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2037-02-09: After decades of gridlock in Washington D.C. and an inability of the federal government to cope with crises such as the Great Stagflation and Second Sino-Indian War, Minnesota becomes the 34th and last necessary state to pass a resolution calling for a Convention of the States for the purpose of reforming the U.S. Constitution.

2037-02-12: In what would ultimately be the last noteworthy action of Congress, the chambers pass a joint resolution nominally endorsing such a convention in a last-ditch effort to salvage the credibility of the federal government. Language in this resolution emphasizing the importance of inter-state cooperation in such an endeavor would later serve as the legal justification for the creation of the interstate compact system, entirely subverting the intent of the resolution’s authors.

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2037-02-23: In what is largely intended to be a bluff to gain leverage, the California State Assembly passes a resolution threatening secession of the state from the U.S. if a satisfactory outcome of the Convention is not reached. This action satiates the independence movement, which had been gaining support in recent years and held a near outright majority of Assembly support.

2037-03-04: The governors of Texas and Florida announce a strategic partnership to align interests in preparation of the Convention. This partnership would form the basis of what would ultimately become the Patriot Compact.

2037-03-23: A working group releases an outline of common causes Texas and Florida plan to champion, including gun rights, immigration controls, and an annulment of Kiersgan v. Florida, is released to the public to local acclaim. Both state legislatures pass bills endorsing the proposal and committing convention delegates to this platform.

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2037-03-31 to 2037-04-19: The states of Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Kentucky pass resolutions endorsing the content of the Texas-Florida Agreement.

2037-04-16: Troubled by developments in the south, representatives from New York, New Jersey, and Maryland begin meeting in an attempt to formulate a progressive front.

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2037-04-21: A draft of what is nicknamed the “New York Proposal” is released to the public. Not only is it the expected rebuttal to the Texas-Florida Agreement, but goes even further by actively championing minority rights, a de-emphasis of the Senate, and utilizing explicitly redistributionist rhetoric.

2037-04-26: An editorial, jointly authored by former Presidents Obama and Scott, warns against endangering the stability of the nation by catering to popular local sentiment. Although well-received by most Americans, the article leads to a loss of their credibility among many party radicals.

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2037-05-02: In what would become the first of many explicitly regional associations, the governors of Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts announce an initiative to organize their delegations. Although party to the discussions, representatives from New Hampshire are unable to reach an agreement with the other members.

2037-05-01 to 2037-05-13: Oklahoma, North Carolina, and West Virginia join what has now become known to supporters as the “Patriot Pact”. Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island endorse the New York Proposal.

2037-05-15: Virtually every state government is now in talks with each other to form or join unified fronts for the upcoming convention.

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2037-05-19: Following the example of New England, the states of Washington and Oregon pass resolutions affirming loyalty and cooperation to each other in matters of constitutional reform.

2037-05-20 to 2037-05-29: Arkansas joins with the Patriot Pact as public outcry convinces New Hampshire to join their neighbors.

2037-05-30: A finalized version of the New York Proposal, now formalized as the “Plan for Progress”, is released. Although the rhetoric is somewhat toned down compared to the draft version, conservative critics continue to lambast the platform and fails to win over moderates or the national public. Additionally, the plan calls for a formal interstate compact and standing committee comprised of the signatories to be headquartered in New York City.

2037-06-02: The Illinois legislature narrowly approves membership in the Progress Compact.

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2037-06-05: Lacking approval from Congress to hold the event in D.C., the Convention of States is announced to be held in Philadelphia in September to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Constitutional Convention.

2037-06-06: Missouri and Georgia join the Patriot Compact, sparking riots in Atlanta.

2038-06-10: Bipartisan delegations from Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan announce their intent to reject any substantive changes to the U.S. Constitution, citing their preference to preserve the current troubled system over risking an even greater political turmoil arising out of an unsuccessful attempt to reform it. In a joint statement, they urge other states to join with them in rejecting any potentially dangerous altercations to the Constitution.

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2037-06-12: Despite legal objections, the city of Washington, D.C. votes to join the Progress Compact. Although the district had not as-yet been allotted any delegates to the Convention, the Progress Compact committee votes to unilaterally recognize any delegates they send as possessing full voting rights, a status which would not be recognized by any other body.

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2037-06-20: Desiring to present a strong unified front, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Kansas simultaneously announce a combination regional and political alliance taking the form of an intestate compact, following the example of New York. Although not as fiery or culturally-focused as the Patriot Pact, the so-called “Lewis and Clarke Compact” does seek wide-reaching political reforms, and is fiercely against the
attempt to diminish the power of states being pursued by New York.

2037-06-26: Prominent leaders of the Patriot Pact begin endorsing the idea of a formalized compact between member states in response to a perceived relative weakness of the pact compared to its northern neighbors. Legislation to this effect would be signed into law by all members over the following weeks.

