#newfoundland in the british empire

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

“Floor Plan of St. John’s Hostel Where Fire Took Heavy Toll,” Toronto Star. December 14, 1942. Page 2. ---- Architect’s drawing shows the ground floor layout of the Knights of Columbus hostel in St. John’s, Newfoundland, where some 300 men and women, many of them Canadians with the armed forces, were trapped when fire roared through the building. Some 110 died. On the floor above were dormitories, where some of the victims were sleeping.

[historia-vitae-magistras]

How do you feel about nation jobs or finances in your universe? Like are modern Matt or Alfred on government payroll even if they don’t do anything? I know you’re mentioned that Alfred is better at managing his money than Matt, is he rich??

Sorry I’m not phrasing this very well 😅

This is somewhat esoteric even for me, but I tied their abilities with money to their economic histories.

Alfred was born looking pretty pathetic next to the Spanish possessions in Mexico and South America or even British holdings in the Caribbean but, in short order, made up a significant percentage of the ships, people, and wealth of the British Empire. He became that on what was primarily the efforts of private enterprise. Alfred grows up understanding he is valuable; he represents value, and his choices create value. He's easy to love because he's a goddamn cash cow for Arthur until the Seven Years War when Britain spent a shit ton and wanted the Yanks to pay their share, and we threw a bitch fit and declared independence.

Matt, however, has the French bitching about what a money hole he is from about 20 minutes after he comes into being. The Basque, by far, made the most money initially with their fishing and whaling in the east, following what was reasonably similar to the Viking routes into Newfoundland. The fur trade that drove French settlement faced collapse about a half dozen times in his childhood, and besides a short binge economy for Ginseng and its brief boom in China, his entire existence was just fur. Dead beavers and the black market. That's it.

While the US was building ships, growing cash crops, running a fur trade economy, engaging in fishing, rope making, pitch collection, barrel making and everything and anything else, in the Caribbean, they had 90+ control over sugar production and trade routes. Canada had 10% of the population and thus 10% of the market power. We didn't do shit except freeze, fire at the British, commit war crimes against the New Englanders, ditch the farms and run off to the west to make families with indigenous women and run furs up the rivers to the point that France tried to make it illegal for people to leave the settlements of Quebec City and Montreal without permission.

So from a relatively early point, Alfred is very smart with his investments, and he's been making his investments since the early 19th century, so there's a significant but often catastrophically destroyed habit of investing. When he was younger and incredibly newly independent, he got fleeced a few times, but he's called smart and secure, especially since the 1929 crash. It's not remarkably large amounts of money because he'll never completely trust the government, and he doesn't want to attract attention or pay massive amounts of taxes, so he's very well diversified. But he's certainly not poor. All his more expensive hobbies come from a particular office in the state department that Alfred sometimes cooperates with and sometimes doesn't, depending on how anti-establishment he and the public feel.

As for Matt, having spent a lot longer as a colonial subject, it's not that he's entirely shit with money but what he knew how to do. The heart of the empire was the financial hub and was outside his control long after even the Confederation in the 1860s. The money situation has been a nightmare since the earliest days of the French Regime using playing cards to pay people. Colonial America had some similar issues. The whole concept of the US dollar originated in the 1690 invasion of Quebec when the Massachusetts Bay Colony printed its own money to fund the expedition, but Alexander Hamilton did some flash economic magic for the US in this department in the 1790s, so it got its shit together long before Canada. Matt knows what he needs to know. He was stationed in various Canadian ports, keeping an eye on his father's investments, not his own.

So, in the modern day, Alfred reads his bank statements every month, keeps track of his subscriptions and bills, and probably has an accountant. Matt is more aware of Alfred's money habits than his own. Because he's over here just kind of vaguely wondering if his debit card will work because my man cannot make heads or tails of his economy (no, seriously, Canadian economists have no idea how Canada's own shit works. Sometimes it's pretty fascinating, there's often no real consensus like the US academic economist have.) And international investors in Canada are always freaking out because the Canadian economy is always getting its shit rocked by the US economy. It's hilarious to think of people in Matt's life frustratedly trying to figure out where and what his money's doing. If their health is tied to their economies, Matt's in pretty good shape, thanks to close ties to the US, but he's randomly dying reasonably often because the US economy's tiny little ripples will randomly tear him apart. It's pretty funny (laughs so I don't sob in the Canadian job market.)

And that's pretty fitting, considering that most Canadian economic policy is boiled down to 'hope the Americans are feeling cooperative next time NAFTA comes up for debate.'

[dailyanarchistposts]

The Society of Masterless Men

When I began thinking about outlaws and outlaw history I realized that if outlaw just means one who breaks the law, then I could write about the lives of nearly every citizen. So I define outlaw as one who not only breaks the law, but who survives by breaking the law or essentially lives outside of it. And the more I delve into Canadas past, the more outlaws I discover, and many of them are worthy of our attention. As an introduction to Canadian outlaw history, here is the story of a group of Newfoundland rebels who survived without masters for half a century.

The story of the Society of Masterless Men, which included women and children, begins in the 18th-century settlement of Ferryland, in Newfoundland. In order to colonize Newfoundland, The British Empire created plantations. These were settlements of primarily Irish indentured servants, many of them very young, (thus their name: the Irish Youngsters), abducted from Ireland either by force or guile and brought to the South Shore of Newfoundland where they were literally sold to fishing masters. Their price: $50 a head.

These village plantations were primarily set up by consortiums and cabals of wealthy merchants in England. The fishing masters were essentially the Lords and Ladies of the villages, living in luxury and security while surrounded by dozens, even hundreds, of indentured servants who fished and labored in the camps processing the fishing catch. British frigates were stationed in the harbors and marines patrolled the town. Because there wasn’t a local police force, the Navy helped reinforce the authority of the local fishing masters.

The workers in these fishing villages were barely a step up from slaves. Corporal punishment was routinely used and everyday life was harsh and brutal. In the small settlement of Ferryland, for instance, there were a gallows and three whipping posts, in separate regions of the town. When a man was sentenced to be flogged for stealing a jug of rum or refusing to work for one of the fishing masters, he was taken to all three posts and whipped so the whole town would have an opportunity to witness the punishment as a warning.

