by Matt Mitrovich

Disclaimer: Though it might seem like an alternate history, it was written in 2004 as a future history. I decided to keep the spirit of when it was created and not change it to fit today’s events. I hope you enjoy.

1776: American republic established.

1803-1853: After American Revolution the US expands west to the Pacific Ocean and south to the Gulf of Mexico. This is at the expense of Spain, France, Mexico, Britain, and the Native Americans.

1861-65: First American Civil War. This solves the problems of sectionalism in the early United States and establishes the federal government as the supreme power in the country.

1890: Ghost Dance uprising. This is the last organized rebellion by Native Americans. Native Americans won’t be a threat for some time.

1898: Spanish-American War: First overseas war of conquest by the USA.

1914-1918: First World War, end of autocracy in Europe.

1939-1945: Second World War, US established as a true world power.

1948-1987: Cold War between the US and the Soviet Union.

1990-1991: First Iraq War.

1991: The USSR breaks up. The US is now the only world power. No longer are there any serious threats to its existence and independence.

2001: Islamic fundamentalists attack Washington DC and New York. This completely changes the American mindset of believing they were safe from overseas threats. This point is when historians agree the US begins its period of overseas expansion to protect itself from threats. Afghanistan is the first country to be overthrown by American military might and a new puppet government is established.

2003: Second Iraq War. The Iraqi government is overthrown and replaced by a pro-US government.

2004: Conservative politicians take the majority after the election. This is noted as the beginning of the end for liberals in the American republic.

2005: First Iran War. Iran’s refusal to dismantle nuclear power plants causes the US to invade and replace government with a new pro-US government.

2007: Syrian War. The US, Israel, and Iraq invade Syria. Puppet government is established.

2008-2019: With almost all opposition to US policies silenced due to their military victories, the US enjoys a pseudo-peace, even though military presence in the Middle East continues due to anti-American rebels. Arabs hoping to flee the area begin migrating to Europe. Also during this time US troops are removed from the European Union and redeployed in the Middle East.

2020-2025: Pan-Middle East War. It begins as a general rebellion in the Middle East by citizens of the pro-US governments and is later supported by the Arab League. After five years and the intense bombing of the capitols of the nations of the Arab League, the US regains control. All of the Middle East is annexed into the United States (except for Egypt which collapses into anarchy and Turkey which had already joined the European Union). Jerusalem, Mecca and Medina become free cities. This gives the US complete control of most of the world’s oil supplies. With these resources the US now has a stranglehold on the world economy. The UN condemns the US’s actions, so the US leaves the UN. A few weeks later the UN will disband.

2030: All of Africa collapses into anarchy. The US allies itself with South Africa who attempts through military conquests to bring order to the region.

2038-2060: The United States swings to the right on all issues. Homosexuality is outlawed. The government stops policing corporations. Trade unions become virtually nonexistent. Most minorities begin to emigrate from the US. US military begins to attack drug lords in South America without the consent of the local governments. The US secretly sponsors the creation of the American Orthodox Church, lead by former Baptist priest Nicholas August; it is an attempt to unite Christianity into one church.

2043-2046: Second Iran War. Rebels in the Territory of West Persia revolt, manage to take Tehran. US military uses an E-bomb on the city ending the rebellion. This is the last Middle Eastern revolt.

2046: Third World War. Russia collapses into different states. Attempts to gain influence over the new states leads to war between the US and the EU. It eventually goes nuclear and major cities across Europe are nuked. The US is protected by its missile defense system that came online a few years ago. The EU collapses. Except for possibly China, any and all threats to US supremacy have been erased. Fighting in the former Russia states will lead to an influx of Russians immigrants into Canada and the US.

2047-2110: The American Republic’s Golden Age. With no threats oversees Americans turn to domestic problems. Some reformers attempt to change the new right wing America, but they are discredited or assassinated by those in power. Some wealthy politicians begin funding their own private armies to protect their assets at home and across the world. The American Orthodox Church becomes the official religion of the US, though there is still freedom of religion, it’s just not recommended you practice it. In the Middle East new states are carved out. In Europe and China Islam gains new converts. In fact after China officially ends Communism, the Muslim dominated provinces of China will secede and untie with a few Central Asia nations to form the new Mughal Republic. The rest of China will become primarily Catholic.

2102-2103: After much negotiations and threats the United States annexes many of its allies. The UK, Ireland, Greenland, Iceland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Mexico are annexed into the United States. Cuba’s government is overthrown by US forces and annexed. New states are carved out of the old nations.

