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The indigenous peoples of the new world avoid contact with the pilgrims.I would very much like to see an alternate history where Native Americans give up the nomadic lifestyle and develop an alphabet. I know there were some non-nomadic Native Americans, but I would like to see a what if they had developed technologically equivalent to Europe, or even better, China.
The Mound Builders of Chahokia do not abandon their large city (located in the Chicago Area) due to flooding and Fuel and Game Scarcity and continue to Develop Agriculture, Trade, and Cultural skills achieving Herding and Farming along the Ohio? River.
54) Deep Throat decides not to become a government informant, and Nixon's role in the Watergate break-ins are never discovered. On the strength of Nixon's 2 terms in office, VP Gerald Ford wins a close election against a Georgia peanut farmer who recedes into anonymity. The Democrats, looking for a strong name to beat Ford in the 1980 elections, choose Teddy Kennedy who narrowly beats Ford to become President of the United States. Thinking that a campaign against the Kennedy name would be too risky, Ronald Reagan decides not to run for the Republican nomination in 1984...
(I'm not a poly sci or a history major so there are probably major holes in this story but what the hey...)
55) Montcalm beats Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham and the Nation of Quebec is eventually established.
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The indigenous peoples of the new world avoid contact with the pilgrims.I would very much like to see an alternate history where Native Americans give up the nomadic lifestyle and develop an alphabet. I know there were some non-nomadic Native Americans, but I would like to see a what if they had developed technologically equivalent to Europe, or even better, China.
You mean a "what if North America had indigenous animals capable of labor (the Mayans, for one, had independently invented the wheel, and made toys with it, they had no clue of any major practical uses as they didn't have anything to pull a wagon with)?"
One of the biggest things that kept them back, technologically.
In 1908, Henry Ford decides to base his assembly line Model T on an electrical engine instead of a gasoline engine.
Or...
The U.S. government never criminalizes marijuana. Hemp oil production continues to be a profitable industry and, as a result, Henry Ford continues to follow in Rudolph Diesel's footsteps and works to perfect the biodiesel engine for all Ford vehicles.
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57) Werner Von Heisenberg, fearing he will be incarcerated or worse by the SS - as was almost done in 1938, doesn't limit his work to theoretical models as project head of Germany's atomic bomb program. Instead, he has a working prototype in place by December 1944 instead of fleeing the country. Germany's use of a Uranium Bomb on Warsaw and then Moscow halts the Russian advance along the eastern front. Their atomic resources exhausted, the German Army eliminates Hitler before the madman can try to blow someone else up. A new peace agreement is drawn up, and the world sinks into a Cold War dominated by Nazi Germany and the United States. The fallout effects are more prevalent because Heisenberg didn't have the resources or knowledge to better refine his bombs. Parts of Eastern Europe and Russia will be uninhabitable for decades.
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58) Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire decides to not take a bath in the Saleph river and therefore drown. He manages to keep the more ignorant Richard Lionheart and weaker Philip II of France in line for the Third Crusade. His fear of water keeps them from sailing for Palestine, and instead they continue their march through the Anatolian peninusula. With his huge army intact, he takes Constantinople, establishing a base of operations for attacks into the Holy Land. Jerusalem remains mostly Christian for a much longer time, and no Ottoman Empire and no Turkey will form in the modern world. A mixture of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Barbarossa application of the Justinian Code develops in this part of world - likely with a mixture of Italian trade practices and German military heritage.
60) Macarthur is never ordered to leave the Philippines, repels the Japanese invaders, thus ending America's involvement in WWII very early.
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58) Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire decides to not take a bath in the Saleph river and therefore drown. He manages to keep the more ignorant Richard Lionheart and weaker Philip II of France in line for the Third Crusade. His fear of water keeps them from sailing for Palestine, and instead they continue their march through the Anatolian peninusula. With his huge army intact, he takes Constantinople, establishing a base of operations for attacks into the Holy Land. Jerusalem remains mostly Christian for a much longer time, and no Ottoman Empire and no Turkey will form in the modern world. A mixture of the Armenian Apostolic Church and Barbarossa application of the Justinian Code develops in this part of world - likely with a mixture of Italian trade practices and German military heritage.
