than cut it short, to enhance it rather than degrade it. We have decided that the pen truly is mightier than the sword, to follow the axiom set forth by Abraham Lincoln in a speech in 1858: 'A house divided against itself, cannot stand.' In his speech, he spoke of the United States of America and the divisions between regions, but it is just as applicable to our world. We are all one people, and the world is our home. If we unnecessarily divide ourselves now, then we would be condemned to the same fate that befell our parent nation. We have indeed taken this to heart, to declare once and for all, that we are a united world!" Another swell of cheers from the crowd.
"One hundred momentous years have passed, and another hundred momentous years lay before us. In that distant year of 2061, what will they say of us, and of our nation? Will they speak of us as a once-mighty nation that lost its way, that fell victim to the vices of cruelty, war, and divisiveness? I say no! That is not who we are as a people, as Californians! They will instead speak of a nation that put aside its troubles, that fought to secure the blessings of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all its citizens, equal under the law! They will speak of a nation that did everything in its power to lead the way to a new tomorrow, to a world where no man, woman, or child, on any continent, in any place on Earth, would fear the shadow of war, where no one would want for food or water, where none would suffer in poverty or be laid low with disease, their lives cut short by the cruel workings of an unjust world! They will speak of us as not an end, but a beginning, a true beginning for the world!" The crowd's roars were deafening by now. It was time to wrap up.
"We will keep moving forward! We embrace the future as one nation! One people! One California!"
She raised both her arms in triumph, her hands closed into fists to emphasize it further. And the crowd went absolutely nuts, cheering and chanting loudly and waving flags while fireworks exploded in the sky. Parker smiled and kept watch over the crowd for a few moments more, then turned and walked back into the Capitol to further applause from everyone assembled inside. One of Stanford's aides clapped as he walked up to her, smiling from ear to ear. "That was absolutely brilliant, Madam Vice President. You really knocked it out of the park with that one."
She smiled and leaned back against the door. "Thank you, please get me to a chair. The adrenaline is leaving me exhausted after all of that. And a cup of tea if you wouldn't mind." Parker walked into a room off from the main hall and sat down with a happy sigh. This was what she loved doing, nothing else would do. And she would just keep going, all the way to the top if she so chose.
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 4, 2020 21:23:30 GMT
Highland Cathedral - New Caledonia In the year 1585, following the end of the War of the Marches between Scotland and England, the Scottish Parliament voted through the New Caledonia Act, which granted a colonial charter to the New Caledonia Company in order to establish a permanent Scottish settlement in what had previously been given the name of Nova Scotia, but renamed to the more poetic "New Caledonia", which amounted to the same thing. From there, the Holyrood Castle departed with 86 passengers, mostly peasants given money by the company to start a new life alongside some indentured servants, and arrived in Chebuktuk Harbor on 18 May 1587.
While the first several months were pleasant enough, certainly enough to build a small settlement and establish some crops, the winter set in far earlier than expected as well as being more harsh than even what they had known in Scotland. On their first winter, 17 people died, but three children were born as the first Scots citizens born in the New World. That summer, a second ship came to bring supplies and new settlers, who undeterred by the hardships continued to build their new settlement, which they named Queenstown in honor of Queen Mary I. Shortly afterward, a raid by the local Miꞌgmaw natives started a small war that would last until the onset of the winter of 1588, at which time a truce was called that allowed the colony to survive.
The third year of the colony saw its fortunes improve. Bolstered by the arrival of a third ship, exploration and trade with the Natives had alerted the Scots to the plentiful beaver available in the area, and many had begun trapping their own as well as trading. From there, a small economy grew up around a fur industry, and the reports of plentiful beaver at a time when the European Beaver had been increasingly depleted gave the New Caledonia Company the impetus to build a new settlement, what is now Half Moon on the Bay of Fundy.
From there, Scottish colonists began to spread out throughout the region of New Caledonia, building forts and settlements all over the region as claimed through the New Caledonia Charter of 1585. By 1620, there are numerous settlements through the region and well-established trade between New Caledonia and Scotland proper, bringing the small kingdom a decent source of revenues and having allowed Scotland to pursue new settlements in Guyana and the Caribbean, as well as further trade outposts in Africa and India. From humble beginnings, a new and bright future has appeared for Scotland.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Sept 5, 2020 11:00:15 GMT
Highland Cathedral - New CaledoniaIn the year 1585, following the end of the War of the Marches between Scotland and England, the Scottish Parliament voted through the New Caledonia Act, which granted a colonial charter to the New Caledonia Company in order to establish a permanent Scottish settlement in what had previously been given the name of Nova Scotia, but renamed to the more poetic "New Caledonia", which amounted to the same thing. From there, the Holyrood Castle departed with 86 passengers, mostly peasants given money by the company to start a new life alongside some indentured servants, and arrived in Chebuktuk Harbor on 18 May 1587.
While the first several months were pleasant enough, certainly enough to build a small settlement and establish some crops, the winter set in far earlier than expected as well as being more harsh than even what they had known in Scotland. On their first winter, 17 people died, but three children were born as the first Scots citizens born in the New World. That summer, a second ship came to bring supplies and new settlers, who undeterred by the hardships continued to build their new settlement, which they named Queenstown in honor of Queen Mary I. Shortly afterward, a raid by the local Miꞌgmaw natives started a small war that would last until the onset of the winter of 1588, at which time a truce was called that allowed the colony to survive.
