Special thanks to my friend, EmperorTigerstar (link in description) for the maps. This is Part 1 of our series exploring Turtledove's Southern victory novels. The next part will be up in a week, so subscribe to him to see more, or follow me to know when it's up! Also I used the first CSA flag, because KZfaq doesn't like the battle flag and I'm a coward.

But McClellan didn’t lose, he merely failed to win!

3:35 "Two rival nations have to share a continent" - laughs histerically in european -

I love how “nobody goes to Hawaii” so it immediately becomes a British colony

if anyone has been to a civil war reenactment, its pretty funny when the confederates yell something along the lines of “go home damn yankees” and the union soldiers yell back stuff as well

well that went south pretty quick

Do "What if Australia won the Great Emu War"

Abraham Lincoln: **Outlaws slavery** Slaves states that remained a part of the Union: Dude. WTF?

What if Naboo declared war on Tatooine and Gondor wasn’t there to save the princess from the evil Jedi?

Southern Victory Series sounds like an important NASCAR event.

"Let's talk about the civil war" KZfaq-"no it didn't happen, no racism on the site" "But we can't ignore it it is history" KZfaq- "THE AD LORDS HAVE SPOKEN!"

“Damn yankee” This made me chuckle way too much

"Now two rival nations are forced to share the same continent." Europe: "First time?"

Just randomly in the video “And the mormons were rebelling” Lol, I don’t know why I found that so funny

Harry's series was a work that I was unable to put down. An alternate history in fine detail. Most engrossing.

The us-confederate post-war tension just sounds like good old Ireland

"What if the confederacy won?" General sherman: *confused screaming*

Fucks sake, Cody I have a physics exam in an hour. But fine I'll just have to explain Nuclear physics from a perspective of the South winning the civil war

In my High School sophomore to junior summer I took an American History course. The teacher had us run a simulation on the civil war using dice as the way to determine who won, with various buffs and debuffs thrown in. Nearly the entirety of my class had stated there was no way the south could have won. I proceeded to beg the teacher to let me be the 5 Star General of the CSA (basically lee) and finally got approval. I spent the next 2 days (about 7 hours) of the simulation fighting a defensive war with some WW1 concepts (trenches) and making use of lesser known technology compared to the rest of my class (Ironclads, Submarines, Gatling guns) and leading the south to conquer DC, and up to Illinois. I also got the french, native Americans, and British to support me militarily, and economically. I consider it one of my favorite memories, because not only did I utterly pwn the people who ignored alternate outcomes, but also showed that the class had no idea how many variables go into a war and that outcomes can be entirely different if the battle goes differently. I fought a defensive war, pushing the enemy back and digging in, making them come to me. I just wished the class wasn't as mad at me as they were. Edit: guys I'm not saying this is a real life literal alternate scenario I did. I commented something relevant and interesting from HIGH SCHOOL. No need to get your knickers in a bunch. Edit 2: I GOT ONTO CODY'S TWITTER!!!!!!!!!!! If anyone wants to ask anymore questions about it tweet me @Drakador

"First modern use of trench warfare." I recall hearing many historians discuss USA trenches around CSA cities.

*Dixie whistles considerably louder*

Damn Messenger ... You had ONE JOB!

Imagine meeting somebody from this universe, it would be an interesting conversation lol

2:17 If Assassin's Creed sets a game set in the U.S. Civil War, I could see intercepting Special Order 191 being a mission. I could also see McClellan being a Templar plant, purposely leading the Union forces to failure, like Charles Lee did in the Revolutionary War. And Robert E> Lee, and "Stonewall" Jackson? Also Templars.

Thank you for using the real Confederate Flag

What if the mongols had successfully invaded Japan?

3:40 Now 2 rival nations are forced to share the same continent Every other nation on this planet: Am I a joke to you?

I’ve read the first two books of the southern victory series. Both of them are great perspectives on this kind of time period. These books are good because they use many characters, and section off said characters in different parts. Definitely recommend.