Richard does not die outside of Jerusalem and comes home. His brother John lackland dies a penniless man and the Magna Cater is never written. The American Colonies remain part of the British empire well into the next 100 years.
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62 - For one reason or another, the Carter and Reagan administrations do not view Afghanistan as an important part of their Cold War strategy, and do not fund or support the mujahideen. As a result, the Soviet Union does not invade the country in 1979, and the Taliban do not seize control of a war-torn nation in 1996.
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62 - For one reason or another, the Carter and Reagan administrations do not view Afghanistan as an important part of their Cold War strategy, and do not fund or support the mujahideen. As a result, the Soviet Union does not invade the country in 1979, and the Taliban do not seize control of a war-torn nation in 1996.
We didn't fund or support the mujahideen until well after the fact. The U.S.S.R. went in to support the embattled communist government that was poised to fall. We jumped in with support well after that fact. Figured the Russians deserved an embarrassment like they helped deal us a decade earlier in 'Nam.
63) Columbus' expedition all died in a hurricane as a result the Incans conquers the rest of the Americas becoming strong enough to repel future European influence.
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64. Atlantis never sank into the ocean.
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62 - For one reason or another, the Carter and Reagan administrations do not view Afghanistan as an important part of their Cold War strategy, and do not fund or support the mujahideen. As a result, the Soviet Union does not invade the country in 1979, and the Taliban do not seize control of a war-torn nation in 1996.We didn't fund or support the mujahideen until well after the fact. The U.S.S.R. went in to support the embattled communist government that was poised to fall. We jumped in with support well after that fact. Figured the Russians deserved an embarrassment like they helped deal us a decade earlier in 'Nam.
You could be right, but that was not my understanding. As far as I knew, there was unrest in the country for some time, and about 78, 79, the US saw it as an opportunity to weaken the Soviet Union by helping the mujahideen stir up trouble against the pro-USSR government, and hopefully draw the Soviets into a civil war. I’m not sure how much support the US provided prior to the Soviets marching in in late 1979 (possibly not much up until that point), but it is my understanding that it was very much a part of America’s Cold War policy to try to draw the USSR into a war in Afghanistan, and that the pro-Soviet government was not in all that much trouble until the US starting helping their enemies.
This was explained to me by someone a while back, so I can’t cite any evidence to back it up – and maybe they were wrong.
Of course, I may be misunderstanding the situation even further than that; it’s possible that the mujahideen may have been able to cause enough disruption to draw the USSR into an invasion without any US support, but I always had the impression that it was covert US support that was instrumental in drawing the USSR in (and later bogging them down there and basically helping to destroy the country’s infrastructure).
I suppose, for want of heading off an argument, you could change my original proposition; leaving aside the question of US support, the mujahideen never had enough power or resources to cause serious trouble to the sitting government of Afghanistan, and as such, the USSR never had an excuse or reason to march in and ‘help’.
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65. Russia never sold Alaska to the USA.
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66. Hot headed Emperor Napoleon III doesn't fall for Bismarck's dirty trick, and doesn't react to the Potsdam letter (a forged insulting letter supposedly sent by Kaiser Wilhelm) by declaring war on Prussia, thereby unifying Germany against France. The 1870 war doesn't happen. Germany unification still happens, but at a later date and by peaceful means. Alsace and Lorraine french provinces doesn't get forcefully integrated into Germany, permitting France and Germany to maintain peaceful relations. No world war happen (either the first or second one). Europe remains an economic and scientific superpower.
Funny what can change when one or two leaders make wrong decisions based on hubris, eh ?
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68. The natives prove to be far more resilient than ever thought, and the plan to distribute pox-infected blankets among them results in little more than thanks for the blankets.
(From the wife)69. Disturbed by the technology of the unusually pale visitors, the numerous Indian tribes along the US East Coast unite to repel them.