The settlement of Ferryland was founded by Sir George Calvert around 1620, and was partly intended as a “refuge for ...Catholics.” It’s not clear ifthere were any “free” Catholics, or only Catholic servants. This was a time of penal law and repression of Catholicism in Britain and at least some Irish Catholics voluntarily came to the New World to escape persecution. Unfortunately, the laws in Newfoundland were the same as in the Old World. The orders given to the governor from 1729 to 1776 were: “You are to permit a liberty of conscience to all, except Papists, so they be contented with a quiet and peaceable enjoyment of the same, not giving offense or scandal to the government.”

This order wasn’t always strictly followed and around the mid 1700’s there was a crackdown on Catholicism. In 1743, the governor of the time, Smith, wrote to the magistrate in Ferryland, John Benger, instructing him to be mindful of the “Irish papists” in the area. William Keen, the chief magistrate of the city of St. John’s was killed by a group of Irishmen in 1752. Following this assassination, penal laws were strictly enforced for the next thirty or forty years.

Life wasn’t much better for those in the British Navy patrolling the area. The Navy wielded its authority over its seamen with zero compassion and nothing but discipline enforced by abuse and violence.

Food rations were slim and flogging was common. For instance keelhauling - dragging a seaman on ropes under the keel of a ship, thereby shredding his flesh on the sharp edged barnacles- was still a legal punishment even though it frequently resulted in death.

Some refer to the Society of Masterless Men as lore or a traditionally told story, one for which there is little documentary evidence. But there is a fair amount of facts that are known about the Masterless Men. And, as a matter of context, we know a lot about the injustice of the British Empire and of the cruelty of many of its managers and henchmen. We know that indentured servants were brought to Newfoundland and treated with brutality, as were the seamen in the Royal Navy. We also know that one Irish-born Peter Kerrivan was among those young indentured servants and abused seamen. It is largely believed that he was a reluctant seaman, having been pressed into service.

Some time in 1750, while Kerrivan’s ship was docked in Ferryland, he escaped (historians usually choose to say “deserted”). Together with two or three escaped indentured fishermen, he helped establish a lookout and base in the Butter Pot Barrens, a wild area of the Avalon Peninsula, for outlaws. This was the beginning of the Masterless Men.

Hunted by the authorities, the Masterless Men soon learned a way of life based on subsistence and sharing. They came into contact with Newfoundland’s aboriginal peoples, the Mi’qmaq and the Beothuk, who taught the rebels survival skills. They learned how to hunt for food based on the caribou herd on the Peninsula.

At the time, one could be hanged for running away. Nevertheless many young men escaped from the plantations and tookuplives as outlaws. In 1774, for instance, a petition written by Bonavista merchants, justices of the peace, and others, was sent to Governor Shuldham to complain of a number of “masterless” Irishmen who had gone to live in a secluded cove and “were there building fishing rooms.” But Kerrivan’s band of young companions were among the luckiest and best organized.

Word of the well organized free men spread and fresh runaways from coastal settlements came to join them. Eventually their numbers swelled to between 20 and 50 men. There were also women, but their numbers are unknown. The literature I found mention the women simply as “wives,” although I imagine them as strong, rebellious women sickened by the misery and cruelty that surrounded them who also yearned for a freer and better way oflife and whojoined their outlaw husbands voluntarily.

After a while, the group of comrades began trading caribou meat and hides with allies in the remote villages, receiving supplies such as flour, tea, and bullets. They also organized stealth raids against the fishery plantations.

By this time the British authorities, without a police or militia of their own, were beginning to fear that this group of anarchic rebels would inspire too many others to desertion and ordered the Navy to track the freedom-loving band down and make examples of them. Some years passed before the first expedition against the Masterless Men was organized and, by then, the rebels had become skilled wilderness inhabitants. Anticipating the attack or somehow being forewarned, Kerrivan and his comrades cut a series of blind trails which confounded their pursuers. The party of marines sent to capture them often found themselves lost and dumbly led into bogs and impenetrable thick bush.

Eventually the Navy did manage to close in on the rebels’ camp near their lookout, but they found the log cabins deserted, “with every rag and chattel removed”. Taking advantage of their pursuers’ confusion, Kerrivan and his friends had moved off towards the north and west. The navy set fire to their little village but had to return to their base without any prisoners. The Masterless group rebuilt their cabins and the Navy burned them down again. Over time the Navy burned down their cabins three times and each time they were rebuilt.

Two of the rebels were captured and hanged, but the state never did succeed in destroying the Society. In fact, the captured young runaways had joined the band only a few weeks earlier and had been taken by surprise away from the main body of the rebels. They were hanged with great dispatch from the yard-arm of the English frigate in Ferryland. No other Masterless Men were ever captured after this incident, presumably because this only made the outlaws more cautious. Some of the tracks that had been carved partly to support their wilderness ways and partly as subterfuge became Newfoundland’s first inland roads. In fact, their road system eventually connected most of the small settlements of the Avalon Peninsula.

For more than a generation the Masterless Men roamed free over the barrens! Over time, perhaps as military rule began to relax or for reasons unknown to this author, their ranks began to dwindle. In 1789, 39 years after escaping, four men gave themselves up on condition that their only punishment would be deportation to Ireland, which was agreed upon. Many of the other rebels settled in remote parts of Newfoundland’s coast and survived as independent fishermen. Kerrivan, who was never captured, is said to have had a partner, four sons and several daughters and is believed to have remained on the barrens well into old age, never returning to civilization.

The children of the Masterless Men gradually drifted out to the coast and settled down in small coves never visited by the navy. They married the children of other outlaws who had settled there generations earlier and together they raised families.

The story of The Society of the Masterless Men is inspiring because they succeeded. A group of people voluntarily joined together in common cause and broke free from their masters, most never to be captured or to return to their work prisons.

Sources:

Alexina Reid from The Newfoundland and Labrador Archives Newfoundland by Harold Horwood

SecretMasses at Midnight: The Legend of the Grotto in Renews, Newfoundland by Tammy Lawlor

The Canadian Encyclopedia Hurtig Publishers

“The Unshackled Society” by Paul Butler, originally published in Saltscapes Magazine

[weirdestbooks]

Confessions (Wattpad | Ao3)

America’s father was strange and persistent. Ever since the end of last year, he had been messaging America and the other so-called “favorites,” asking them to meet him at his house so he could tell them something important. America had asked some of his other siblings and niblings if they had gotten the invitation, but none of them had, which just made America more curious as to why Britain wanted all of them to meet up. 