Last time When i was this early the Robert E, Lee statue was still standing.

Wasn't the whole reason Russia sold Alaska to the US was that they couldn't afford to keep the colony and were under threat of the English taking it from them by force? So instead of losing Alaska empty handed they decided to sell it to the US. SO in this alternate timeline wouldn't the British have control of Alaska?

My version of this timeline goes a little differently: *1860’s* • After the War of Secession, the CSA takes Kentucky and the other Union Slave States (Maryland, Delaware, Missouri,) and also annexes West Virginia back into Virginia. Besides those places: the New Mexico Territory, the Colorado Territory, and the Nevada Territory are also annexed into the Confederacy. • To spite the Union, Utah and California gain independence as the “Theocracy of Deseret” headed by the Mormons and the “Empire of California” under Emperor Joshua Norton respectively. California agrees to the CSA using their ports. • In order to earn the support of France, the CSA intervenes in Mexico on their behalf to help install Maximillian Habsburg as Emperor. • The USA and CSA move their respective capitals to NYC and Atlanta in order to distance themselves from each other and keep their capital cities safer from future conflicts. *1870’s-1914* • Pretty much the same as the actual books - USA vs CSA Cold War, 2nd Yank-Dixie War resulting in CSA purchasing Chihuahua and Sonora from Mexico, German Empire allying with the USA, CSA gaining Cuba. • After the Franco-Prussian War, the 3rd French Republic is initially reluctant to get involved in American affairs, but eventually restores friendly relations with the CSA. • Russia is eventually forced to sell Alaska to British Canada. However, the Russians living there refuse to leave or integrate, seeing Brits as unjust and unwanted rulers. This has implications for the future. *1914-1918* • WW1 breaks out same as IOTL, but now also with an American front between the USA on one side, and both the CSA and Canada on the other. Deseret, California, and Mexico declare neutrality, though Mexico’s Habsburg Emperor is sympathetic to the Central Powers. • War goes like in the book mostly, though there is additional fighting in Missouri among other places, including an American naval invasion of British Hawaii. In 1917, as the Allied Powers begin crumbling to revolts in Europe, that happens too in Canada and the CSA. • Mexico fights its own battles in Central America, annexing the various tiny countries that were once part of the First Mexican Empire. They ignore Belize since it’s a British colony. Mexico soon reaches Panama (in this TL still owned by Colombia.) Mexico demands the region be sold to them, Colombia refuses, and so a Mexican-Colombian War ensues on the sidelines that Mexico eventually wins, uniting Central America under one flag. • In Canada, both Alaska and Quebec break away. There is a huge immigration of White Army people from Russia to Alaska when it happens. With American assistance, both Alaska and Quebec become independent Republics. • The African-American revolt in the CSA is led by Huey *SCHLONG-DONG* Long, who leads the revolt to focus in Texas, where he used his oratory skills to revive Texan independence movements. A 2nd Texan Republic is established. • Seeing how weak the CSA is (and plus being sympathetic to the Central Powers,) Mexico joins the war against the Allies to liberate Cuba, take back Chihuahua and Sonora, and also to annex Belize from Britain. This happens. Partway through, Mexican forces also invade Texas and clash with both Confederates and Texans, but Huey Long convinces Mexico to leave them be. • In Europe, France is swallowed in a civil war that started with its army mutinying, allowing Germany to easily annex Brie-Longwy from them. Italy surrenders, the Brest-Litovsk Treaty is put in place with Russia. Germany, despite sending Vladimir Lenin to cause chaos in Russia, realizes a big communist country like Russia on their doorstep would be a bad idea, so they intervene to try to help the remaining Whites. But with most of the Whites in Alaska, they can’t do much. • The Soviet Union still rises, but its postwar borders are similar to modern-day Russia’s borders due to Belarus and Ukraine being under German influence and the Central Asian Stan’s under Ottoman influence. * 1918-1939* • After the conflict, the Ottoman Empire fights an ongoing civil war against the Arab Revolt. Germany sends help to them. Austria-Hungary is also on the verge of collapse. • Britain loses Ireland entirely as well as some colonies. Italy is reformed into the “Italian Federation” or “United States of Italy” which is a loose union of small states puppets of Germany and Austria-Hungary. • The French Civil War is highly complicated, with several sides vying for control - Conservative Republicans from the old government, Liberal Republicans, Monarchists, Bonapartists, Communists and Socialists. Germany intervenes on behalf of the Monarchists while the Soviets aid the Communists however they can. • Overall, Europe is turning into Germany’s playground, with Mitteleuropa being put in place as well as puppet monarchies loyal to Germany. • In America, the USA emerges as a Great Power after taking back Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico/Arizona, Missouri, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and D.C from the CSA. The USA recognizes Texan independence, then intervenes in the Caribbean to help liberate the Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica. • The CSA is little more than a backward rump state hit hard by the war. Rather than Jake Featherston, a real figure named William Simmons - founder of OTL’s 2nd KKK - rises to power in the CSA, turning the Confederate States into the Klan-Confederacy. He is able to do so because despite there not being a Great Depression, the CSA was sanctioned so much that they can’t hardly industrialize or revive their economy, allowing Simmons to rise to “take drastic action.” • During the 1930’s, the Klan annexes Cuba and also fights wars with both Mexico and Texas, the USA watching nervously. After annexing Texas (but not easily since Huey Long’s Texas puts up a fight,) Long evacuates to Deseret. The Klan-Confederacy demands they hand Long over to “atone for his sins,” but the USA steps in to stop this. Long story short, what would become WW2 begins... That’s what I have so far. Once I decide how WW2 will go, I intend to go beyond what Turtledove wrote and continue through to 2020 with the COVID outbreak and everything.