70. Due to financial woes, George Lucas is unable to complete Star Wars on time. Yoshiuki Tomino creates his space epic Gundam as he originally planned.
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71. Hitler never contracts syphillis. His mind remains (relatively) whole, and Operation Valkyrie never goes past the planning stage.
72. Hitler's call to return to the Fatherland includes focuses more on Germany's woes as a country than racial superiority, and a whole host of people otherwise ostracized and scapegoated are instead welcomed to the movement.
73. Due to a love of fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, a young musician suffers a fatal heart attack at the very start of his career. Without a white icon to rally around, rock n' roll remains a primarily african-american style of music well into the 1960's.
74. The 40 acres and a mule promise is kept. The migration to the west is primarily spearheaded by african american farmers as a result.
75. George Washington, in the face of serious aggression from the redcoats, comes up with the idea that any african american serving in his forces is granted their freedom a day before the British general does. The 3/5ths compromise is never reached as a result, however, slavery continues for those few who refused to fight or never got the message due to angry or fearful slaveowners.
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76(from the wife). The bubonic plague is transmitted sexually instead of through vermin. Europe suffers significantly less loss of life as a result.
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77(inspired by the wife). Krakatoa never erupts. Europe enjoys a normal summer.
78. Due to a sudden illness, Gene Roddenberry is unable to make his pitch to TV execs, and cannot make another appointment. Viewing it as a sign, he instead puts his ideas into a series of paperback novels.
79. The creative staff behind The Tracy Ullman Show decides to push the envelope with respect to comedy even further and is forced on to HBO in the name of decency. It reaches a significantly smaller audience and does not complete its 1987 season.
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80. Nintendo and Sony continue to work together instead of splitting paths in 1989. Nintendo beats Sega in terms of adopting CD-based technology to their gaming platform by a year and a half, and the Nintendo Playstation becomes the best selling video game system of all time.
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80(from the wife). FDR never contracts polio. His presidency continues, and institutes sweeping social changes.
81. Due to either successful anti-drug campaigns, incredibly lax law enforcement, low financial returns/incentive or perhaps all of the above, the lifestyle encouraged by gangsta rap proves to be too unstable and chaotic to gain popularity in african american communities. The music of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, while entertaining, never catches on with white upper-middle class youth, and the style on the whole returns to and retains popularity only with the politically oriented. Ice T and Ice Cube focus on their television and movie careers respectively.
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All that happens the same, except that the Paris Commune survives and spreads socialism throughout Europe. As a consequence we all work 35-hours work weeks and it's illegal to hold two jobs.
66. Hot headed Emperor Napoleon III doesn't fall for Bismarck's dirty trick, and doesn't react to the Potsdam letter (a forged insulting letter supposedly sent by Kaiser Wilhelm) by declaring war on Prussia, thereby unifying Germany against France. The 1870 war doesn't happen. Germany unification still happens, but at a later date and by peaceful means. Alsace and Lorraine french provinces doesn't get forcefully integrated into Germany, permitting France and Germany to maintain peaceful relations. No world war happen (either the first or second one). Europe remains an economic and scientific superpower.
Funny what can change when one or two leaders make wrong decisions based on hubris, eh ?
All that happens the same but the Paris Commune survives and socialism spreads throughout Europe. Consequently...(see above).
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Two decisions that would have meager impact on history as a whole but would irrevocably change the lives of most everyone here.
82. Gary Gygax never gets into gaming.
83. Paizo decides to pursue CCGs and board games rather than keep doing RPGs. Pathfinder and Golarion never get made.
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Two decisions that would have meager impact on history as a whole but would irrevocably change the lives of most everyone here.
82. Gary Gygax never gets into gaming.
83. Paizo decides to pursue CCGs and board games rather than keep doing RPGs. Pathfinder and Golarion never get made.
In such an alternate universe, we, once proud gamers, some even in each other's gaming groups would pass each other in the halls as strangers. But then, a creeping frost within... a preternatural sense that we shared and yet were somehow kept from a link of some kind.