It had taken a while, but they had finally reached the point where they could all show up at his house at the same time.

“Okay, does anyone have any idea of what is happening?” America asked New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland, and Australia who had arrived before he had. New South Wales shook his head.

“Nah, mate. None of us Australians know shit. Have you asked the Canadians? Or the Kiwi?” America nodded, and New South Wales sighed. 

“Why is Grandpa so insistent that we have to be here today at the same time? It's not like he invited any of the other favorites. It’s just some Canadians, some Australians, Kiwi, and you.” South Australia commented, crossing his arms.

“Maybe he has something he wants to tell all of you at once?” Caleb suggested for the thousandth time. Normally, America would tell him that they have nothing in common that would require them to be here simultaneously, but he didn't want to look insane in front of his family.

“You told the world you had DID ages ago. Why does it matter?” James asked, his voice gentle like aways.

“Yeah, they already know. They ain’t gonna think you’re crazy,” Conch Republic added.

Ignoring the fact that James was right, America began to start small talk with his Australian family as they waited for the invited Canadians and New Zealand to show up.

“Hey guys! Have you figured out why Dad is so insistent on us showing up today?” British Columbia, followed by Newfoundland and Labrador, Manitoba, and Northwest Territories, said as he approached them.

“No, we were waiting for the rest of you since Dad was so insistent that we all show up together,” Western Australia said with a small smile.

“He’s been a nuisance about that,” Tasmania said. Australia wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

“The great British Empire, reduced to begging for his former colonies to come and see him, ain't that right, Tassy?” He said.

“What do you mean, ‘former colonies’? If I recall correctly, none of you have left the Commonwealth yet, which means I'm the only true former colony.”

“We get it, America. You have an ego,” New Zealand said from behind them, finally arriving. Some of America’s family members began snickering at that, along with some of the other alters. America rolled his eyes.

“Ha ha, that's so funny. Well, we’re all here now. Let’s see what Dad wants. I hope it’s quick, though, because I have things I need to do,” he said.

“Delly said it's okay if you need to miss his pseudo birthday. He knows you fought to get a different date, and it's not like anyone remembers this is his pseudo birthday anyways.” Molossia commented.

“Like what, inflate your ego some more?” South Australia asked, causing another round of snickering.

“He probably wants to since we are all attacking it. You can’t see how he's trying to say he doesn't have an ego.” Queensland said.

Queensland was, unfortunately, right. America flipped her off and then opened the door to their father’s house. Tasmania had picked the lock while they were making small talk earlier. 

“Grandfather! We are here! Please tell us why you wanted us all here!” New Zealand yelled. 

“In the kitchen! Take off your shoes at the door, especially the Australians!”

“Calling us out specifically, huh, Grandpa?” Queensland asked.

“You are all crazy and spend half your time doing dangerous stunts that will get you killed,” Their father yelled back at her.

“You’re right, but hey!” Australia said, not making any moves to remove his shoes, tracking dirt everywhere. America tried his best to hold down his snickers, as he had also not removed his shoes.

“People said he was basically an American colony during World War Two for a reason,” Caleb commented, prompting a snort of laughter from Eastport. 

Well, pushing aside the fact that America might have semi-adopted his nephew, their group made their way into the kitchen, where England and Britain were arguing in sign language.

“If you guys are going to argue, we can come back later,” Manitoba said, stopping the argument in its tracks.

“Wow, if they had stopped arguing, they must have really wanted us here," Newfoundland and Labrador whispered to Western Australia, who did her best to stifle her giggles.  

“I can hear you,” their father said, his tone lacking amusement.

“Good,” Western Australia shot back. Their father rolled his eyes, and England slunk out of the room, giving their father one last glance.

“What was that about?” Northwest Territories asked. Their father waved his hand dismissively.

“Don’t worry about it, Northwest. That’s something me and England have to work out ourselves. Now, for why I called you here.”

“Finally.” South Australia said, straightening up. Their father exhaled once, looking like he was trying to calm his nerves.

“I’ve been lying to you for a long time.” He said. America snorted as James murmured no shit.

“Yeah, we know you are a liar. But you’ve been getting better at that.” America said.

“Yeah, Uncle Ame is right. You’ve been better at that. If that is all you needed to say, Grandfather, I think you might be disappointed to know we already knew that.” New Zealand added.

“Yes, I knew you were aware of that. But this is more of a secret England wanted me to keep. It’s part of why we were arguing when you came in.” Their father said. America could see several members of the group perk up at that. 

“And you are telling us?” Australia asked.

“Yes…all of you were called ‘favorites’ by many of my former colonies. I know not all of the so-called favorites are here right now, but there’s a reason for that. See, you twelve are the colonies I tried to protect by keeping secrets from you. The fact that you had another parent.”

America froze.

“WHAT?” New South Wales exclaimed, baring his teeth. Their father raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“My children, I never wanted to hurt you with this, but I believe you have finally matured into wonderful people who were ready to learn that uncomfortable fact. Rest assured, though, I did this to protect and help you.” His father put a hand on America’s cheek and smiled at him, and America felt sick. He wanted to say something, anything, but he couldn’t. He was frozen in place, shaking legs and a pressure in his throat. He wanted to cry and scream and stop feeling comforted by the hand on his face.

But America just stood there and stared into his father’s eyes, which were empty of regret.

“I did this out of love. It’s what allowed you to be so well-behaved and favorites as well,” he said, pulling his hand back before crossing his arms, looking smug as he did so.

“Dad…please tell me you’re lying…” Manitoba said

“He has to be! My kids are here! If they had other parents, we would know!” New South Wales insisted.

“Hey, yeah, Dad’s right. If we had other parents, we would know. After all, Northwest's kids knew!” Tasmania said. 

“Well, he did. Once upon a time. But he planned to tell you before you were mature enough to understand that. I tried to convince him to back down, but he refused. So I fixed that. As for Northwest, well they chose to stay silent. It was a smart choice on their part. After all, they were always mature.” Britain said. New South Wales collapsed as Queensland and South Australia rushed to catch him, chest heaving as he fought off what looked like a panic attack.