It’s a great series. Turtledove is a genius.

For your next alternate history lore subject, I highly recommend the Korean film "2009 Lost Memories". It pictures the world if Korea was still occupied by Japan well into 2009. The reason this is possible is because powerful Japanese people in our own timeline discover time travel. They travel back to 1909 and use their knowledge of future events to manipulate history, making Japan the premier global superpower. They prevent the the assassination of the Japanese governor of Korea, thus stopping the Korean resistance from gaining public support early on. They convince the Japanese government to side with the allies during WW2 instead of the Axis, allowing them to keep all the lands they conquered, as well as having the nuke dropped on Berlin instead. Japan gets a permanent seat on the UN Security Council instead of China. All the while the time-traveling people introduce futuristic technology, giving Japan a serious technological, military, and economic advantage over the rest of the world.

I like how Cody's eye expanded out past his own face. 9:08

It’s not the comment section you have to worry about Twitter/X is the real monster

The premise that the US could not afford to purchase Alaska from Russia seems very flawed. If the war ended in 1862 in Turtledove's books (haven't read them so perhaps he had it in 1863) then it also means the North never had to fork over the tremendous expenses of the last two years of the war, plus the beginning years of Reconstruction, which included keeping an army of occupation in the South. There is no reason to believe the Northern economy would have suffered by the war ending earlier, nor is there any reason to think that the US government would be "too poor" to buy Alaska. If anything, the South would have struggled to compete in an increasingly industrialized world and the British had already begun exploring the idea of growing their own cotton in places like Egypt. At some point, it's more than likely they would have concluded that there was an advantage to growing their own rather than purchasing it from the South and there goes the CSA's main export. What seems very possible is that the entire CSSA basically becomes Mississippi, that is, a tiny class of elite landowners and a massive underclass of dirt farmers and slaves. There is no likely path to a CSA becoming anything approaching a world power.

Execute order 191.

Alternate History: What if Plankton had the Krabby Patty formula? (Yes this is a joke don't actually do that lol)

Imagine if they made a full on TV show about this timeline like The Man In The High Castle

Who's here after "Civil War Oversimplified"?

