History in a nutshell

The space race began in the late 20th Century; with the Union and the Confederacy agreeding to form a political union to capitalise on the new frontiers opening up.

That's right, there was a civil war in the Americas, but it ended up as a stalemate rather than a win for the Union. Although some confederate states were a might cranky at the Confederacy as they thought some of its governance was just as bad as that northern crap.

Although still seperate in some ways, in the late 20th Century the two states' civil services merged, leaving law enforcement in the hands of the individual states. Federal law enforcement (US Marshals and Texas Rangers) stayed apart but cooperate with each other. Elections are held at the same time to elect both Union and Confederate Presidents - by law every 4 years the role of Chief President rotates so that both Union and Confederate Presidents get a turn leading the country. Although this happened many years ago, there is still, and always will be, a massive cultural divide between the North and the South.

In the early 21st Century America colonised Mars, and there were several other countries venturing forth into space. The British managed to colonise the Moon while America was only just exploring it. Britain got most of the important places on the Moon - it is a standard and major transit route, known as the gateway to the stars. The Outer Worlds were still largely unclaimed, although substantial mineral deposits had been found by early explorers. The Germans geared up their industrial production capacity and started producing much needed and high quality mining equipment of all sorts, from drill bits through to orbital refineries. To protect the planetary environments and to generate Outer World mining interests, "Prospector Tax" was instituted taxing anyone who harvests more than a certain amount of Ghost Rock each month from the Inner Worlds. The League of Nations also expanded its charter to include all current colonies in the Solar System, as well as including any colonies that may be created in the future.

August 21 2072 was the official start of the Martian War of Independence. The Martians revolted and prosecuted a bitter and bloody war against the Americans. There are many horror stories from this time, armies of undead rose up and decimated whole battalions of US solders. Victory for the Martians came when a great leader (Chief Brack) emerged, apparently, from nowhere. His leadership was a major factor in turning the tide of the war to victory. During the war, like many Martians, Chief Brack acquired a degenerative disease from an Anima weapon used by the US. He survived long enough to see the war end and sign the armistice July 5 2075 and the beginning of the post-war settlements before he died.

At the end of the War, there were two problems facing US settlements on Mars, one was depopulation and the other was leftover Zombies from the war being a menace to society. To solve the first problem, the Governor Devlin of Mars gave a land grant to farmers wanting to settle on Mars and gave amnesty to criminals convicted of "minor crimes". To solve the second problem, Governor Devlin put a bounty on known Martian Zombies that was high enough to bring bounty hunters all the way from Earth. Where nests of Martian Zombies were found Governor Devlin authorised the use of "serious but not sociopathic" criminals to clean them out; with the survivors being granted a free pardon (with a long and carefully monitored parole period).

Small prospectors have formed a collective (the Independent Prospector's Alliance) to help stay financially viable in the face of Prospector Tax and the rising dominance of the French and the Spanish in the Outer Worlds.

After seeing the effects of what could be done by planetary bombardment and other tactics developed during the war, the League of Nations declared "Pax Terra" -nobody could bring significant military forces onto the Earth, nor onto orbit around it. It was hoped that wars would be fought out on the final frontier, saving Earth and its citizens from the devastation seen in some places on Mars.

Japan is now also making itself known as a power, generally in economic, technological, industrial terms rather than having big colonies, competing with German interests.

The Outer Worlds produce 80% of the minerals but only 20% of the food that they need, so there is roaring trade of minerals and food between the Inner and Outer Worlds. The French and the Spanish skirmishing but between them have control of most of the Outer Worlds. However the US has near monopoly on food production (having almost complete control of Mars), and they have been raising prices to erode foreign control of the Outer Worlds. Both the French and the Spanish have issued ultimatums that prices be fixed or some land on Mars be handed over to them... or else.

Timeline of the space race and the settlement of mars

2080s

2082, April 3 - Mayor Samson resigns citing 'personal reasons'

2081 - In the first year of his second term, President Charles Kennedy Jnr was assassinated by a lone gunman during a tour of Texas; the gunman did not live to see his trial

2081 - The trading vessel "Hecate" claims to have encountered the Empress in a freak accident

2080 - Possessing zombies is made illegal in American territories, except for certified medical research

2080 - President Charles Kennedy Jnr re-elected on a campaign of "Clean livin' for clean folk" that included the banning of zombies for all uses in America

2080 - Governor Devlin authorised the use of "serious but not sociopathic" criminals to clean them out; with the survivors being granted a free pardon (with a long and carefully monitored parole period)

2070s

2070s - Mars becomes an agricultural hub of the Solar System producing 80% of the food needed in the Outer Worlds whereas the Outer Worlds produce 80% of minerals used in the Solar System

2070s - Rising dominance of the French and the Spanish in the Outer Worlds

2079 - The use of zombies is phased out in passenger liners in favour of mechanical men due to their excellent safety record

Early 2078 - Governor Devlin gave amnesty to criminals convicted of "minor crimes"