2104: The Presidential Election is so close that the two candidates go to war with each other and both use their private armies against each other. After the quick surrender of the Democratic candidate, the Republican candidate accepts the presidency.

2108-2110: The Second American Civil War. The Republican Party’s military might combined with loyal American military forces defeats and destroys the Democrat party. This ends the two-party system in the US. Martial law is declared throughout the US and a new constitution is created. Congress is shrunk to one house, the Senate, which acts more as an advisory board to the President.

2132-2144: The reign of the Tri-Presidency: William Bush, Kenneth Marshall, and Roy Gates. During this time all three would use their resources to expand into the rest of the Americas bringing the entire Western Hemisphere under US control.

2144-2147: The Third American Civil War. Roy Gates army in Kurdistan is nuked by Ken Marshall who later then defeats William Bush at the Battle of Austin. Ken Marshall becomes president.

2148-2150: Ken Marshall is assassinated by a group of senators touching off the Fourth American Civil War as the combined Senate’s Army faces off against the forces loyal to Marshall’s son Ken Marshall II. After suffering a defeat at the Battle of Georgetown, the Senate relocates to Damascus. Unable to nuke or e-bomb the city due to the missile defense shield installed there, Marshall II and his allies invade the Middle Eastern states and at the Battle of Damascus defeat the Senate. A new Senate is created but it has no real power. Marshall II gives two of his main supporters positions in the Second Tri-Presidency.

2161: The Fifth American Civil War. Marshall II destroys all opposition to his rule and declares himself President-for-Life. This is the official end of the American republic and the beginning of the American Empire.

2206-2229: Robert Marshall, the adopted son of Ken Marshall II, is elected by the Senate as the new President. His term is peaceful enough but near the end of his presidency he becomes paranoid and begins a purge of the American government of supposed enemies.

2222: A New Age preacher in Brasilia gains converts for his teachings. Called the New Light Church, a combination of new age religions with Christianity, this preacher believes that humanity has sunk to a new level of sin and time is running out to repent. Using the Internet he manages to get his message to every corner of the United States. He is martyred by the local US governor for going against the teachings of the American Orthodox Church. This act, as most martyring does, gives more support to Redemptionism then destroying the movement.

2229-2233: Jeff Marshall is elected president. He proves to be a source of scandals for the American government and turns Washington DC into the party capitol of the world.

2233-2246: Ken Marshall III is elected president. Hoping to repair the damage done by his father, this Marshall takes a more liberal bent with his policies. He ends up getting assassinated.

2246-2260: John Marshall is elected president and continues to support the conservative policies of the old regimes. However Ken Marshall III term awakened some old longings for liberty of the American people and his term is a very difficult one. He too will be assassinated, touching off the Sixth American Civil War.

2261-2271: The Sixth American Civil War. George Rumsfeld is elected president by the Senate but he is overthrown by Samuel McArthur. However, the military refuses to support him and instead supports General Collin Smith. Smith and McArthur will fight for several years but eventually McArthur’s private army is no match for the American regulars. Collin Smith is elected president.

2271-2273: President Collin Smith’s term. Most of the time is spent rebuilding the nation.

2273-2372: This is the period that is known by historians as the Pax Americana. The five following presidents bring peace and stability to the United States. The effects of this spill over into the rest of the world. Fighting ends in the former Russian republics and in Africa. South Africa went through a silent revolution to become the Republic of Anzania (most of the Boers trekked to the old US territory where the population is predominantly white). In Europe the Caliphate of Paris has united the continent, while those few remaining Christians head for the British Isles and the old US territory. The Pope relocates to Beijing. China has expanded into Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Siberia, and North Korea, but remains out of South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, fearing US retaliation. None of these powers dare defy the US. Washington DC becomes the virtual capitol of the world. In fact when the US demands that all nuclear weapons be disabled, no one dares to hide any fearing the United States would find out.

2372-2384: The end of the Pax Americana. It begins with the election of John Drake. Succeeding his father Samuel Drake, the younger Drake proves to be very power hungry. Not only does he dissolve the Senate, but also the Supreme Court, preferring to oversee judicial decisions himself. Then comes the Dakota Rebellion where Native Americans in North and South Dakota rise in revolt against the federal government. Drake decides to lead the army also and does such a bad job of it that a rebellion that should have ended in a few weeks took three years. Protests throughout the empire were silenced for a little while by using the television to broadcast executions of Drake’s opponents. However in the end he was assassinated and the old government was restored.