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2037-07-04: Delegations from Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia announce a formally ambivalent, yet reform-minded intent in preparation for the Convention. The idea is to satiate a public which desires reform, but is split on what direction it should take.

2037-07-03 to 2037-07-07: Rhetoric from the Progress and especially Patriot Compacts flares in severity, with some Mississippi and Alabama politicians openly threatening violence if their platform is not accepted at a national scale.

2037-07-09: Alaska joins the Lewis and Clarke Compact.

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2037-07-14: Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, which had been developing a similar platform amongst themselves, announce their support of the moderate reform platform formulated in the east.

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2037-07-20: The increasing divisiveness of its southern neighbors causes Missouri to abandon its Patriot Compact commitments in favor of aligning with the Lewis and Clarke Compact.

2037-08-03: After failing to reach any other consensus, the Hawaiian state legislature votes to endorse a reform-lite proposal similar to that popular on the continent.

2037-08-04 to 2037-08-28: With all the pieces in play, extremist rhetoric continues growing louder by the day. Even the formerly moderate New England Pact now talks about many of the other sects are traitors who wish to destroy the country.

2037-08-30: Protests turn to riots as clashes between the Pennsylvania National Guard and local Progress Compact supporters results in several deaths. An agreement is reached to relocate the Convention to Denver.

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2037-09-17: The Convention of the States formally opens. Although only six months ago there was a widespread hope and expectation that it would resolve decades of national political gridlock, it is immediately obvious that the stakes at play have caused a sharp increase in political division rather than a reduction.

2037-09-18: As negotiations commence, both the Patriot and Progress delegations are outraged over the others’ opening positions, which have both been crafted to cater to their respective basis while offering room to negotiate to more moderate positions. However, the gulf between the two is so great that several delegates threaten to walk out of the negotiations then and there.

2037-09-20: Against their explicit mandate, Colorado delegates caucus themselves with the Progressives. In a highly controversial and publicized move, Colorado Attorney General Smith orders the detainment of said delegates the next day, which occurs on the convention floor to the amazement of other delegates and intense heckling of Progressives. In response, the governor of Massachusetts (which had grown tired of the moderate demands of its compatriots) authorized its delegates to move to support the Progressives.

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2037-10-07: After weeks of absolutely no progress, delegates from Utah ally with those from the Great Lakes in putting forth a motion to dismiss the convention and keep the U.S. Constitution as-is. Unexpectedly, delegates from Georgia also vote in favor of the proposal, which results in calls to violence and accusations of treason back in their home state.

2037-10-08: A peace treaty formally concludes the Second Sino-Indian War.

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2037-10-10: A terrorist bomb is detonated in the lobby of the Hyatt Hotel in Denver, where many convention delegates and press are staying. Although the bomb itself is ineffective and of an incredibly crude design (it is believed to have merely injured three by-standers), the resulting panic and disorderly evacuation of other nearby hotels, convention center, and state capitol a few blocks away would result in at least a dozen deaths. Although modern consensus among investigators of the incident have concluded the plot to likely be the sole work of Jerome Smith, a severely mentally-ill local resident with apparently radical yet incoherent political beliefs who subsequently committed suicide, the bombing causes the already extremely-heated political atmosphere to boil over, with political persuasions of every stripe accusing everyone else of the plot and every other crime imaginable. Even the most moderate delegates levied such allegations, citing that the bombing was part of a plan by the extremist delegates to drive the nation further apart.

2037-10-11: Delegates from several states of the Lewis and Clarke Compact vote to relocate themselves to Omaha until a more secure venue can be procured. A minority of delegates from other states return home, with a skew to more moderate members of the delegations choosing to do so.

2037-10-11 to 2037-10-19: The movement to retain the Constitution in its present form gains significant momentum, as the Colorado, Alaskan, Virginian, Ohioan, Iowan, Indianian, Pennsylvanian, Maine, and New Hampshire delegations endorse the plan, abandoning their prior commitments.

2037-10-13 to 2037-10-22: As mutual outrage at the bombing grows and evidence and motivations are falsely forwarded that makes the case for all manner of motivations for the bombing, Kansas votes to join the Patriot Compact, as Missouri votes to rejoin it.

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2037-11-02: Tempers begin to cool as evidence that suggests Smith as the sole perpetrator is finally brought to light.

2037-11-02 to 2037-11-08: Progress finally begins to be made as delegates recollect and assess the severity of the situation they face. Although no compromises are yet made between any camp, observers begin to become hopeful of a final resolution to decades of political woe.

