Reconstruction related what ifs are a popular genre here. Especially more Radical Reconstructions that protect Freedmen's Civil Rights more and punish the south or Confederate elites more.
Sometimes these scenarios, or simply discussions that don't become full blown timelines, involve an embrace of the "State suicide" theory of secession, in order to give Congress, at least temporarily controlled by Radical Republicans, a change to possibly restructure southern states, even their boundaries, in a manner to gerrymander majorities for pro-Union groups like freedmen and upcountry hillbillies.
One undesirable side effect of partition existing southern states is that if the 11 seceded states of the CSA are divided for readmission, and readmitted as more than 11 states, the seceded region would ironically have more relative power in the Senate after rebellion than before.
Keeping that in mind. And keeping Constitutional caution in mind about not dividing states without their consent, what if in the post-Civil War era, Radical Republicans, just Republicans in general, or northerners in general, sought to reinforce northern dominance in representation, prior to readmission of the 11 occupied Confederate states, by subdividing the most populous loyal states, securing two more Senators and Presidential electors for each new state?
I imagine high population states eligible for such division, if their politicians can be convinced to approve of it, would be: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
Certainly, there would be interests opposed to shifting the status quo, but ultimately, more states means more high-ranking jobs for politicians, so it should be easier to agree to than merger of states.
Sometimes these scenarios, or simply discussions that don't become full blown timelines, involve an embrace of the "State suicide" theory of secession, in order to give Congress, at least temporarily controlled by Radical Republicans, a change to possibly restructure southern states, even their boundaries, in a manner to gerrymander majorities for pro-Union groups like freedmen and upcountry hillbillies.
One undesirable side effect of partition existing southern states is that if the 11 seceded states of the CSA are divided for readmission, and readmitted as more than 11 states, the seceded region would ironically have more relative power in the Senate after rebellion than before.
Keeping that in mind. And keeping Constitutional caution in mind about not dividing states without their consent, what if in the post-Civil War era, Radical Republicans, just Republicans in general, or northerners in general, sought to reinforce northern dominance in representation, prior to readmission of the 11 occupied Confederate states, by subdividing the most populous loyal states, securing two more Senators and Presidential electors for each new state?
I imagine high population states eligible for such division, if their politicians can be convinced to approve of it, would be: Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and California.
Certainly, there would be interests opposed to shifting the status quo, but ultimately, more states means more high-ranking jobs for politicians, so it should be easier to agree to than merger of states.