"Perhaps we knew each other in another life," we surmise dismissively - our mortals minds unable to comprehend how a single thread on the Paizo forums in 2010 went from thought to a history changing entropic storm that would yank out the weave that once held us together like a girl fight in a hip-hop club.
Oh, dear sweet daft OP... What have you wrought?!
WHAT HAVE YOU WROUGHT?!
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Two decisions that would have meager impact on history as a whole but would irrevocably change the lives of most everyone here.
82. Gary Gygax never gets into gaming.
83. Paizo decides to pursue CCGs and board games rather than keep doing RPGs. Pathfinder and Golarion never get made.
Alternatively...
83.1- Surprised by the sales effectiveness of the Rules Compendium, WotC puts off their plans for 4th edition indefinetly. Dragon and Dungeon continue to produce 3.5 material under Paizo. Pathfinder and Golarion are instead used to refer to the world created on the Paizo.com boards for the purposes of play by post.
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84) Instead of cheating him, Thomas Edison makes good on his promise to Nikola Tesla to pay him $50,000 for his work in improving the direct current system. Tesla doesn't leave the Edison's company, and instead a long partnership develops that combines Tesla's invention genius with Edison's practical applications and business acumen. There is no "war of the currents" with Westinghouse; Edison converts his whole system of electricity with Tesla's help to alternate current. The Continental Edison Company goes on to develop wireless technology for telecommunications; microwave power transmission; and radio astronomy telescopes by the 1920's. In addition, Edison's company becomes the #1 defense contractor in the United States - providing remote controlled, robotic torpedos; VTOL systems for aircraft, and projected energy weapons.
World War I ends more quickly and less bloody after Tesla (who is a proud Serbian) convinces Edison to influence US involvement in the conflict.
84) Instead of cheating him, Thomas Edison makes good on his promise to Nikola Tesla to pay him $50,000 for his work in improving the direct current system. Tesla doesn't leave the Edison's company, and instead a long partnership develops that combines Tesla's invention genius with Edison's practical applications and business acumen. There is no "war of the currents" with Westinghouse; Edison converts his whole system of electricity with Tesla's help to alternate current. The Continental Edison Company goes on to develop wireless technology for telecommunications; microwave power transmission; and radio astronomy telescopes by the 1920's. In addition, Edison's company becomes the #1 defense contractor in the United States - providing remote controlled, robotic torpedos; VTOL systems for aircraft, and projected energy weapons.
World War I ends more quickly and less bloody after Tesla (who is a proud Serbian) convinces Edison to influence US involvement in the conflict.
Neat. :)
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85.) Seeing the economic downturn and listening to their consumer public, WotC realizes that the time has not yet come to release 4E. Instead, they work on producing higher-quality products instead of more products. The contract between WotC and Paizo for Dragon and Dungeon magazines is renewed. Both companies manage through the recession, with WotC redeveloping 4E with help from Paizo. 4E is released with a whole new series of iconics. No more Regdar and Mialee. In their stead are Valeros and Seoni, created by the fans for the fans. RPGs enjoy a new renaissance.
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86) Genghis Khan lives to the ripe age of 80. He completes his conquering of the known world (including Europe and northern Africa). His empire spreads scientific knowledge, meritocracy based systems and religious tolerance across all the known world.
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Siddhartha Gautama decides that leaving behind his wife and son to a life of asceticism is abhorrent and therefore lives out the rest of his days as Prince, and later King, in Kapilavastu.
At the Potsdam Conference, the Allies decide to allow Korea to choose its own path. Free elections are held and the Korean people adopt communism by a narrow margin. Under strong influence of the Soviet Union and China, Korea remains a moderate and stable communist state. Korea experiments with free market shortly before the fall of the Soviet Union. After the fall, Korea quickly adopts more open markets and quickly begins to make inroads into Japan's electronics market.
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89) Galileo Galilei decides, after being reprimanded by the Catholic Church once, not to publish his findings for a heliocentric universe. He continues to work in silence and his books are found after his death by his daughter. Because she is a nun, she keeps the books secret for fear of incurring Church censure on her father's reputation, thereby delaying his discoveries even later into the 17th century.