2037-11-09: Tragedy strikes as a sniper assassinates prominent Californian delegate Gloria Summers. Although the sniper was never apprehended, it was and is the popular presumption that the extremely professionally-executed action was that of a extremist veteran supporting the Patriot clique. That said, any number of theories of the motivation behind the assassination can be found, including that it was orchestrated by the M.S.S., a vindictive would-be Bezos heir, and even that it was a false flag by the secessionist wing of the Californian delegation (Summers having been a leading anti-secessionist).

2037-11-11: An emergency session of both chambers of the California legislature is called. A.B. 1, “An Act to make California an independent country” sails through and is signed by the governor the next day, to take effect November 14.

2037-11-13: The remaining minority of delegates from Georgia re-endorse the Patriot Compact.

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2037-11-16: While the exit of the California from the United States spurned generally pro-union sentiment, the opposite became true of Texas and their partners to the north in Oklahoma, as the calls to clamp down on further separatism was taken as offensive to some in the Texan delegation, where a much smaller but still prominent independence camp resided, and now grew larger. This new alliance went a step further than even the Lewis and Clarke Compact in championing states rights, demanding that any constitutional revision include the ability to legally nullify any federal statute.

2037-11-18: Lacking any authorization from the President or Congress, the Joint Chiefs of Staff secretly vote to begin mobilizing the military for potential domestic operations, including the occupation of formerly unmilitarized federal property located in California.

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2037-11-25 to 2037-11-27: Small detachments of military personnel begin occupying public spaces throughout the country in an attempt to maintain order. Although entirely lawful in and of itself, and despite no clear evidence of this, the contemporary reaction is that this is first stage of a military coup, with every side predictably accusing the other of being the plotters.

2037-11-27: Kansas votes to ally with Texas and Oklahoma.

2037-11-28: The order for members of the military to occupy public spaces is rescinded. Although ordered to return to their previous station, many servicemembers instead go AWOL and return to their homes, especially those from California and Texas.

2037-11-17 to 2037-11-29: Maine and New Hampshire re-align themselves into a regional alliance with Vermont, while several midwest states adopt a reformist outlook faced with the prospect of a future military takeover.

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2037-12-02: A group of Air Force officers originating from New York on leave from nearby Ellington AFB become involved in a major bar fight in Houston believed to have been sparked over political differences.

2037-12-03: Riots against the military break out across Texas as rumors spread that the previous night’s incident involved servicemembers gunning down protestors marching against the previous week’s military actions.

2037-12-05: An actual shooting of protestors occurs as nearly 20 people (including two Texas Air National Guard members) are killed attempting to storm Ellington AFB.

2037-12-06: In a rare and stunning instance of bipartisanship between the extreme left and right, the Texas legislature narrowly votes to follow California’s lead in leaving the United States.

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2037-12-10: A unit of the Illinois National Guard, supported by locals, prevents left-leaning members from attending a meeting of the state legislature in Springfield, resulting in a vote endorsing the exit of that state from the Progress Compact.

2037-12-08 to 2038-02-19: An utter lack of serious national response to either the riots or secessions affecting the nation have eroded the little authority the federal government still held to nil. Federal workers increasing fail to show up to work, and mass defections of the military become commonplace.

2037-12-16: Utah becomes the last state to meaningfully endorse a platform of reformation in a final push to preserve the integrity of the U.S.

2037-12-17: A meeting is held between representatives of Washington and Oregon to discuss the future of the two states.

2037-12-17: Recognizing the situation as virtually unsalvageable, Alaska once again chooses to ally with the Lewis and Clarke Compact.

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2038-01-01: Political leaders from Washington and Oregon announce an agreement has been reached for the two states to secede in tandem to form the independent nation of Cascadia, having been inspired by the thus-far success of California and Texas.

2038-01-05: Both states pass laws approving the proposal.

2038-01-21: The economic and political situation in Canada begin to degrade, as the already weak country struggles to supply itself through the winter in the face of major trade disruptions with their southern border.

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2038-01-13 to 2038-02-02: Frustrated with the state’s secession and desiring continued union with the U.S., several counties and municipalities in the south of the newly-formed nation assert the illegitimacy of the independence declaration and forbid the presence of any agency supporting it, collectively maintaining that they represent the genuine government of Texas.

2038-01-01 to 2038-04-10: Despite hopes prior to the secession of California that a compromise could yet be reached, deadlock once again returns to what is left of the Convention, as only extremely nominal compromises are reached by all sides. By early April, a political solution has been deemed unsalvageable by most observers.

2038-03-19: Long thought extinct, the Albertan and Quebec independence movements gain new life as Ottawa continues to struggle with the repercussions of the events to their south.

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2038-04-25: Having grown impatient with the Convention process, the Patriot Compact announces its departure from the process. Primarily blaming the Progress Compact for the failure of the convention, the members utilize the existing compact to launch a bevy of their proposed reforms to be mutually recognized by all members to the intense chagrin of the Progress Compact. Thus the Compact Era of American history begins in earnest.