“And yet I wasn’t told about my other parent.” Northwest Territories said quietly. Britain shot him a small smile.

“Well, you didn't need to know that. You just needed to know your place, lest you end up like him,” Britain said, gesturing to New South Wales.

“What did you do to me?” Said the state in a broken tone, clearly hurt by the betrayal. America was too and was half convinced James and Caleb were the only reason they were still standing. As they slowly began fronting, the Conch Republic threatened murder against Britain.

“I just fixed your problems and removed some corruption. I know this might hurt to hear, but I do love you, NSW. That's why I had to hurt you, even though I didn’t want to,” Britain said, his words sounding like empty promises.

But you could hear it in his voice.

“He is actually serious about what he’s saying! He actually believes that what was most likely torture was for some bullshit greater good and actually thinks it helped his son. He’s delusional! I know he abused you despite you being a favorite, but I didn't realize that other favorites were treated worse!” Molossia ranted, anger in his voice.

“I wasn’t abused,” Ameriac said softly, not knowing if it was him trying to convince the clothes or him trying to convince him. America lowered his head to make eye contact with his father. “I wasn’t abused, right?”

“America…” James murmured.

America hated how small and weak his voice sounded. Britain looked offended at America, even suggesting that.

“Of course not!” He said, causing relief to fill America’s body, relief that was quickly replaced by horror as he continued his statement, “I mean, even though you might have known, England used your martial law to fix that, so we wouldn’t have to hurt you, and that way you wouldn’t go running off with the natives and get yourself killed.” 

America’s knees finally gave out, and Australia scrambled to catch them, tears rolling down the Australian’s face. Was he crying for America or his father? America didn’t know. But did he really ever know anything?

Tears were appearing in his eyes, and his breath began to get more and more uneven and shaky.

“America breathe. You have to breathe.” James said.

America…he didn’t think the marital law had affected him that badly. What else did England force him to believe…and to forget?

“What else?” America asked shakily, in a small moment where his breathing evened out.

“What else what?” his father asked, the same fucking smile on his face as if he hadn’t just told America that England mind-controlled him into forgetting he had a mother, mind-controlled him into forgetting so much about himself.

“What else did England do to me?” America snarled out as someone else began co-fronting, helping them stay standing as fury pumped through their veins.

“He just ensured you’d be loyal to the church and the government. It’s no big deal. Honestly, you twelve are being so dramatic. It’s not like you can even talk to your other parents. They’re most likely dead. And if they aren’t, well, I don’t remember who they were. It was useless information. You can find out on your own.”

“But what if they're dead?” Newfoundland and Labrador asked, her arms wrapped tightly across her body.

“Well, I think that’s more your fault than mine. Canada and America were always better at hurting the natives than I was. If you North Americans need someone to blame for the deaths of your family, blame them.” Their father said casually. A loud ringing began in America's ears, and he pulled away, letting whoever was co-fronting take charge.

He had to get away. America needed to get away.

—————————

America was in his bedroom now, in his apartment in Washington. He had left the country world. The ringing in his ears was still present but quieter than it had been before.

“Guys.” America asked softly, “What happened?"

“You started having a panic attack. I know you don’t like anyone seeing them, so James began co-fronting and left the group. You’ve been asleep for a little while since then.” Unorganized Territory explained.

“You also missed Northwest Territories decking Britain!” Molossia exclaimed.

America exhaled a little sigh of relief before smiling slightly at Molossia’s comments, although the smile quickly faded.

“Thanks, James. You’re a lifesaver.” America said before curling up in the fetal position.

“He knows…but are you alright, America?” Caleb asked, his voice gentle

“No. I feel sick and betrayed and…and…I can’t believe…England fucking took advantage of the martial law to like…fucking brainwash me or some shit. Is this even my real personality? How much of me did he change? Why didn’t I fucking notice something was wrong?” America stood up and left the bedroom, pacing around the room as he tried to control his growing anxiety. 

“He couldn't have changed everything. Besides, you’ve grown a lot since then. Any of your real self that was buried can and probably has come back.” Conch Republic pointed out.

“You aren’t as changed as he wants you to think, either. I knew you then, and I know you now. Not everything gone is dead. Besides, we have Yapam still, so it’s still there somewhere,” James added, and America could tell from his tone of voice that he was smiling gently.

America passed by the open door to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He paused and then walked into the room, flicking on the lights as he did so. America was still in his country form, his stars moving around frantically, a sign of his anxiety.

America dropped his country form, letting his human form appear. America looked at himself in the mirror and burst into tears.

How was America so fucking stupid as to not see it before?

Did England use the martial law to ensure that America wouldn't see it until he and Britain wanted him to?             

How did America not see how non-white he was?

And what Britain had said before James began fronting.

America killed his mother.

“He’s a manipulative liar! Why are you trusting him? Why are you blaming England and yourself but not him?” Molossia ranted.

“Because he’s right. I killed my mother. I…I…this is my fault.” America said panic swelling. He couldn’t be here. He couldn’t—

America brought himself back to the country world, in his house, trying his best to block out the others' attempts to make him think he wasn't at fault when he so clearly was.

They were wrong. America was a monster.

[spann-stann]

Setting Blurb Map: Viceroyalty of Eurmerica

CorpEmp Macrocommunities:

Anglia et Cambria - Contains England, Wales, and the "Reconstructed Strathclyde" region of southern Scotland.

Arkassouri - A small Macrocommunity made up of Arkansas and. Missouri.

Benelux - A united Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Less weed under Imperial rule.

Calizona - California (sans it largest three cities but most consider that an improvement), Arizona (with bits of New Mexico).

Cascadia - British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon, Washington. Once an anti-Imperial stronghold, now used to house veterans.

Deseret - Utah, with bits of its neighbors.

Dixica - Deep South and bits of Georgia, the Texans and Virginians cemented their alliance by conquering this area.

Eurmerican Arctic - Alaska, Yukon, NW Territory, Nunavut, and Greenland make up the homeland for the Eskaleut speaking peoples.

Gaelia - Ireland, Isle of Mann, Scotland (minus Strathclyde).

