raharris1973
Well-known member
So here's the challenge: Achieve a United States federal ban on slavery (equivalent to 13th amendment) by 1885, without a secession or suppression of secession, with no points of divergence from OTL's American history any earlier than 1837.
This seems difficult. But that's why it is a challenge. Cotton has become a profitable growth sector for the economy. Slavery has already become a highly charged sectionalized, moralized, emotionalized debate. On the other hand, while taking away secession (and southern abandonment of peaceful Congressional political leverage), Civil War, and abolition as wartime measures excuses for implementing antislavery federal laws, I am giving you 20 extra years to work with beyond OTL's 13th amendment, on top of an additional 18 years for national and southern thought on slavery, and possibly race, to diverge from OTL.
I have also attached a poll on whether or not the challenge under the conditions I've laid out here can be plausibly met.
This seems difficult. But that's why it is a challenge. Cotton has become a profitable growth sector for the economy. Slavery has already become a highly charged sectionalized, moralized, emotionalized debate. On the other hand, while taking away secession (and southern abandonment of peaceful Congressional political leverage), Civil War, and abolition as wartime measures excuses for implementing antislavery federal laws, I am giving you 20 extra years to work with beyond OTL's 13th amendment, on top of an additional 18 years for national and southern thought on slavery, and possibly race, to diverge from OTL.
I have also attached a poll on whether or not the challenge under the conditions I've laid out here can be plausibly met.