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2038-04-27: A brawl erupts in the Texas House of Representatives as the exit of the more moderate regions of the state/country has created a sharp division between the liberal trifecta of Austin-Dallas-Houston and conservative west.

2038-04-28: In response to the Patriot Compact effectively forming a parallel set of federalized laws, the Patriot Compact responds in kind by taking the same measures. Fears of large-scale civil conflict reach a peak.

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2038-05-01: Conservative lawmakers in the western half of the country announce the unilateral departure of several dozen counties to form a new pan-American rival government known as the “United Federal States of America”. Although there is hope at the time by proponents that this would eventually subsume all the states of the Patriot and Lewis and Clark Compacts, this would not come to pass. Nevertheless, they would quickly find favor with their neighbors to the north. Modern historians draw comparisons of the constitutional structure of the U.F.S.A. to that of the old Articles of Confederation, including the weaknesses that led to the eventual downfall of both regimes.

2038-05-01: The increasing atomization of the country has largely convinced the remaining members of the Lewis and Clark Compact, who have effectively been organizing their own government for months at this point, of the need to assert their independence from the old constitutional order.

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2038-05-06: Having hammered out a jointly-agreed to preliminary constitution, a surprisingly radical departure from the political processes of the old order including elements of direct democracy, the leaders of the Lewis and Clark Compact announce that they would shortly be reorganized into what is to be known as the Republic of Lewis.

2038-05-08 to 2038-05-10: What has now been denominated as “North Texas” successfully convinces Kansas and Oklahoma to join them as equal members of the U.F.S.A..

2038-05-12 to 2038-6-03: The legislatures of Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Idaho ratify the new republican constitution. Citing a desire to retain control over its own affairs, Alaska respectfully declines to participate.

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2038-05-27: Despite much previous misgivings about taking such a radical turn, the typically moderate and advocate of stability, yet intensely politically-conscious Mormon population of Utah is forced to face the reality of the situation and passes a law that is in effect an independence declaration, despite pages of couched language describing it as a “conditional and tentative measure” and “fully respecting the theoretical legitimacy” of the former federal government.

2038-06-02: Economic historians consider this day to be the beginnings of a hyperinflationary spiral in Canada, as Prime Minister Kraglin announces an end to deeply unpopular austerity measures introduced mere weeks prior.

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2038-06-12: Governors of the non-Progressive New England states agree to mobilize their respective National Guards to mutually impose border controls against a flood of refugees from both their southern borders as well as to protect against extremist Quebec independence terrorist cells from operating on their territory to avoid capture by Canadian authorities.

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2038-07-11: Collating the experiences of the rest of the country, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio agree to a reasonably moderate interstate compact platform that is nevertheless a departure from what could be considered strictly constitutionally valid. Ironically, one of the key points of the platform is to highlight the illegitimacy of the unconstitutional legal enforcement the Patriot and Progressive governments have imposed. The Illinois legislature, which still skews liberal, rejects proposals to join with their neighbors despite intense public support outside of Chicago for the compact. Because of the location chosen for the signing ceremony as well as its central location, this alliance would become known as the St. Louis Compact. The continued constitutional stalwarts to the north continue to refuse to recognize any change which would challenge the legitimacy of the U.S. Constitution.

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2038-08-03: Alaska formally declares independence from the United States, having become effectively independent in all but name months prior. Canadian nationalists relish the thought of a future annexation once the domestic situation is resolved.

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2038-08-14: A militia group, with the supportive acquiescence of local police and the governor, seizes the Illinois state house in Springfield and announces that the state would be joining the St. Louis Compact.

2038-08-15: The Chicago City Council votes to secede from the state of Illinois, issuing the expected promulgations about the savagery and such which had taken place the day before. These protestations largely fall on deaf ears beyond a nominal declaration of support from the Progressive Compact.

2038-08-19: Mass civil unrest breaks out east of the Cascades as the newly-elected Cascadian government a series of series of incredibly radical reforms seemingly designed for the express purpose of sidelining the rural populations outside of Seattle and Portland.

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2038-08-30: The southwest constitutionalists, with the exception of Nevada, agree to formally band together in a contract strongly resembling that of the St. Louis Compact. Nevada fails to reach an agreement on an account of internal divisions; the overwhelmingly Mormon population occupying most of the land area of the states largely wishes to unite with Utah to form the long sought after Deseret, whereas Las Vegas, thanks to lobbying and propaganda from the west, is split on whether to remain in the U.S. or to instead join a political union with California.