The Copernican theory of planetary systems disappears; the scientific method he creates doesn't form; Issac Newton fails to complete his laws of motion or calculus without Galileo's observations; Christian Hyguens develops calculus and Joahannes Kepler creates an alternate set of laws of motion - neither of which is as complete; his theories on longitudal measurements are lost which hampers the Age of Exploration. Finally, Einstein's special theory of relativity takes longer to develop because Galileo's basic principle of relativity never coaleseces. A man lands on the moon in 1989.
90) Britain keeps a tight rein on the colonies and when revolutionaries try to change things, officials execute them. The U.S.A. becomes the British States of America, ruled by a monarhy.
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I notice two 90s right on top of each other...so it would be:
93. US Senate cuts the nuts off George W. Bush's plan to include Iraq in his war on Terror. Consequently The USA commits fully to the Afghanistan Solution.
94. The US govenrnment decide to accept a suggestion by an Outsider that the best solution for Afghanistan is to establish a secure area and Build an Airport and Hightech City into which all (proven) Afghani Women and Children will be relocated once they are rounded up. This city being a total police state in terms of surveilance. The city is established as a Matriarchy city-state.
Haliburton picks up the construction contract.
All men over the age of 14 are put to work in work camps and labour farms - paid in Medical, food, and good shelter.
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94) Bowing to public outcry following the sinking of the Lusitania, President Woodrow Wilson leads the US into The Great War in 1915
95) Under pressure from the Irish immigrant population, President Woodrow Wilson intervenes in the Irish rebellion of 1916, bringing the US into the Great War on the side of the Triple Alliance.
96) While in Mexico, searching for Pancho Villa, 1st Lieutenant George S. Patton is killed by 5 banditos.
97) Deciding it will win more favour with England and France, Adolf Hilter focuses the Nazi party against communism, rather than Jews. In 1936, Germany, Finland, and Poland invade Russia, supported by France and England
98) King Edward VII refuses to abdicate. His Nazi sympathies cause England to ally with Germany against France in May 1940.
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100. Tunguska Meteorite Impacts rather than airbursts. Consequently a Cloud of Dust blankets Siberia and the rest of middle Eurasia resulting in a huge human (and non-human) population die off.
After the Dust Settles - North America sends an Expiditionary force to investigate the Population loss in Eurasia. It finds the population of Eurasia has been reduced to less than a fifth.
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99) Admiral Kimmel is warned to move the Pacific fleet out of Pearl Harbor on 5 Dec 1941. The Japanese air raid causes damage to facilities, but no major ships are lost. The battleship-focused US fleet is battered and loses the battle of Midway. This causes the war in the Pacific theatre to shift in favour of the Japanese until Col. Doolittle flies a B-25 from the deck of USS Hornet, dropping an atomic bomb on Tokyo in early 1946
101) The Zimmerman telegram is sent to the White House in 1917, offering Canada to the US if President Wilson will ally with Germany against England and France
102) The US maintains strict neutrality in the second world war. Lend/lease is not enacted, and US warships are not used to patrol the Canadian coast. The resulting strain on resources causes England to capitulate in 1943, in order to prevent an invasion by Germany
64. Atlantis never sank into the ocean.Which one?
The one Plato describes in his written works.
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103)Ivan A. Kuskov, administrator of the Russian-American Company's Ft. Ross colony in California decides to expand farming north than rather than just trade with Mexican San Francisco in furs and food. His goal is counter the Spanish Missionary system and feed Russia's Alaskan colonies. 30 years of expansion leads to a Russian farmer discovering gold nuggets in 1841 in a river stream. The Russian-American Company maintains the colony rather abandoning it for trading interests with Ft. Vancouver.
Northern California remains in Russian hands even as the US recieves the rest of the southwest from the Mexican-American war. The California Gold Rush is blunted, and Russia finds itself infused with new gold reserves. Secretary of State William Seward is unable to make an "Alaskan Purchase", and a Russian commonwealth nation similar to Canada likely forms along the length of the Pacific Northwest.