history revisited

I just finished reading an interesting book in a genre I had never heard of before - alternate history or uchronia. It is a fictional genre in which a few true historical facts are altered yielding a completely different story. The book I read was "The Year of the Hangman" by Gary Blackwood, an excellent read! For more information about this genre and a list of over 3100 novels, stories, etc., visit Uchronia: The Alternate History List.

Everyone knows the real story of the American Revolution - that the colonies defeated the British and became an independent country, the United States of America. Blackman wrote a story about what might have happened if the British won and the colonists were pursued and hung as the traitors they were.

I won't give away the story but it made me think bout how different life would have been for our founding fathers. Many of them were landowners of considerable wealth. What if they lost everything and had to flee for their life? Ben Franklin invented many things (bifocals and the lightning rod, to name a few), established our first lending library and fire station, and founded the first nonreligious college (University of Pennsylvania) as well as helped establish our government. What would have happened if he moved to France when trouble between the colonies arose? George Washington became the Father of our country and shaped the office of the president. What if he had instead died a traitor?

And if all that happened, how different would our lives be over 200 years later? I might be enjoying a cuppa (tea, not coffee!) and scone (not muffin) as I anxiously awaited news of the new Royal Baby. Interesting to ponder...