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Alternate History: What If the British Defeated the Americans in the American Revolution?

Chelsea Katzenberg

As we approach the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence in 2026, it’s the perfect time to imagine "what if the colonists hadn’t won"? 

If Britain had maintained control over its North American colonies, how might global history have changed? Would Britain’s empire have grown even stronger, altering the balance of power in Europe, Asia, or Africa? How might other revolutions, industrialization, or wars in the 19th and 20th centuries have unfolded differently without an independent United States?

How could you use this “what if” scenario to help students explore the global ripple effects of revolutions and empire building—and consider how one event can reshape the world? (And yes, we know that the history discipline can sometimes be wary of "what if" scenarios, but it's a fun and useful way to engage students' critical thinking, particularly around causality!)

 

  • Colonial legislatures are closed, Britain's world influence increases, and maybe slavery is abolished sooner.  It really challenges the idea about history as being inevitable.  

  • in reply to Eric Schulz

    Love that  . Are there any topics you might put in front of students to have them evaluate just how "inevitable" history is (or is not)?

  • This could be such a fun discussion topic to use in class! This could be a really interesting assessment to complete after students have completed units 4, 5, and 6. The guise of a what if could get students critically thinking about the historical events and concepts we've discussed, and apply them!

  • in reply to Allyson Eubanks

    It's a really interesting concept and approach!  , definitely let us know if you lean into this once you're done Unit 6! 

    I was at the German History Museum recently and they had a great example of this kind of thinking, an exhibit called "Roads Not Taken. Or: Things Could Have Turned Out Differently". It examined key turning points in Germany's history and then looked at feasible alternatives that might have happened instead. It was a really interesting, unique, and thoughtful approach. (I love this note from their FAQ: "This is not a science fiction exhibition: the courses of history are not told in a fictional form, as if in a novel or film. Rather, it is an exhibition that repeatedly returns to important points in history and looks into the ways the outcome of an event was influenced. This procedure is almost exactly how historians go about their work: they attempt to place themselves in the historical situation and then ask why it happened that way and what alternatives were available in the respective situation.")