2038-09-07: In support of who they view as their compatriots, militia groups operating out of Idaho and western Montana begin not-so-covert operations in support of the dissidents in Cascadia. Over the next few days they will be joined by a not insignificant number of members of the Cascadian National Guards stationed in the area. Within a matter of hours, there is already notable local support for annexation of the region into Lewis.

2038-09-13: The Cascadian government announces that a state of war exists between the Cascadian government and Lewis on account of the Lewisian government’s failure to prevent members of its military from launching incursions into Cascadian territory.

2038-09-15: Although initially hesitant, public outcry convinces the Republic of Lewis respond in-kind to the Cascadian declaration, issuing a proclamation that the republic would support the endeavors of the “freedom-loving” separatists and begins mobilizing its National Guards.

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2038-09-19: It is immediately obvious that the Cascadian declaration of war has backfired immensely, as not only does the rural population greet the Lewisian forces as liberators, a majority of the Cascadian National Guard, chiefly drawn from conservative and rural areas, defect both covertly and outright.

2038-09-22: The Albertan government after months of tense negotiations with Ottawa, declares its independence spurned on by the events to their south. The central government’s reticence to act would prove to be its undoing.

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2038-10-02: A mutually-accepted settlement is reached by three Nevadan factions. Clark County will separate from the rest of the state, which will subsequently be annexed by Utah. The newly created statelet, known simply as Vegas, will become an independent entity that merely maintains close relations to California, a situation which pleases those in the anti-Californian faction, who was primarily concerned with the tax and regulatory implications from a formal union.

2038-09-19 to 2038-10-11: Lewisian forces continue their advance into Cascadian territory.

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2038-10-06: Per the prior agreement, Nevada passes a law petitioning annexation by Utah, which is gladly accepted.

2038-10-12: A ceasefire is agreed to by the governments of Cascadia and Lewis.

2038-10-14: Seeking to cut their losses, the Cascadian government agrees to split their two countries along the Cascades mountain range, subject to a local plebiscite.

2038-10-15: Memories of the October Crisis and ‘95 referendum mix with present deep antipathy towards the Canadian government to create mass protests across Quebec with calls for the provincial government to follow Alberta’s lead in declaring independence.

2038-11-15: In an event virtually paralleling that which happened in Illinois, rioters storm the New York capitol in Albany demanding that the state government leave the Progressive Compact. State legislators quickly relocate to New York City, form a quorum, and declare the city to be the new legitimate seat of the state and calling on all responsible citizens to resist insurrectionist elements upstate. However, the condescending tone of the declaration skews the public to support the the new Albany government in its place. The Albany government requests New English aid, which reluctantly agrees.

2038-11-17: Quebec Premier Courchesne proclaims immediate and unilateral exit of Quebec from Canada, resulting in mass celebrations throughout the newly independent nation, and even greater riots elsewhere. Despite only a minority of public support in the province, the premier of Saskatchewan decides to frontrun events and also declares independence mere hours later, choosing to ally itself with Alberta.

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2038-11-30: Forced to pick between a quickly collapsing state and compatriots to the west, the Manitoban government follows Saskatchewan’s lead in leaving Canada.

2038-12-07: Per the terms of the ceasefire, voters in eastern Washington and southeastern Oregon vote overwhelmingly in favor on the question “do you wish to separate from the Republic of Cascadian and join the Republic of Lewis as a constituent unit to be known as ‘Jefferson’?”

2038-12-13: Inspired by the success to their north, politicians in northern California quickly push to organize a referendum of their own in hopes that they may too unite with Lewis.

2038-12-21: Despite successfully preventing polling places from opening in most of the state and credible threats from the Californian government and military to crush any separatism, several counties nevertheless return a positive result and quickly recall their representatives from the Californian Congress to form an independent government of Northern California.

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2039-01-01: The new year is ushered in as North California representatives vote unanimously in favor of annexation by Jefferson and subsumption of their briefly independent state into Lewis.

2039-01-29: The Cascadian public approves a referendum rewriting the constitution and creating a unitary state governed from Seattle.

2039-02-05: The Virginian government, without allies and fearing a repeat of what happened in Illinois and New York, narrowly votes to become a signatory of the Patriot Compact, leading to riots in liberal coastal cities both within and outside of Virginia.

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2039-02-08: Attempts to enforce Patriot Compact laws in Richmond and Norfolk result in several deaths, sparking even greater riots.

2039-02-09: National Guard detachments from the deep south sent to maintain order are attacked by Norfolk residents, who retaliate by shooting what is now believed to be hundreds of civilians. Historians mark this day as the beginning of the “Little Virginia War”.