Germania - Germany, Austria, German Switzerland, Liechtenstein (plus bits of Poland and Czechia).

Grand State of Virginia - A reunited Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and the Carolinas. Virginia was the first Warlord-era state to ally with Texas.

Greater Quebec - Quebec, bits of Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ibero-Atlantic Islands - Azores, Canary Islands, Madeira.

Laurentia - The Rust Belt plus New Jersey.

New England - New England, the Maritime provinces, and eastern New York state. Another anti-Imperial bastion turned into veteran colonia.

Scandinavia - Denmark, Norway and Sweden (minus territory given to Eurasia's FennoSapmi).

Texan Tribal Federation - Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. The homeland of CorpEmp's Rotthey dynasty.

The Plains - The American Midwestern states, and Canada's prairie provinces.

The West Latins - France, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The Nouvelle Droite movement sought to reestablish the Roman Empire following WWIII. They managed to take the western half by the creation of CorpEmp.

Transappalachia - Kentucky and Tennessee. A Virginian vassal.

Non-Imperial Polities:

The Cordons Sanitaire - Berlin, Bremen, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Toronto, and San Diego. These metropolitan areas were walled off and then used as "dumping grounds" for anyone that didn't want to be a part of CorpEmp. Rival political factions fight for control over each Cordon, but CorpEmp never allows them to have enough control to become a threat.

Green Consensus - Long Island. Eco-Socialists managed to takeover this Cordon Sanitaire during the War of 2100.

United Markets - Nevada, Seattle, and Vancouver. The Vegas casinos bribed the Texans to not invade their state, and MicroBucks were allowed to govern their own Cordon after Portland was given the Carthage treatment.

World Congress of Freedom - Iceland, San Francisco, Svalbard. These Cordons managed to get their shit together and wage war against CorpEmp in 2100 and force the CorpEmp into recognizing their legitimacy.

Macrocommunities with high Reserve presence - The Plains, Laurentia, Deseret.

Macrocommunitites with high Common Prosperity Coalition activity - Laurentia, Calizona, Anglia et Cambria, Benelux, West Latins.

[praying-mantis-knight]

Essentially in this universe, the British Government rounded up all the nations they could find relating to a specific land, and made them fight to the death to decide who they wanted to represent before frankensteining them together to create the modern America, Canada, Australia, etc.

They focused on the white (or white appearing) colonies and ignored/destroyed the others because Racism. So for America it was only like State personifications (yes i'm doing a version of Statetalia), for Canada it was New France/Quebec and Newfoundland.

But I'm gunna focus on Australia. There are six for Australia; three pairs, with each pair having a Tasmanian and Mainland representative.

The first pair are two young First Nations (did the Carers rock up and steal the first young nations they found? yes, yes they did.) representing the Original Owners. (Also because the Stolen Generation is an important part of Australian History and I am making a - possibly ill-advised - reference.) They are made to fight in the death-match mostly as a form of sadistic torture because the carers were never letting either of them be the representation because, again, racism

The second pair are unnamed spontaneous arrivals, representing the unwillingly transported (i.e convicts) population. They grew up in the prison where the First Nations were being kept, and sort of, kinda, understand First Nation traditions, but are still White.

The final pair, of course, is New Holland and Van Diemen's Land representing the white settlers. They are the Carers preferred winners, and Netherlands' children.

In the end - via the fact that her power is to manipulate luck to help her Escape - it is the Mainland representative of the second pair who survives to become modern Australia.

Because of this, the story is largely disconnected from First Nations culture, because I am well aware that I am nowhere near capable of writing a true and realistic story that can accurately portray that in a respectful manner.

(Instead I am focusing on what I feel confident in, and making it about her experience in the Carer House - the house where colonies are kept when England has no need of them, sort of a Red Room scenario - and her relationships with her siblings a.k.a other colonies in the British Empire.)

Despite this, I was hoping to find a First Nations or BIPOC person willing to give me their perspective on the ideas I have outlined above. Because even though I am woefully out of my depth writing about institutionalized racism and First Nations culture, it feels disingenuous to cut it out of the story completely.

To add, no this has never been published - I am working on it merely as a fun hobby but want to make it as compassionate and good representation as possible in case I do ever decide to share it.

[raincitygirl76]

It’s July 1, 2024, which means happy third anniversary to Young Royals (season 1 was released July 1, 2021). Yay YR!

July 1 is also Canada Day, a statutory holiday in, you guessed it, Canada. 🇨🇦 And very conveniently it falls on a Monday this year, so us Canadians get a three day weekend.

I recently found out that the first Canada Day celebration took place in 1982. July 1 has been a national holiday ever since Confederation in 1867, but until 1982 it was known as Dominion Day. Because on July 1, 1867 when all the British North American colonies (except Newfoundland) came together as a single entity, the new mega-colony was called the “Dominion of Canada”. Reflecting that we were part of the British Empire.

Anyway, I didn’t actually realize that, because the year Dominion Day started being called Canada Day occurred when I was five years old.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.27 (before 1920)

