Alternative History Science

The New Plymouth Plan

Throughout Human history, few initiatives have been as audacious or transformative as the New Plymouth Plan. Conceived in the 1850s and implemented over the following decades, this radical reimagining of the seat of government would reshape not just the physical landscape of the nation, but its very perception of itself.

The seeds of the Grand Idea were sown in the 1850s, a time of unprecedented change and expansion in American history. The rise of hydro-ionic technology had reshaped the economic landscape, leading to the peaceful dissolution of slavery and averting the specter of civil war that had loomed over the nation. Meanwhile, the breakneck development of airships had accelerated westward expansion, pushing the boundaries of the nation further and faster than ever before.

It was in this climate of rapid growth and technological marvel that the idea of relocating the capital first took root. The surge of settlers westward caused people to wonder if the capital shouldn’t follow.

The 1842 deal with Russia, which had led to the construction of the Bering Strait Bridge, highlighted the need for a more centrally located seat of government. As the nation's center of gravity shifted westward, voices began to argue for a capital that could more effectively serve and represent such a industrious people.

While the original concept had been circulating for years, it was given new life and urgency by a bold declaration from Senator Jethro Carter of Ohio. In a fiery July 1860 speech that would be remembered for generations, Carter proclaimed, "Just as the Pilgrims placed the first step in this great land on Plymouth rock, future generations will see this as the first step into the new America. We must make every safeguard for out future and we cannot hope to remain united if we are spread so far.

A government cannot claim to represent its people from without. It must be among the people before it can claim to stand for the people.”

This rallying cry galvanized support for what would become the New Plymouth Plan. Carter was joined by a coalition of forward-thinking politicians, industrialists, and engineers who saw in this idea the potential to create a truly modern system of governance.

Among these visionaries was Amelia Stanton, the "Queen of Aluminum," whose expertise in lightweight alloys and innovative metallurgical construction techniques would prove invaluable in designing the infrastructure for the new capital.

Wilbur Freemound, the railway magnate who had overseen the construction of major continental rail corridors, brought his logistical acumen to the project, envisioning how a rotating capital system could leverage America's advanced transportation networks.

Several factors converged to make the New Plymouth Plan not just feasible, but necessary in the eyes of its proponents. The hydro-ionic revolution had transformed American industry and transportation, making the idea of a mobile government logistically possible. Airships and advanced rail systems could move people and goods across vast distances with unprecedented speed and efficiency.

It was felt there was also a pressing need for a government that could more effectively represent and respond to a rapidly expanding nation. The rotating capital system promised to keep the government in touch with the diverse needs and perspectives of a continent-spanning Republic.

Perhaps, most importantly, the New Plymouth Plan represented a bold step into the future. It aligned governance with America's rapid technological progress, sending a clear message to the world that the United States was a nation of innovation and forward thinking. It showed that in the new world, even the capital was required to change.

The journey from concept to reality was not an easy one. When the plan was officially proposed in 1860, it was met with a mixture of excitement, skepticism, and outright disbelief. The first five years, from 1860 to 1865, were dedicated to laying the groundwork, both literally and figuratively. As debates raged in Washington, construction crews descended upon the small Kansas town that would become New Plymouth.

The sight of massive boring machines, powered by hydro-ionic engines, carving out underground pathways for the pneumatic tube system became a common sight across the country. Sean Hawkins, one of the engineers who worked on the initial pneumatic tube installation, later recalled, "We were making it up as we went along. Some days we'd lay miles of tubing, other days we'd spend hours figuring out how to navigate around a particularly stubborn bit of bedrock."

The pneumatic tube system was a marvel of engineering itself, designed to facilitate rapid document transfer between New Plymouth and the rotating capitals. New aluminum sections arrived in four pieces via the existing tunnel and a specially built machine would press them against the bored tunnel walls until they snapped into place.

It was complemented by the Hardy-Morse Signaling System, developed in 1867, which allowed for near-instantaneous, high datat density communication between New Plymouth and the rotating capital.