So one guy doesn't drop a letter and that's it 10/10 definitely the content I subbed for

Turtledove does a smash up job on his alternate history and I was always awaiting the next installment in his series. Moreover, his series was much more realistic than most in plausibility. The bitterness between the two nations would be endless.

I read a few if these books and they were brutal. However, the concept intrigued me, so I appreciate these videos. Well done.

Shortly after the end of the Second Great War, a war veteran from the US named James Roberts Ronald Tarkin(and you thought I meant Tolkien) writes down the acclaimed book series Teutonic Adventures(we've got equivalents in Lord of the Rings, Jirel of Joiry, etc. Basically, it's some of every epic fantasy.) They launch not only a multimedia franchise(including a German film series, a Swiss animated TV series/anime, and a heavily acclaimed film series from America) but also numerous imitators. The main villain is Dark Lord Kazar, a ruthless warmonger who wants to exterminate all humans(like how Jake Featherston committed genocide against African-Americans and other people that white Southerners saw as inferior.) The franchise also starts the trend of fantasy characters having their moral alignment defined by accent(with exceptions of course): Northern US accents and German seen as heroic while the sound of a Southern, British, or French accent would be a sign of evil. People opposed to the French and British like the Indians and Vietnamese would be seen as generally heroic while Japanese would be a toss-up. Then Game of Thrones by Georg Martin came around many years later and subverted many expectations.

What if Emperor Norton *actually* became the Emperor of U.S?

As a Kentuckian, I'll have you know that Louisville is Luh-a-vull

Anyone else rewatching these for the 25th anniversary of the series?

Personal favorite series of mine from Mr. Turtledove thanks for covering this for me even though I've read the series at least 6 times.

Here's another alternate history video. What if I had a social life?

What if the Templar Order never went extint?

2:23 Ulysses s Grant:I am a joke to you Alternative history hub:No,but you was in Tennessee Grant:true

In school we never called it by that name. We learned ‘the War Between the States’.

What if d day failed

Where is part 3?

It's weird watching this AFTER I watched the video where Turtledove is shit on for his 'The War that Came Early' series. I guess his word is hit or miss

Finally some one who uses the real Confederate flag!

my ancestor was a confederate soldier he was a part of an Arizona troop a confederate territory the one thing people found so intrsting about him was that he was a blonde haired,blue eyed Jewish man with a Finnish background

What is Einstein did accept the role of Israel's president?

When he south gotta give up slavery: England and France: *Wait, that’s illegal*

Confederate States of America is a pretty awesome math documentary that explores this topic really well

I love these little crossovers. Plus I like the idea of 'well what if' since turtledove does a good job of fleshing out this world to make it feel, well... like a world that naturally evolved rather than an author going 'this is how it is. stop asking.'

Still waiting for part 3......

Slavery: exists Abraham Lincoln: Dude.......uncool If you get it you get it

I read this ENTIRE series, all the way to "In At The Death" WWII, when it first came out. It was awesome.

I love the concept of this episode. The idea of the Confederate State accepting industrialization over slavery in a longer period of time makes perfect sense and gives a more three-dimensional look to a Confederate victory.

what if native americans became technologically surperior first and colonized the world?

"Guns of The South" - Outstanding Alternate History novel. Old but a goodie!

Didn’t turtledove write a novel where the south wins because a group of time travelers supplied them with an-47s and other modern weaponry ? Or am I misremembering?

Turtledove is the master of alternative history!

Your videos remain interesting and compelling while also giving a purely objective look into history. Thank you for putting so much effort into your content- it really shows!

Watching this channel cover the insane lore of the Deadlands TTRPG would be quite entertaining

Thanks for your videos. I do like your description of Union Gen. especially early on. In north alabam we have an old Us army base used for ww2 training named for maybe the not so bravest Union called ft McClellan. Replacing him was one of the best move possible.

This seems like he is trying to run straight into controversy even before the video started

You guys should do a video on The Handmaids Tale. It's actually interesting how that alternate history plays out. Sadly not a whole lot of details to go off of though.