2039-02-10: In what would prove to be the single-deadliest day of the American Collapse, near-war between the Patriots and Progressives erupts in eastern Virginia as thousands of heavily-armed anti-Patriot sympathizers pour in from the north. A full-scale military military conflict between the two factions is only averted as Patriot general Ripley orders a retreat from Norfolk and the Alexandria area as hundreds of his men are killed in impromptu attacks in the cities. Contemporary counts tally a total of 1,126 military deaths or M.I.A.s on the Patriot side, with New York investigators claiming to have identified no less than 2,003 civilian deaths resulting from Patriot military actions.

2039-02-11 to 2039-06-15: Although rioting and small-scale conflict would continue for months, particularly in Richmond, would would prove to serve as the seat of internal Patriot Compact dissidence for decades to come, there would be no further exchange of territory or major troop movements, with what were formerly Virginia’s coastal cities coming under the de facto administration of Maryland.

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2039-03-05: Eager to avert the disasters that befell Illinois, New York, and most recently and especially Virginia, the Pennsylvanian legislature passes a law that amicably and lays out extremely clearly the desires of the residents of the state, specifically that that, per a recent promulgation from the mayor of Philadelphia, that that city will leave the state to be annexed by New Jersey, while the remainder of the state will join in with the New England Compact. Perhaps because this is indeed the will of the state’s residents, and perhaps out of the desire of everyone to avoid bloodshed, this plan is actually implemented entirely orderly and peacefully.

2039-04-18: What’s left of the Canadian parliament unanimously passes a law that will serve as the foundation of an amicable division of the remaining provinces and territories. In it, all involved pledge to uphold the mutual dignity and respect of one another while maintaining full economic, diplomatic, and military cooperation while recognizing the necessity of self-governance.

2039-05-18: After consultation with residents, the British Columbian government reaches an agreement to split the province between Cascadia and the prairie states in contravention of the agreement reached one month earlier.

2039-06-18: Another month later, British Columbia leaves Canada with the Vancouver area being annexed by Cascadia the same day.

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2039-08-01 and 2039-08-02: The Yukon and Northwest Territories, in a move generally regarded as a move designed to line the pockets of decision-makers with shale money rather than express the will of the populace, join with their southern neighbors.

2039-10-11: A referendum confirms a proposal by (formerly) western Canadian politicians to spin the Atlantic provinces into a tight-knit “Maritimes Federal Union” (in spite of the inclusion of Newfoundland and Labrador).

2039-10-14: Discussions are held between political and business leaders of the already politically-aligned governments of Lewis, the prairie states, and Alaska on the future of cooperation between the three nations.

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2040-01-10: Minor revisions to the Lewisian constitution are enough to convince the prairie provinces to join as constituent components of the Republic. Alaska agrees to follow contingent on ratification by the formerly Canadian provinces.

2040-02-08 to 2040-02-11: Memorials held in commemoration of the events a year prior are held throughout both the Progressive and Patriot Compacts, stoking tensions yet again along the border.

2040-02-12: Spurned on by public fervor, counties in the Maryland panhandle rally in favor of annexation by West Virginia. Without authorization from high command, units of the West Virginian National Guard move into the region under the cover of night in an apparently pre-planned operation.

2040-02-10 to 2040-03-18: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, the Northwest Territories, and Yukon join the Republic of Lewis.

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2040-02-15: Maryland is forced to relinquish its western counties as a fait accompli as Maryland forces are unable to breakthrough fortifications erected in and around Hancock without incursions into Virginian or Pennsylvanian territory.

2040-03-20: Alaska becomes the fourteenth and final member of the Republic of Lewis.

And that's it! Any remarks? Anyone?

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>>5460323
Fucking swell dude! I read it and loved it and am curious to see how things will turn out and how US High Command responds to the dissolution of the country. And what happens to the US Overseas Forces? Or the US citizens stationed in Antarctica?

>>5460323
I honestly really like this! I like your exploration of the possibility that different states might fall apart into cliques like in the Articles of Confederation times, and also your consideration that parts of Canada might have a stronger connection to regional neighbors in the former US rather than the central govt in Ottawa.

My only criticism is that I feel that a total breakdown and cascade of secession would be the result of outright civil conflict between political groups or as the result of a coup (successful or otherwise). The United States is just so much of a coherent geographic and economic unit that I find it hard to believe that lawmakers in so many states would be willing to cut off their access to out-of-state resources so easily in favor of creating fragile new states with completely different governmental systems (although I am in love with the examples of those you create, like the R. of Lewis and the UFSA. I think they're very intriguing additions).

If you're willing to take advice, I'd just like to tell you that it's okay to get crazy with conflict as long as it makes things more interesting. IRL history has had a lot of twists and turns, and a few rogue states and generals make for a really cool 2ACW thriller/ war sim. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes!