1054 – Siward, Earl of Northumbria, invades Scotland and defeats Macbeth, King of Scotland, somewhere north of the Firth of Forth. This is known as the Battle of Dunsinane. 1189 – Friedrich Barbarossa arrives at Niš, the capital of Serbian King Stefan Nemanja, during the Third Crusade. 1202 – Georgian–Seljuk wars: At the Battle of Basian the Kingdom of Georgia defeats the Sultanate of Rum. 1214 – Battle of Bouvines: Philip II of France decisively defeats Imperial, English and Flemish armies, effectively ending John of England's Angevin Empire. 1299 – According to Edward Gibbon, Osman I invades the territory of Nicomedia for the first time, usually considered to be the founding day of the Ottoman state. 1302 – Battle of Bapheus: Decisive Ottoman victory over the Byzantines opening up Bithynia for Turkish conquest. 1549 – The Jesuit priest Francis Xavier's ship reaches Japan. 1663 – The English Parliament passes the second Navigation Act requiring that all goods bound for the American colonies have to be sent in English ships from English ports. After the Acts of Union 1707, Scotland would be included in the Act. 1689 – Glorious Revolution: The Battle of Killiecrankie is a victory for the Jacobites. 1694 – A Royal charter is granted to the Bank of England. 1714 – The Great Northern War: The first significant victory of the Russian Navy in the naval battle of Gangut against the Swedish Navy near the Hanko Peninsula. 1775 – Founding of the U.S. Army Medical Department: The Second Continental Congress passes legislation establishing "an hospital for an army consisting of 20,000 men." 1778 – American Revolution: First Battle of Ushant: British and French fleets fight to a standoff. 1789 – The first U.S. federal government agency, the Department of Foreign Affairs, is established (it will be later renamed Department of State). 1794 – French Revolution: Maximilien Robespierre is arrested after encouraging the execution of more than 17,000 "enemies of the Revolution". 1816 – Seminole Wars: The Battle of Negro Fort ends when a hot shot cannonball fired by US Navy Gunboat No. 154 explodes the fort's Powder Magazine, killing approximately 275. It is considered the deadliest single cannon shot in US history. 1857 – Indian Rebellion: Sixty-eight men hold out for eight days against a force of 2,500 to 3,000 mutinying sepoys and 8,000 irregular forces. 1865 – Welsh settlers arrive at Chubut in Argentina. 1866 – The first permanent transatlantic telegraph cable is successfully completed, stretching from Valentia Island, Ireland, to Heart's Content, Newfoundland. 1880 – Second Anglo-Afghan War: Battle of Maiwand: Afghan forces led by Mohammad Ayub Khan defeat the British Army in battle near Maiwand, Afghanistan. 1890 – Vincent van Gogh shoots himself and dies two days later. 1900 – Kaiser Wilhelm II makes a speech comparing Germans to Huns; for years afterwards, "Hun" would be a disparaging name for Germans. 1917 – World War I: The Allies reach the Yser Canal at the Battle of Passchendaele. 1919 – The Chicago Race Riot erupts after a racial incident occurred on a South Side beach, leading to 38 fatalities and 537 injuries over a five-day period.

[archaeojones-archive]

Have you ever worked on the L'Anse aux Meadows site, or done any research/reading on Vinland?

I'm especially wondering your thoughts as it implies that European settlement (in Canada at least) predates the British and French colonies.

That, and Finland wanted you to call him Papa.

"Finland? ... Mr. Timo never had overseas colonies. You could try n' argue that Mr. Jan and Mr. Björn had hands in my raising with Nieuw-Nederland and Nya Sverige. But those were founded after Arthur's denizens founded Jamestown, with those two colonies being chartered in 1614 and founded in 1638, respectively. An' there's so much more I could say about 'em, but then we'd be ignorin' the fact that even Mr. Antonio's people were consistently here in what would become me way, way before Lord Father and Francis. St. Augustine, Florida, was founded in 1565, and that was after several failed Spanish attempts in Florida and the East Coast. That earliest attempt was San Miguel de Guadalupe in 1526, in what'd become South Carolina in the modern day.

"An' I can't speak for Mattie - and I shouldn't, but he's busy - but apart from the Norse settlement of L'Anse aux Meadows, I think the Spanish and Portuguese Empires were the first to claim Canadian land as theirs. Fighting over mainly Newfoundland? In 1497 and 1501-1502. To set up fishing outposts and other such things. I think, I think. Oh, where's Matt when I need 'im? And then the French came in a lil' later and had a few failed attempts at permanent settlement in 1541, 1598, and 1600, before finding success a couple years down the road.

"But I digress! Y'all both asked about pre-Columbian settlement by the Vikings. Gonna be upfront and hella personal with y'all...I've never worked on it. I'd love to, but at the same time, it ain't my main focus. So I usually gotta keep my eyes averted from the whole Viking settlement mystery. I'm more concerned with sites that fall in the several thousand years old ranges, or more. But gosh dang, if I wouldn't love to read more about Vinland. It's just little far north for me, and I'd need to worry about travelin' and all that. But yeah, my knowledge of pre-Columbian human activity in the Americas is concerned with the migrations over the Kelp Highway, the Pacific, and the hypothesized route over Beringia. You could tack on the Solutrean hypothesis too but...hmmm.

"One crucial thing to remember about L'Anse is that it's the only undisputed site of pre-Columbian European contact in all of the Americas. Otherwise, the slew of theories that surround it are all debated and should be taken with a grain of salt. There's a whole lot of murky, unclear evidence, or simply none at all. But L'Anse has produced over 800 artifacts that can be traced to Norse origins, so it's hard to deny that! And the sod-and-wood frame structures? That's damn cool! Now I really wanna know more, sitting here reading some basics. Maybe...well, I'm not sure, but maybe I could do some more research for us and make a future post with more about L'Anse aux Meadows and the Vinland mythos!"

((Don't mind the fact that I forgot to color his glasses. I was literally so excited to give a history lesson that it slipped my mind. Edit: Fixed!!))

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"CANADIAN ARMY AND AIR FORCE MEN KEEP THE BOMBERS ROLLING TO BRITAIN THROUGH GREAT CANADIAN-BUILT LABRADOR BASE," Toronto Star. May 15, 1943. Page 11. ---- On their way to Britain these Flying Fortresses stop off at Goose Bay air base for re-fueling. A constant stream of aircraft roars in and out of the base. One of the largest in the world, the base is a tribute to Canadian technical and engineering genius.

Typical of construction men who have built the great Labrador link on the bomberroute to Britain are Victor Meloche of Hull (left) and Jim Wallace of Montreal. The men topped their Victory Loan quota in the first week.

Fishing for smelts through the ice is a popular Sunday pastime withpersonnel at the base and fliers with an hour or two to spare. Sergt.J. E. Mundee of Sussex, N.B., squats on a log to try his luck.

Capt. N. R. Shultz. Sackville, N.B., former engineer, is among the Canadian army and air force men who garrison the big Labrador base.

Squadron Leader W. F. Napier, R.C.A.F., from Campbellton. N.B., is another of themen who help maintain the constant bomber flow to Britain.

Squadron Leader Powell. of London. Eng., is on duty at the base.He is a veteran of the London blitz and a former fighter pilot.

[rabbitcruiser]

Newfoundland became a dominion within the British Empire on September 26, 1907.