3:37 - "Two rival nations are forced to share the same continent". The US, even as one country, is more divided than the rest of the world who actually DO experience that reality. Jeez...

Its so crazy that one person can change the course of the entire works

Wait here's an alternate history idea. What if the Amazon rainforest never formed? Also here's my if the Amazon never formed scenario. What if the Amazon rainforest never existed? One of nature's most primordial insignia are rainforests. Places where trees are widespread over miles of vast territory, shaping evolution of an island, and sometimes an entire continent. One of these symbols of nature is the Amazon rainforest. It covers more land area than the Indian sub continent, it’s such a vast symbol of nature. When men first trekked down the Bering strait into the americas, the Amazon was home, and even the later euro-south americans attempted to chart and explore the domain of the rainforest. So…….what would happen if this rainforest never existed? Say the Amazon is never formed, and is replaced with a vast prairie of grassy fields? Well let's start off with one of the biggest events if the amazon never forms. First of all the Amazon rainforest is not the only name amazon touches. The Amazon river would be affected drastically as well. With the major amounts of trees surrounding the river, the river is restricted to the deepest of its waters, as the trees block all flood water, or rain comin to increase the rainforests size. So in this timeline the Rain Forest undisturbed by trees would look less like the modern day rainforest and more like this amazon with a 20 meter sea level rise. On here geology.com/sea-level-rise/. Now this would make disturbance in aquatic fauna. The fresh water in the amazon is so far out into mainland south america, that it does affect both animals…..and humans- but we'll get to that shortly. The amazon rainforest is also crucial to the world's animals, as 1 in every 10 animals live in the amazon, so if this amazon never exists, these wildlife are replaced by others. However now we can get to the humans entering the isthmus of panama into South america. When humans made it to the Amazon prairie, they would find unique wildlife. When the North american megafauna 2 million years ago entered the continent, they exterminated the other wildlife, out competing them in survivability, so sabertooth cats roam the prairies, however they still die in 10,000 B.C.E in our timeline along with all the other megafauna, however humans now roam the Continent. Humans later colonize the prairies. People live out their lives in the prairies, in small tribes, however an event about to change history forever is about to happen, when people of the amazon prairie start forming a society together……...this is where it gets scary. The ancient civilizations of Egypt was from the Nile, the Middle east had the Tigris-euphrates, and The Indians had the Indus river valley. These all had one thing in common. They have a flat plateau. The Amazon despite having a river never had an advanced civilization because rainforests cannot support an advanced river system like those in the old world. The reasoning behind this is because of how hard it would be to establish a society in such a dangerous place like the amazon, with jaguars, poisonous frogs, leeches, spiders, mosquitos malaria, and each other. Without these threats, the amazon river can be used as farmland as Brazil is using today with the cut down land. You know what that means……...there is an advanced civilization in the americas….. This would change the history of mankind as we know it. There is now an egypt in South america. A society whatever it would be would develop. Let’s just call it Amazon for the sake of it. Amazon unlike Egypt would be even more advanced, because the farmland in the amazon is alot more easier to grow crops in, as it does not have to bare the scorched earth of the sahara, the amazon would be a fast growing civilization. Amazon would have probably became an empire like most civilizations, with a religion, and a ruler, or emperor, there creating the Amazonian empire. What society or history this empire could form would be something of a master TV show, however we have to make assumptions, as this empire could write it’s own history, however in the 1400s the Inca empire would have formed, and the Amazonian empire would have a neighbor. With new technology, and a fast growing population…..and maybe just maybe….a Chilean empire. The Amazonians and Incas I believe would be allies, as they probably wanted contact with another civilization, as the only people that came into each empire were tribal people from new territory of the empire. They would colonize the continent together, and with their trading of technology, business increases, and a larger population, larger military, and we can assume that the Inca and Amazonian empire would be the only empires due to no other empires not in the Andes in South america. There would be the Mayans, and Aztecs, that would definitely