How could you get a USA that is larger but less centralized and less aggressive than in OTL? Here is the start of one possible timeline -
1775 - Beginning of the American Revolution. British forces bottled up in Boston, colonial forces invade Canada and succeed in capturing both Montreal and Quebec (POD).
1776 - British fleet and army sent to recover Canada, while smaller forces target Charleston, South Carolina, and Virginia. Colonial forces under the capable leadership of Benedict Arnold succeed in repelling British attempts to recapture Quebec. The British attack on Charleston also fails. British forces do land in Virginia and Maryland, occupying Williamsburg and Annapolis, but do not make many further gains. Congress declares independence from Britain on May 30 (earlier than OTL due to greater confidence from more success in Canada).
1777 - British launch a new campaign targeting New York City, whose defending forces are commanded by Washington. Washington's forces are outnumbered, but stiffened by veterans from Canada. The British succeed in driving the American forces off of Long Island and Manhattan Island, but do not win as decisive a victory as in OTL, and do not push further inland. British forces in based in Virginia and Maryland push north and occupy Baltimore and then Philadelphia after defeating American forces under General Charles Lee. Meanwhile, Arnold's American forces find British defenses in Nova Scotia too strong. Late in the year, France recognizes the USA and signs a treaty of Alliance.
1778 - British forced to evacuate Philadelphia and cut their troop levels in North America in order to fight France. British and American forces fight inconclusively in New Jersey, Maryland, and Nova Scotia. American forces drive British out of some remaining outposts west of the Appalachians.
1779 - British forces in Virginia move south into North Carolina, hoping to link up with Loyalists there. They are successful, and rally some Loyalist support against weak American opposition. Troop shortages, however, force the British to evacuate their remaining garrisons in Maryland and part of Virginia. A British expedition attacks Charleston for a second time in late summer, and this time succeeds in capturing it by the fall.
1780 - British forces in South Carolina move north to link with those in North Carolina. An American force under Charles Lee is defeated, and he is replaced by Nathaniel Greene. Greene tries to rebuild his forces and avoid major battles while supporting guerrilla groups and frontier militia that harass the British and Loyalists. In September, Greene's forces meet the British and fight them to a draw. Meanwhile, the French land an expeditionary force in Connecticut, which links up with American forces under Washington in New York and New Jersey.
1781 - French and US forces attack Manhattan Island in the spring, pushing the British back to the southern part of the island. A large French fleet manages to defeat the British fleet at New York, which has been weakened to support British operations in the West Indies and the Carolinas, and lands troops on Long Island. The British in lower Manhattan and western Long Island are isolated. When a British relief fleet fails to break through, some 8000 troops are forced to surrender, and unprecedented defeat. Meanwhile, a 2500 man combined British-Loyalist force is crushed in North Carolina. These setbacks cause the British government to decide to look for peace in North America and focus their efforts elsewhere
1775 - Beginning of the American Revolution. British forces bottled up in Boston, colonial forces invade Canada and succeed in capturing both Montreal and Quebec (POD).
1776 - British fleet and army sent to recover Canada, while smaller forces target Charleston, South Carolina, and Virginia. Colonial forces under the capable leadership of Benedict Arnold succeed in repelling British attempts to recapture Quebec. The British attack on Charleston also fails. British forces do land in Virginia and Maryland, occupying Williamsburg and Annapolis, but do not make many further gains. Congress declares independence from Britain on May 30 (earlier than OTL due to greater confidence from more success in Canada).
1777 - British launch a new campaign targeting New York City, whose defending forces are commanded by Washington. Washington's forces are outnumbered, but stiffened by veterans from Canada. The British succeed in driving the American forces off of Long Island and Manhattan Island, but do not win as decisive a victory as in OTL, and do not push further inland. British forces in based in Virginia and Maryland push north and occupy Baltimore and then Philadelphia after defeating American forces under General Charles Lee. Meanwhile, Arnold's American forces find British defenses in Nova Scotia too strong. Late in the year, France recognizes the USA and signs a treaty of Alliance.
1778 - British forced to evacuate Philadelphia and cut their troop levels in North America in order to fight France. British and American forces fight inconclusively in New Jersey, Maryland, and Nova Scotia. American forces drive British out of some remaining outposts west of the Appalachians.
1779 - British forces in Virginia move south into North Carolina, hoping to link up with Loyalists there. They are successful, and rally some Loyalist support against weak American opposition. Troop shortages, however, force the British to evacuate their remaining garrisons in Maryland and part of Virginia. A British expedition attacks Charleston for a second time in late summer, and this time succeeds in capturing it by the fall.
1780 - British forces in South Carolina move north to link with those in North Carolina. An American force under Charles Lee is defeated, and he is replaced by Nathaniel Greene. Greene tries to rebuild his forces and avoid major battles while supporting guerrilla groups and frontier militia that harass the British and Loyalists. In September, Greene's forces meet the British and fight them to a draw. Meanwhile, the French land an expeditionary force in Connecticut, which links up with American forces under Washington in New York and New Jersey.
1781 - French and US forces attack Manhattan Island in the spring, pushing the British back to the southern part of the island. A large French fleet manages to defeat the British fleet at New York, which has been weakened to support British operations in the West Indies and the Carolinas, and lands troops on Long Island. The British in lower Manhattan and western Long Island are isolated. When a British relief fleet fails to break through, some 8000 troops are forced to surrender, and unprecedented defeat. Meanwhile, a 2500 man combined British-Loyalist force is crushed in North Carolina. These setbacks cause the British government to decide to look for peace in North America and focus their efforts elsewhere