>>5460240
>Collapse of the nation
>Borders still following lines drawn on the map
Are Americans really this fucking clueless? Cascadia and the Ohio river are the only borders that make sense on this clusterfuck.
Instantly lost interest in the quest. Even if the premise itself is boring trite that was done to death isn't as revolting as the map itself

>>5460339
Thanks, and the premise is that the federal situation has become intractable because of utter political bifurcation, with the entire office of the President being viewed as largely illegitimate, and no meaningful laws being passed by Congress. The DoD hasn't been disbanded (even by 2040), but lack of a formal budget means that the entire military is essentially running on fumes. Doubtlessly the relevant generals would begin recalling troops under their command from overseas as fast as possible once it becomes obvious the situation is unraveling, and as for the Antarcticans, it seems unlikely any rival government would seem to be in a rush to go get them. Of course, the British maintain a number of Antarctic bases, although given the situation across the pond...

>>5460453
>I find it hard to believe that lawmakers in so many states would be willing to cut off their access to out-of-state resources so easily in favor of creating fragile new states
The thing is, in my study of history, that's exactly what happens. Politicians have been proven throughout the ages to be perfectly willing to shoot their society in the foot in order to advance short-term political gains; just look at the ERE for a millennium of examples. It's also worth saying that this is only a big picture overview; suffice to say that stuff like crime and general civil order is lacking, conflict is widespread, the feds are powerless to stop it, and so the states have reemerged as the preeminent executors of order.

>>5460581
It's the collapse of the United States (and Canada), not of the states themselves. The pretext for all of this is that the federal government becomes intractably dysfunctional, and so power naturally devolves into the hands of states, and any territorial exchanges between them would provoke conflict. So while, say, the people and governments in Colorado and Wyoming might prefer that the other be on its side, neither has enough animosity towards the other to justify any sort of violence. Indeed, per >>5460317 the single-most violent day of fighting between factions only resulted in ~3000 deaths and the only formal declaration of war was between Lewis and Cascadia. Of course, the conflict's only two years in, there's plenty of time for more bloodshed and bordergore!

>>5461019
Nigger, do you not understand that a straight line border through open prairie isn't going to hold anyone who decides do change it? I mean I get it, you dumb fags are so used to the concept of border being just a line drawn on a map, but here is a clue:
If it ain't natural border, sky is the limit. Especially in a fucking warzone.
Someone realised that when draw Cascadia within the Willamette Valley and then apparently got distracted, decided to just keep state borders and went to play some CS.

>>5461019
And if you still don't get it:
In any normal, non-colonial nation, borders are results of either centuries of warfare or natural borders. Usually both. So don't even bother with the "b-but when Chinks had their warlords, they used former province borders!" - those borders are fucking based on natural barriers, you utter moron.
Meanwhile most of states are just lines on the map. There is literally nothing that actually keeps those lines and good fucking luck deciding without a GPS where exactly is the border when being somewhere in the southern Midwest

>>5461196
>Especially in a fucking warzone.
It's not a warzone though, that's the point. There are either peaceful relations or a highly-guarded border between all states with straight borders. See >>5460306 for why the Cascadian border is the way it is. The Cascadian border was actually one of the final border decisions.

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>>5461201
>There is literally nothing that actually keeps those lines
Except a desire not to go to war.
>good fucking luck deciding without a GPS where exactly is the border when being somewhere in the southern Midwest
You do realize that surveying existed before the 1980's, right? Like those state borders were determined a century before satellites existed.
>inb4 pic related can't possibly exist

OP makes a cool setting only to be raided by map fags for no reason especially when the map is guaranteed gonna change.
Also, how do you plan to run this /qst/ op? Do we pick a side and help them out with warfare/politics or is it more of a hands-off narrative.

>>5461494
Reread the OP never mind

>>5460318
>Vancouver area being annexed by Cascadia
this is.... odd, -ly specific.

>>5461019
What about all the states dependant on federal funds?

>>5461019
>although given the situation across the pond...
There was something about a Sino-Indian war here, right?
Is one of the reasons for such an extreme collapse of the States in this scenario because of global instability?

>>5460323
Why has California not conquered the rest of California from Mexico?

In fact, why does nothing seem to have happened in Mexico at all? Either they should be undergoing their own turmoil, or they should be picking at the 'lost land' from the fractured US; or even a mixture where they've lost California but have regained parts of Texas/New Mexico; but either way SOMETHING should be happening.

I dont mind reading alt history fiction......
Continue dude.
It entertaining.

>>5461494
If a single raider can kill QM's interest in their idea, then they weren't interested in the first place.

>>5460323
>Any remarks?
Yes. Why are you posting this on /qst/ if it's not a quest? I get that you want to put this out there and get feedback, but /qst/ doesn't seem like the place for it. Some place like /tg/ would probably be better, since this is strictly speaking not a quest (as you said yourself). It seems pretty clear to me that you don't have much intention to continue off of this as some kind of real quest, so this board doesn't seem like the right place.