have contact with the South american However when the Spanish and Portuguese arrive, they will find an empire that has technology from the 900s. They would have numbers in the 20 millions, however smallpox would devastate the civilizations. However the two empires together would be able to hold out the Portuguese and Spanish well, as the Spanish did not have many soldiers, and in this timeline the Incas beat off the Spanish, however the Aztecs still fall to the Spanish in this timeline. It’s hard for them to colonize South america because of their centralized government, conquering the empire is difficult. Would the two american colonizers succeed in conquering the Incas and Amazonians? Well Smallpox would have taken out a huge amount of their population, so the Old world colonisers would have eventually taken down the civilizations. However the Culture of the amazonians most likely does not disappear, and cultures of europeans and Amazonians mix to create a pseudo culture of euro-amazonians. Amazonian culture would also be influenced by the Incas, therefore the Incanian identity still stays prominent in latin america. However Brazil in this timeline during the Latin american struggle for independence has a HUGE economy, that makes it a world power long before BRICS. The Amazon was both a blessing and burden on Brazil's power. The amazon provided exotic lumber, giving it alot of power to give lots of trade in oil from the primordial forest, and oceans of paper to sell. However it was a cure because all of that rich farmland was part of the rainforest, hindering agriculture. In this timeline Brazilis farming economy is immediately the largest in the world. Plantations make crops and food grown in Brazil a delicacy during the 1800s. When Brazil got independence being 1822, Slavery in Brazil was abolished in 1888, so Brazil still had 66 years of slavery, more than two decades after the U.S ended slavery. Brazil's slave labor would mass produce extremely fresh and quality food, crops, and even water from the amazon is a treasure for the old world. A new spice trade with India and Europe would occur, except this time it’s Europe, and North america wanting the spice from Brazil this time. Brazil's soil for farmland would become the best in the world. Brazil in this timeline may have stretched Slavery even longer because of this fact. Who knows a Civil war could have occurred in Brazil, (someone needs to make a TV show about this scenario) but let's just say Slavery is not abolished yet. Slavery was abolished in 1888, so what happens? Well industrialization was spreading, and during around 1910, the Mass industrialization of the world would occur, and Brazil would not need Slavery, and give rights to all African americans. Brazil in this timeline is the yin to Argentina's Yang. Argentina is one of the biggest producers of crops in the world, making Brazil the largest producers of crops in the world. In World War II Brazil and Argentina were part of the allies, and in this timeline food shortages with the Allies are alot less common, saving more lives for the allies, as alot more is produced. Brazil would halt all trade with the axis powers, causing alot more of a problem to the Pacific and Atlantic powers of the Axis. Brazil’s status is elevated in the world drastically. Some would even say Brazil is the South american China. Brazil’s status in BRICS is alot higher, as standards of living in Brazil is alot larger. However In Modern day Brazil is alot more known about in the world mainly because of it’s ancient civilization. People all know about Egypt because of its civilization, however In history classes everyone is reminded about Brazil and the Amazonians, and everyone is reminded about the Civilization of the New world. However that would mean we should cut down the rainforest to make Brazil a global power. However that’s not the case. Trees hold carbon dioxide and whenever there cut down it’s released into the air, causing global warming, and also the Amazon just never being there means Brazil doesn’t have to worry about this. Let’s still save the rainforest, but it’s an interesting scenario In 2010 Brazil’s population is not 207 million like in our timeline, but is instead in around the 270 millions, because of it’s history with good crops, and industrial revolution. The Rich class live on the coast of the Amazon, living in a sunny tropical paradise. However would something like save the rainforest take place? Well actually yes. As all pollution comes littering, and litter would enter the Amazon river, Disrupting wildlife, and polluting the water, and while there isn’t a large amount of wildlife as there is no rainforest, there is still alot of wildlife because instead of a sacred rainforest, it’s a sacred prairie, and river, so littering would become illegal in Brazil.

What if Napoleon won the battle of waterloo?

Great series! Thank you :) I was wondering if you'd ever considered doing a video on the world of the Peshawar Lancers? Recently read that book and it's a really cool premise!