2384-2419: With bad presidents, corrupt senators, and greedy governors now running the United States, the empire spirals out of control. To make matters worse all the remaining sources of crude oil are used up causing the US and the rest of the world to suffer through the Second Great Depression. Other nations manage to come out of it fairly quickly but not the US. Only the ethanol production of Native American farmers (in fact 95% of all farmers in North America are Native Americans with most whites moving to the cities) manage to bring the US back to a decent level of economic security. Several Native American businessmen become very wealthy thanks to the American dependence on ethanol. Many begin creating private armies of their own so they can participate in American politics. Also an emigration from North America begins as many Americans move into South America where the economy has revitalized quicker there.

2419-2502: It was only a matter of time before the rest of the world began to take advantage of the decaying American empire. Wars broke out in the Middle East between the Caliphate of Paris, Chechnya, Pakistan, the Mughal Empire, and the new Kingdom of Allah which united most of North Africa’s Muslims. China began challenging the US’s control over the Pacific especially after Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan break with their long time ally and united with China. This leads to the Great Pacific War where the United States is soundly defeated. Cries of independence soon sound in the overseas states. The reigning presidents hoping to avoid criticism blame the New Light Church for the problems of the US. Many acolytes of the New Light Church are rounded up for their "immoral tendencies" and executed on live television. This creates a backlash as these acts of martyrdom only strengthen the New Light faith. Native Americans are also attacked for their new found wealth. This only leads to disastrous defeats and the creation of new "autonomous states" in the mainland US.

2502-2554: The US manages to have a moment of stability in all of this chaos. When the president dies is 2502, the Senate is unable to reach a decision on who should succeed him. Hoping to make a grab for power the mayor of Washington declares himself president and uses the police to take over the Capitol building. General Christopher Robin, a supporter of the New Light Church even though he is a member of the American Orthodox Church, takes his army to Washington and captures the city. The Senate declares him President. Robin immediately begins pushing for reforms. The New Light Church becomes a recognized religion and all believers in prison are set free. This gives President Robin a huge base of support as Americans everywhere begin practicing their religion out in the open. Now though Robin’s greatest reform and most controversial is passed: the splitting of the country. According to Robin the nation has become too large and diverse to govern effectively. So the US is split between the "Northern Association" which control North America, Greenland, Iceland, and the British Isles, and the "Southern Association" which controls the rest. Washington remains the capitol of the Northern Association while Buenos Aires becomes the capitol of the South Association. Robin decides to take the Presidency of the South because that is where most of the population and wealth is located.

2554-2625: While President Robin’s reforms helped bring a level of prosperity to the Southern Association, it did nothing to stop the decline of the North. The rest of the countries around the world were busy expanding into American territory. The Caliphate of Paris succeeds in capturing the British Isles while the Middle East is divided among its neighbors who soon go to war with themselves over it. The Philippines even secede and join China. In the Northern Association the Native American Autonomous States begin pressuring Washington to enlarge their territory to incorporate more Native Americans.

2625-2645: Native American governor Joseph Red Fox believes the time is right for Native Americans across the US to get their revenge on the Americans. Gathering a large army of Native Americans, Red Fox marches on Washington. Red Fox’s forces easily defeat any army the President can raise. Only the Grand Shaman of Washington (leader of the New Light Church in the Northern Association) succeeds in convincing Red Fox not to attack Washington. So even though Washington never fell, Red Fox is now the virtual leader of the Northern Association until his death. Not even the Southern Association comes to the aide of the North. Across much of North America there is violence between Americans and Native Americans.

2645-2668: Red Fox’s death causes some disunity among the Native American tribes, enough to give the Northern Association some breathing room. However in the end a new leader emerges for the Native Americans: Clyde Revenge. Not as merciful as Red Fox, Revenge storms Washington with his Native American army and burns most of the city. The last president is executed on TV in front of the entire world. The Southern Association does intervene at this point, but only to secure Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Islands.

2668 and Beyond: Historians like to use this date as the fall of the United States. Still it must be noted that the United States continued to exist in South America and Australasia under the name of the "Associated States" as history knows them as. It would be this nation that led humanity to the stars. They would continue to be a major world player until 3665 when Buenos Aires would fall to the Lunar Free State. Back in North America, the Native American nations that came out of the collapses of the Northern Association would war amongst each other and the Associated States for territory. Most non-Native Americans would eventually become absorbed into their culture, though the New Light did become the official religion of most countries. There would be attempts once again to unite the Native Americans when in 2992 the Great Spirit Alliance was founded. However it had little central power and it eventually collapsed in 3998. Today (4197) a gradual process of consolidation is being done through the Amerindian Union.