In each state capital, specially designed towers were constructed to accommodate the President's airship. These Federal Towers, as they came to be known, were impressive structures that quickly became landmarks in their respective cities. Each state capital worked feverishly to construct appropriate structures to house the President and Congress during their tenure in the state. Some states poured money into these edifices while other produced what was needed and nothing more. All states followed a general blueprint to ensure the executive and legislative branches had the room they needed to operate.

The real test of the New Plymouth Plan came in 1886 when the first governmental rotation was scheduled. The President, initially reluctant to embrace the new system, made history as he boarded an airship bound for Nashville, the first rotating capital. The image of the President's airship docking at the Federal Tower in Nashville became an iconic symbol of the new era.

As government functions left the national capital in Maryland, more and more buildings were locked up and remained empty until, finally, the whole city resembled a haunted house.

Not everything went smoothly, of course. During the first session of the rotating Congress, several drafts of critical bills were delayed when they were accidentally routed to St. Louis instead of New Plymouth. This led to the implementation of the color-coded canister system, ensuring that important documents would reach their intended destinations.

Despite these initial hiccups, the system proved its worth during the blizzard of 1880. While much of the Midwest was paralyzed, government communications continued to flow through the underground pneumatic network. The President is said to have remarked, "Snow may stop our horses, but it can't stop our government."

Some states were forced to implement hybrid means of connecting to New Plymouth. Mountain ranges proved especially troublesome to build pneumatic systems through and trains or airships would need to be used for sections of the trip.

The economic impact of the New Plymouth Plan was far-reaching. Host states, chosen at random with the provision that no state could be host twice in 12 years, saw significant economic boosts during their time as the seat of government. This led to more even development across the country, as host cities recieved federal money during that election cycle.

Meanwhile, New Plymouth itself grew from a dusty prairie town to a bustling hub of activity. By 1890, it boasted some of the most advanced public services in the nation, including the world's first city-wide pneumatic waste disposal system. It was joked during that time that ‘All roads lead to New Plymouth’.

The regular movement of the capital also began to shift American cultural dynamics. Regional differences that had characterized isolated parts of the nation began to blur as people from different parts of the country were brought together by the rotating government. A popular song of the time, "My Home is Where the Congress Roams," captured this new spirit of national unity.

To enact the New Plymouth Plan, the Constitution needed an amendment to set the motion in stone. Led by Senator Carter, this proposed amendment rapidly gained traction. Eventually Carter put it to a vote and the states spent six months considering it. When they finally convened to vote on the proposal, no one was more surprised than Senator Carter to discover that 90% of the states had ratified it.

Despite its eventual success, the New Plymouth Plan faced significant opposition. The "Stay Put" movement, led by Washington D.C. businessmen and some conservative politicians, continued to argue for a return to the old system. Their 1869 march on New Plymouth, while ultimately unsuccessful, highlighted the ongoing debates about centralization versus regionalism. Some argued for a system that would only ever rotate through states with a significant population as this would represent the greatest number of citizens at a time.

There were also practical challenges to overcome. The logistics of moving the government every few years were complex, and there were inevitable disruptions to the work of governance. However, supporters argued that these challenges were outweighed by the benefits of a more responsive, distributed system of government.

Legacy and Conclusion

As the 1880s drew to a close, the New Plymouth Plan was well on its way to completion. Many states still did not have a full pneumatic networks but filled in the gaps with relay stations, trains, and airships. The plan had fundamentally transformed American governance. It had broken down regional barriers, spurred technological innovation, and created a more dynamic, responsive, and available government. The image of a far off capital and leadership evaporated and was replaced with the notion that countries without such a government were strange and underrepresented.

The plan's success was a testament to American ingenuity and the power of bold ideas. It showed that with vision, determination, and technological prowess, even the most audacious dreams could become reality.

The New Plymouth Plan would continue to evolve across the decades, adapting to new challenges and technologies. But its core principle – that government should be accessible, mobile, and innovative – would remain a cornerstone of American democracy for generations to come.

The New Plymouth Plan was more than just a logistical rearrangement of government. It was a reimagining of what government could be, and a powerful statement about American values of unity, progress, and innovation. It became a shining example of what can be achieved when a nation dares to dream big and has the courage and grit to turn those dreams into reality.