"Louisville is the first use of trench warfare." Europe: *Write that down, write that down*

I would like to thank you. I've had a very stressful evening and it feels amazing to just lie in bed and watch your videos. Thank you so much, and have a great night.

I love your videos alternate history hub

I love your channel keep up the great stuff

My man; you’ve got to start articulating those “Ts;” it’s very imporTant

What if Germany never unified? (1871 Unification)

great recap. I loved this series and this video could be a great way for me to convince others to read it! thanks for doing this. I read these as they were coming out and couldn't wait for the next book. turtledove is one of my favorite authors.

i know this is an old video, but is it just me or does "Special Order 191" said at 2:04 seem like "Execute Order 66" lol

The background music in this video is amazing.

What if the Spanish Inquisition was expected?

Love Harry Turtledove's works!

When you make a series, please consider going back and adding forward links to the previous video descriptions.

8:00 kaiserreich kaiserreich kaiserreich

I have my popcorn ready and I'm about to scroll down the comments, this'll be good!

I have been wanting this for years! Thank you!

My personal favorite author.. I have read all his books and all of them are excellent.

I love alternate history honestly

please do what if the Aztec defeated the Spaniards

1:53 " one guy doesn't screw it up one guy actually does his job" when I learn that part I almost died from a heart attack when I heard those words actually does his job 😵( kidding tho )

I love Cody and EmperorTigerstar's dynamic.

The problem with this video (and possibly Turtledove's book) is that it doesn't really address the economic and demographic ramifications of southern independence. The video presents the CSA as essentially being a smaller version of the USA, with the two nations competing for power and influence in the western hemisphere. However, an independent CSA would have been very different than the south we have known in our time line. 1. The antebellum south was governed by the plantation aristocracy. They were not so much interested in increasing the wealth and power of the south as a whole, as they were in preserving their own wealth and power. The north was ruled by rich bourgeoisie, i.e. bankers and industrials. For them, wealth and power came from industrialization and expanding America's borders. The south was governed by landed gentry. For them, preserving their own wealth and power meant maintaining the status quo. Throughout history, societies governed by landed gentry have generally not been very prosperous. 2. For many plantation owners, slaves comprised much if not most of their net worth, so they would have postponed ending slavery as long as possible. They would have most likely wanted some compensation for their slaves as well, and this would have been a significant drain on state treasuries. They would have also wanted to postpone industrialization. In a cash crop economy, wealth and power come from land ownership. Industrialization would mean that they would have to share that power with entrepreneurs, and most likely foreign investors. 3. Contrary to what many defenders of the southern cause say, slavery was not on its way out in the south, certainly not the deep south. In the first half of 19th century, the south's slave population grew not just numerically but as a percentage of the population. By 1860, slaves comprised more than half the population of SC and MS. The price of slaves increased quite a bit as well, which shows that supply could not keep pace with demand. There were even southerners known as "fire eaters" who wanted to bring back the slave trade. If those trends had continued for another 20 or 30 years, black people (or at least people considered "non-white"), might have comprised a majority of the population of the entire south. Needless to say, this would have made race relations in the south much more complicated. 4. So long as the plantation aristocracy resisted industrialization, opportunities in the south for social mobility would have been limited. Many ambitious young southern men who did not inherit slaves might have sought their fortunes elsewhere, most likely in the USA. I think that many southern whites would have migrated to the USA, and helped to settle the west. 5. In general, the CSA would have been much weaker than the south we have known in our time line, and its ethnic composition would be very different as well. It would not be a rival to the USA. I don't think the USA would have necessarily been so eager to reclaim the south, but I'll leave that topic to another time. One last thing: In this video, it is claimed that the USA would not have been able to afford to buy Alaska. I really don't see why that would be. Russia wanted the USA to have Alaska because if the USA didn't buy it, then Britain/Canada would have eventually taken it by force. The Russians were actually surprised that Seward agreed to pay as much for Alaska as he did.