The third year of the colony saw its fortunes improve. Bolstered by the arrival of a third ship, exploration and trade with the Natives had alerted the Scots to the plentiful beaver available in the area, and many had begun trapping their own as well as trading. From there, a small economy grew up around a fur industry, and the reports of plentiful beaver at a time when the European Beaver had been increasingly depleted gave the New Caledonia Company the impetus to build a new settlement, what is now Half Moon on the Bay of Fundy.
From there, Scottish colonists began to spread out throughout the region of New Caledonia, building forts and settlements all over the region as claimed through the New Caledonia Charter of 1585. By 1620, there are numerous settlements through the region and well-established trade between New Caledonia and Scotland proper, bringing the small kingdom a decent source of revenues and having allowed Scotland to pursue new settlements in Guyana and the Caribbean, as well as further trade outposts in Africa and India. From humble beginnings, a new and bright future has appeared for Scotland.
One bit you didn't mention is probably the richest harvest in the region at the time, i.e. the Grand Banks Fisheries. That's an huge attraction especially for a colony and homeland short of good agricultural land but there will be a lot of competition for access.
Also how badly were the local Indians affected by the immigrants in terms of diseases from the old world and possibly also alcohol as well. Hopefully somewhat better than OTL but difficult not to avoid a lot of deaths and suffering.
Steve
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 5, 2020 12:25:29 GMT
Highland Cathedral - New CaledoniaIn the year 1585, following the end of the War of the Marches between Scotland and England, the Scottish Parliament voted through the New Caledonia Act, which granted a colonial charter to the New Caledonia Company in order to establish a permanent Scottish settlement in what had previously been given the name of Nova Scotia, but renamed to the more poetic "New Caledonia", which amounted to the same thing. From there, the Holyrood Castle departed with 86 passengers, mostly peasants given money by the company to start a new life alongside some indentured servants, and arrived in Chebuktuk Harbor on 18 May 1587.
While the first several months were pleasant enough, certainly enough to build a small settlement and establish some crops, the winter set in far earlier than expected as well as being more harsh than even what they had known in Scotland. On their first winter, 17 people died, but three children were born as the first Scots citizens born in the New World. That summer, a second ship came to bring supplies and new settlers, who undeterred by the hardships continued to build their new settlement, which they named Queenstown in honor of Queen Mary I. Shortly afterward, a raid by the local Miꞌgmaw natives started a small war that would last until the onset of the winter of 1588, at which time a truce was called that allowed the colony to survive.
The third year of the colony saw its fortunes improve. Bolstered by the arrival of a third ship, exploration and trade with the Natives had alerted the Scots to the plentiful beaver available in the area, and many had begun trapping their own as well as trading. From there, a small economy grew up around a fur industry, and the reports of plentiful beaver at a time when the European Beaver had been increasingly depleted gave the New Caledonia Company the impetus to build a new settlement, what is now Half Moon on the Bay of Fundy.
From there, Scottish colonists began to spread out throughout the region of New Caledonia, building forts and settlements all over the region as claimed through the New Caledonia Charter of 1585. By 1620, there are numerous settlements through the region and well-established trade between New Caledonia and Scotland proper, bringing the small kingdom a decent source of revenues and having allowed Scotland to pursue new settlements in Guyana and the Caribbean, as well as further trade outposts in Africa and India. From humble beginnings, a new and bright future has appeared for Scotland.
One bit you didn't mention is probably the richest harvest in the region at the time, i.e. the Grand Banks Fisheries. That's an huge attraction especially for a colony and homeland short of good agricultural land but there will be a lot of competition for access.
Also how badly were the local Indians affected by the immigrants in terms of diseases from the old world and possibly also alcohol as well. Hopefully somewhat better than OTL but difficult not to avoid a lot of deaths and suffering.
Steve
Right now, Scotland treats the natives only marginally better than other states, but that's out of a sense of pragmatism: more natives means more manpower and people to tax. |
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mobiyuz
Chief petty officer
I have returned.
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Post by mobiyuz on Sept 14, 2020 8:10:58 GMT
Celtiaid Am Byth - Dinas Ymerodraeth
Neither the Empire's largest city by area or population, the city is nonetheless renown for its high levels of development, with paved streets throughout all parts of the city and a city-wide underground sewage system. Many areas also have running water, provided by the many fountains placed throughout the city, and its streets are lit at night by lamps managed by the city government. Dinas Ymerodraeth is also famous for its many parks, ranging from areas the size of city blocks to small pockets of green scattered throughout the city, while many of its major streets are also lined with trees. Many buildings in the city are constructed from white stone or are whitewashed, giving the city the nickname "The White City", though it is more commonly called "The Imperial City".
As the capital of one of Europe's great powers, Dinas Ymerodraeth is intentionally built up by the government to be a model city for the entire Empire as well as Europe at large. Security is provided at all times by the Green Guard, a force of 400 men and women who keep order in the city. The rise of the railroads has also seen the rise of new "tramways" along many major thoroughfares, where horses pull carriages to transport men and women for a nominal fee. It is also kept clean and kept up by an army of civil servants who repair roads, manage plumbing, tend to the greenery, and even sweep the streets on a regular basis. It should be noted that all of these are luxuries unseen in many of the Empire's other major cities, though this is largely a way to "present a good face" to foreign diplomats and ambassadors.
This is my first time making a city map. I hope it's good.
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