[rk0022]

Viking Ships: Exploring the Design and Functionality

Viking ships are among the most iconic symbols of the Viking Age, from the late 8th to the early 11th century. These vessels were integral to the Vikings’ way of life and instrumental in their conquests, trade, and exploration. The sleek design, craftsmanship, and functionality of Viking ships enabled the Norsemen to traverse vast distances, from the icy North Atlantic waters to the warm Mediterranean shores. This blog delves into Viking ships’ history, construction, and significance, offering a detailed look at these remarkable vessels that shaped history.

The Evolution of Viking Ships

Viking ships were a product of centuries of seafaring tradition in Scandinavia. The earliest ships used by the Vikings were relatively simple, but over time, they evolved into sophisticated vessels capable of crossing oceans. The two primary types of Viking ships were the longship and the knarr.

Longships were designed for speed and agility, making them ideal for raiding and warfare. These ships could navigate both open seas and shallow rivers, allowing the Vikings to strike quickly and retreat just as fast. The most famous example of a longship is the Oseberg ship, discovered in a burial mound in Norway. This ship, dating back to the early 9th century, is a testament to the advanced shipbuilding skills of the Vikings.

Knarrs, on the other hand, were broader and deeper-hulled vessels designed for trade and transport. These ships could carry heavy cargo, including timber, iron, and furs, across long distances. The Knarr was essential for the Vikings’ extensive trade networks, which stretched from the Byzantine Empire to the British Isles.

Construction and Design of Viking Ships

The construction of Viking ships was a meticulous process that required skilled craftsmanship and a deep understanding of maritime conditions. The ships were built using the clinker technique, where overlapping wood planks were fastened with iron rivets. This method provided flexibility and strength, allowing the vessel to withstand the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic.

The primary material used in Viking ship construction was oak, chosen for its durability and resistance to water. The shipbuilders split the oak logs into planks, then shaped and smoothed using axes and other tools. The keel, the ship’s backbone, was made from a single piece of oak, ensuring the vessel’s stability and strength.

One thing that made Viking ships stand out was their shallow draft, which let them go through deep seas and rivers. This versatility was crucial for the Vikings, enabling them to launch surprise attacks on coastal settlements and penetrate far inland via rivers.

The Role of Viking Ships in Exploration and Trade

Viking ships were not just tools of war but also instruments of exploration and trade. The Vikings were among the first Europeans to reach North America centuries before Christopher Columbus. The longships played a vital role in these voyages, enabling the Vikings to explore new lands and establish settlements in places like Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland (modern-day Newfoundland).

With its larger cargo capacity, the Knarr was the backbone of the Vikings’ trade networks. These ships allowed the Norsemen to trade with distant cultures, exchanging goods such as amber, furs, and walrus ivory for silver, silk, and spices. The Vikings’ extensive trade networks contributed to their society’s wealth and power, helping fuel their expansion across Europe.

The Symbolism and Cultural Significance of Viking Ships

Viking ships were more than just functional vessels; they were also powerful symbols of the Norse culture. The ships were often adorned with intricate carvings and decorations, reflecting the artistic skills of the Vikings. The ship’s prow, usually shaped like a dragon or serpent, was designed to ward off evil spirits and intimidate enemies.

The ships also played a central role in Viking religion and mythology. According to Norse mythology, the gods traveled across the sky in ships, and the dead were also believed to journey to the afterlife in vessels. This belief was reflected in the Viking practice of ship burials, where the deceased, often a chieftain or noble, was laid to rest in a ship along with their possessions. A famous example is the Gokstad ship, discovered in a Norwegian burial mound. The ship, dating back to the 9th century, was used as a burial vessel for a Viking chieftain, complete with weapons, tools, and other items needed in the afterlife.

The Legacy of Viking Ships

The legacy of Viking ships extends far beyond the Viking Age. These vessels had a profound impact on the development of maritime technology in Europe. The clinker-built design of Viking ships influenced the construction of medieval vessels, contributing to the evolution of shipbuilding techniques that would eventually lead to the Age of Exploration.

Today, the fascination with Viking ships continues, with numerous museums and archaeological sites dedicated to preserving and studying these remarkable vessels. The Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, Norway, houses some of the best-preserved examples of Viking ships, including the Oseberg and Gokstad ships. These ships provide valuable insights into the craftsmanship, culture, and seafaring prowess of the Vikings.

Viking ships were more than just tools of war and trade; they were symbols of a vibrant and dynamic culture that left an indelible mark on history. These vessels’ design, construction, and versatility enabled the Vikings to explore, trade, and conquer vast distances, shaping the course of European history. Today, Viking ships remain a powerful reminder of the ingenuity and adventurous spirit of the Norsemen, inspiring awe and admiration for their achievements on the high seas.

Whether you are a history enthusiast or simply curious about the Viking Age, the story of Viking ships offers a fascinating glimpse into a world where craftsmanship, exploration, and cultural symbolism converged to create one of history’s most iconic maritime legacies.

[tonycamonte]

speaking of the bc flag is so ugly its not fair. not than any of the provincial flags are really stand outs but saskatchewan manitoba and i think ontarios are all sort of similar like. well and i guess quebec has its whole deal but like why does ours suck so hard. looking at all of em and the newfoundland one is actually butt ugly too so at least were not alone but idk. also it doesnt really make sense i feel like ive had this conversation 100000 times but the sun is supposed to be about how the sun never sets on the british empire but i dont know. were in the west. if it was gonna set anywhere it would be here you cant really tell which direction the fugly sun at the bottom is meant to be going if you ask me

[nationsoftheworldtournament]

Nations Of The World Retro: 1914

Round One Matches

1. Colombia vs British Honduras

2. Nicaragua vs South Orkney Islands

3. Amoy vs Togoland

4. Italian Somaliland vs Luxembourg

5. Chongqing vs French Indochina

6. Emirate of Afghanistan vs Persia

7. Uruguay vs South Shetland Islands

8. Khiva vs Union Islands

9. Federated Malay Islands vs Réunion

10. Bahama Islands vs New Zealand

11. Ottoman Empire vs Spain

12. Suzhou vs Monaco

13. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland vs Straits Settlements