Regarding the actual setting, I would say that people are really forgiving of insane, "fever-dream" type of set-ups for most things. This genre (2nd US Civil War type stuff) is pretty under-utilized, and you can get away with a lot since people don't have options. Having a "mostly peaceful" breakup on largely state lines/unions is kind of insane, but anything else you could put out will be. As one anon pointed out, real life is often borderline schizophrenic in how things play out. Besides, most people's enjoyment will be contingent on general writing/commitment skill and on completely unpredictable things like whether some random thing goes one way or another.

OP here, IP reset and the new one was permabanned.

>>5461765
Vancouver's a buncha libs like Seattle and Portland

>>5461980
Part of the impetus of this collapse was sectarian tenses reaching such a pitch in Congress that literally no legislation (including budgets) is able to be passed. All federal agencies that are still semi-functional are essentially extending themselves lines of credit and effectively printing money, much to the effect one would expect.

>>5462880
I haven't fully theorized outside of America (I have a rough sketch but it needs updating to account for the Ukraine War happening like it is), but a Sino-Indian War just seems like something of an inevitably in a post-American hegemony world, y'know? For the UK though, they've already been on a downhill decline for the past 80 years, and things are starting to turn real south for them even as I post this. I expect the EU to begin to centralize further, so they'll probably be able to survive in the intermediate future as a collective, Britain though really has nothing going for it, and I see no hope of that changing.

>>5465608
>Why has California not conquered the rest of California from Mexico?
The fact that Californians have absolutely no incentive to go to war in order to seize a barren wasteland.
>In fact, why does nothing seem to have happened in Mexico at all?
Mexico has found itself a kind of "shithole steady state", much like most of Latin America. There is a nominally functional democratic state, yes, but has been cursed by destiny to remove underindustrialized and poor, which ensures that there is never enough centralization or wealth to either transform itself into a modern country, OR succumb to the kind of collapse that we're seeing Russia undergo in 2022, or which America witnesses in this timeline. There's a number of preppers and suchfolk that have emigrated to places like Argentina for this very reason: the rest of the world can fall apart, and the region will barely notice.

>>5471425
>Why are you posting this on /qst/ if it's not a quest?
Idk, seems like a marginally more appropriate place than /tg/ for narrative fiction. I'd be interested in making this more /qst/ material I just don't know how I'd set it up. I'd make all of this into a HoI4 mod if that wasn't such a burden of work.
>Having a "mostly peaceful" breakup on largely state lines/unions is kind of insane, but anything else you could put out will be. As one anon pointed out, real life is often borderline schizophrenic in how things play out
Just wait 'til you see how the Middle East looks!

>>5472990
>marginally more appropriate place than /tg/ for narrative fiction
I've always thought of /tg/ as a place for 'worldbuilding' type stuff and /qst/ as the place for actually interactive stuff. And having this be a proper /qst/ would literally be as simple as writing a story based on it and adding a prompt where players make some kind of choice as to how things proceed. It's not necessarily easy to do as can be inferred from the high rate of people dropping, but it is simple. People have done it before sporadically. I vaguely remember one with some kind of Chinese-Mormon union-state (seriously, nobody cares about logic) that had participants until dropped.
>Just wait 'til you see how the Middle East looks!
I've looked at maps before and can very much infer how this part of the world is- wait, you're talking about in-universe, aren't you?! Yea, I personally prefer keeping details on far-away places sparse and vague until they have a significant, tangible impact on whatever is going on. Players in practice only really care about things that are going to have immediate/near-term impact on what they're doing.
In addition, keeping far off things vague gives you more flexibility. Although you really should avoid trying to "match" things happening in-universe to developing things in real life. I would strongly advise to just ignore such things as your perceptions on ongoing wars or catastrophes or the like and keep things going on their own internal logic from some moment of change well before writing anything. Not only can you save face if things don't go your way, but it's much easier to write since you know in advance how things play out and how players could influence such things if they choose.

>>5472990
>Vancouver's a buncha libs like Seattle and Portland
Mostly true, but there are areas and smaller cities around it that shift more conservative or moderate like surrey or langley. Not sure how they trun out since they are somewhat south of Vancouver.

Two other things id bring up are how fast things snowball, which i think happens too fast imo, and some of the color of factions are hard to sometimes tell the difference.

OP if you are still around please PLEASE make sure you archive this masterpiece of fiction, I love the world you have built here and would hate to see it slip into the void because no one made sure it was archived.

>>5482616
You could help archive it yourself.

>>5460453
>The United States is just so much of a coherent geographic and economic unit
not an american, are you?
wee are barely United
we aren't really free.

This was a very intriguing story. I've archived it at archive dot ph slash jxP9G
Save the link if you'd like.