14. Kingdom of Italy vs French Madagascar

15. Portuguese East Africa vs Panama Canal Territory

16. Saint Barthélemy vs Netherlands

17. Guernsey vs Alaska

18. Bechuanaland vs Barbados

19. Ethiopia vs Curaçao and Dependencies

20. Midway Atoll vs Brunei

21. Saint Martin vs German East Africa

22. Amoy vs Sverdrup Islands

23. Sulu vs Northern Rhodesia

24. Serbia vs Panama

25. German Kiautschou vs Norway

26. British Guiana vs Sikkim

27. Falkland Islands vs Argentina

28. Ha'il vs Mexico

29. French Guiana vs British East Africa

30. Switzerland vs Seychelles

31. Italian Tripolitania vs Quita Sueño Bank

32. Italian Cyrenaica vs American Samoa

33. North Borneo vs Portuguese Guinea

34. Portuguese India vs British Jamaica

35. Portuguese Sao Tomé and Principe vs Kwantung

36. Jiujiang vs Zanzibar

37. Karafuto vs Costa Rica

38. France vs Hawaii

39. Jarvis Island vs British Winward Islands

40. Terengganu vs Surinam

41. British Trinidad and Tobago vs Belgium

42. Newfoundland vs Ubangi-Shari

43. Palmyra Atoll vs Romania

44. Fernando Poo vs Portuguese Macau

45. Sierra Leone vs Wallis and Futuna

46. British Mauritius vs French Tunisia

47. India vs Spanish Sahara

48. Tristan da Cunha vs Navassa Island

49. Siam vs Tientsin

50. Guadaloupe vs Bulgaria 51. Wake Island vs Maldive Islands

52. Johor vs Isla de la Pasión

53. Sarawak vs French Morocco

54. Norfolk Island vs Hankou

55. Swan Islands vs German Empire

56. Johnston Atoll vs Saint Pierre and Miquelon

57. Egypt vs Baker Island

58. Trucial States vs Paraguay

59. Hangzhou vs Isle of Man

60. Victoria Land vs Emirate of Nejd and Hasa

61. French Oceania vs French India

62. Territory of New Guinea vs Mbundaland 63. Spanish North Africa vs Nigeria

64. Uganda vs Phillipine Islands

65. Basutoland vs Tibet

66. Elobey, Annobón, and Corsico vs Nepal

67. San Marino vs Andorra

68. Kongo vs Howland Island

69. Canada vs Muscat and Oman

70. Martinique vs Rhodesia

71. Bolivia vs Russian Empire

72. Ascension Island vs Dutch East Indies

73. China vs Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá

74. Graham Land vs Serranilla Bank

75. French Equatorial Guinea vs Liechtenstein 76. Portuguese West Africa vs Australia

77. Kingdom of Montenegro vs Weihai

78. Honduras vs Papua

79. Perlis vs Haiti

80. Bhutan vs Iceland

81. Middlebrook Island vs Greenland

82. Guam vs Setul Mambang Segara

83. Denmark vs Bahrain

84. Serrana Bank vs Gold Coast

85. Italian Eritrea vs Taiwan

86. French West Africa vs British Hong Kong 87. Gibraltar vs French Algeria

88. United States vs Bermuda

89. Puerto Rico vs Finland

90. Kamerun vs Kelantan

91. Anglo-Egyptian Sudan vs French Somaliland

92. Shanghai vs Suez Canal Zone

93. Shasi vs Sultanate of Aussa

94. Bouvet Island vs Empire of Japan

95. Portuguese Cape Verde vs Zhenjiang

96. Spanish Morocco vs Kingman Reef

97. Venezuela vs Principality of Albania

98. Aden vs Portugal

99. Darfur vs German Samoa

100. Belgian Congo vs Malta

101. Heard Island and McDonald Islands vs Ecuador

102. Swaziland vs Kuwait

103. Bukhara vs Gambia

104. Cuba vs Corn Islands

105. British Somaliland vs German South-West Africa

106. Kedah vs Portuguese Timor

107. Liberia vs New Caledonia

108. Danish West Indies vs Peru

109. Northern Nigeria vs Saint Helena

110. South Africa vs Bajo Nuevo Bank

111. British Leeward Islands vs Roncador Bank 112. Sweden vs British Western Pacific Territories

113. Kingdom of Greece vs Mongolia

114. Brazil vs Chile

115. Austria-Hungary vs British Hong Kong

116. Uryankhay vs Rio Muni vs British Cyprus

[thedhananjayaparkhe]

DYK AND TIQ

Did you know… … that today is Newfoundland Discovery Day? English navigator Humphrey Gilbert claimed Newfoundland for England in 1583, thus founding the first English colony in North America. Newfoundland has strong claims to being the longest serving colony in the British Empire.~~~ Today’s Inspirational Quote: “I don’t spend any time whatsoever thinking about what might have been.”— Alex Trebek

[sandyhookhistory]

“A Final Bloody End to Convoy ON-166” Eighty Years Ago, Yesterday – (Thursday) February 25th, 1943, the North Atlantic: Convoy ON-166’s nightmare draws to an end. It has been four days and nearly 730 miles of losses and sinkings. Hundreds of men, German and Allied, are dead. And as a parting shot, the Germans bag one last victim. That unenviable title falls upon the 7,200 ton British Steamer “SS Empire Merchant,” (No Photo Available – Sister Ship shown here) when U-628 (VIIC) hits her with one torpedo 473 miles southeast of St. Johns, Newfoundland. For her massive size, she vanishes in a mere 90 seconds. 35 men go down with her, and 32 men make it over the side to be rescued. One of them dies after rescue, bringing the final toll to 36. The surviving 35 ships of the convoy press on to their final destination, which is New York. There, the ships will reload... and turn around and run the gauntlet all over again. Elsewhere, it’s a routine day of sinkings. About 46 miles northwest of Palermo, Sicily, British planes sink the Italian steamer “SS Alcamo” (Photo 2, under a previous name) Casualties unspecified. Meanwhile, in the North Sea, off Belgium, the German Kriegsmarine loses the Voorposten Boot (aka, a converted fishing trawler turned into a flak-ship) V-1405 to a sea-mine with ten crew killed. This is the third one they’ve lost in two days for the same reason. On the 23rd, V-1249 and V-1269 also hit mines in the region and went to the bottom (casualties unspecified) 🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲 (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpIM_TEgNWe/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=