Late 2076 - Governor Devlin put a bounty on known Martian Zombies that was high enough to bring bounty hunters all the way from Earth. This was primarily a safety issue but it also stimulated the local economy

Late 2076 - The Independent Prospector's Alliance (IPA) is formed by a group of disenfranchised independent miners on Mars to combat the Prospector's Tax

Early 2076 - Death of Chief Brack, one of many Martians and soldiers to die of Anima related illnesses

Early 2076 - Governor Devlin of Mars gave a land grant to farmers wanting to settle on Mars

Late 2075 - League of Nations declared "Pax Terra" - no government can bring significant military forces onto the Earth, nor onto orbit around it

Late 2075 - Charles Kennedy Jnr III was elected President of America on a peace platform due to his part in arranging the armistice

Mid 2075 - Chrysler produces its first Anima powered Mechanical Man (Hank 300) for the consumer market (a mechanical man for the common man); the first models were based on a military design but more user friendly functions were quickly added to subsequent models (Hank 500 and beyond). With the utilitarian design (solid and ugly) of the Chrysler products they were significantly cheaper than the Japanese equivalents that cost more due to the extra effort that went into their appearance and their demeanour. The cheaper but just as functional Chrysler models were more popular for engineering tasks and the more aesthetically pleasing Japanese models were more popular in the steward and domestic markets

2075, July 5 - The armistice was signed that officially ended the Martian War of Independence. The armistice called for the creation of the Open Territories where soldiers from neither side were allowed to legally enter

Early 2074 - A particularly nasty Anima weapon used on Chief Brack's location

Late 2073 - Chief Brack emerged, apparently from nowhere, turning the tide of the war to Martian victory

Early 2073 - Fort Peninsula built to complete a line of defence against Martian aggression

August 21 2072 - The start of the Martian War of Independence

Early 2072 - Japan releases a revolutionary new product: a mechanical man! This makes world news. Mass produced to replace domestic servants. Japanese corporations make a lot of money out of this venture, especially in the (somewhat unexpected) market of spaceship engineering where they proved to be just as versatile but much more reliable than zombies (and a darn sight safer too)

Early 2071 - Fort Courage built

2060s

Late 2060s - Japan produces cheap engines and other machinery

2067 - Due to the increase in size of Barsoom City it is divided into two Burroughs, the Eastern and Western halves for the sake of effective policing and administration

2065 - American passenger liner "Empress" experiences a strange anomaly where they claimed to have seen the future; although they were not widely believed

Late 2063 - The League of Nations expands its charter to include all current colonies in the Solar System, as well as including any colonies that may be created in the future

Early 2063 - America introduces"Prospector Tax"

2062 - BCU founded

2050s

2050s - Rancho Tropica produced its first marketable crop

2050s - New Florida Established

2050s - Railway line to Portston begun and then abandoned

2050s - Road connecting Portston to Barsoom City complete

2050s - First attempt at climbing Wendigo Peak (no one has succeeded, or if they have, they haven't lived to tell the tale)

2056 - Greene's Finishing School takes on its first students, taught by Mr & Mrs Greene

2040s

2040s - First successful crossing of the Botros ranges

2030s

2030s - Railway to connect Bastion, Oretago and Barsoom completed

2030s - Border Town founded

2020s

2020s - Olympus Theatre opens

2010s

2010s - Railway to connect Bastion Oretago and Barsoom commenced

2010s - Rich mineral deposits discovered near Oretago

2010s - Postal service established

2010s - Oretago Founded

2000s

2000s - Bastion Founded

2000s - Portston founded

2000s - Barsoom Town rededicated as Barsoom City

1990s

1990s - Fort Wilderness established

1990s - Mayor XXXX becomes ill and is removed from office

1990s - Governor XXXX's wife crushed in tragic steam car accident

1990s - Major construction in Barsoom, following the Mayor's "grand vision"

1990s - Orbital Railway completed on Mars

1990s - British colony Windsor established

1990s - The American presence on Mars was deemed large enough for the government to appoint XXXX as Governor rather than the old military governor

1980s

1980s - Construction of an Orbital Railway commenced on Mars

1989 - XXXX becomes first Mayor of Barsoom Town (later known as Barsoom City)

1981 - First German orbital refinery produces its first shipment of refined ore

1980 - Russia commissioned one multi generation ship, with others to be built. Russia's massive ships, much like flying cities, hope to get to get to Alpha Centauri in five generations (ether tides permitting).
It will take a long time before anyone knows if they were successful or if the caught the right tide - this is one of the reasons Russia planned to send five more ships by 2000, and then one every 5 years thereafter

1970s

1979 - France and Spain show interest in outer planets, giving significant funding to explorers. - names of expeditions

1978 - Establishment of first permanent settlement on Mars, that would later became Barsoom City

1974 - A European consortium completed construction of their own Orbital Railway. Britain still uses their Vernian cannon for non-human cargo

1973 - The Williams expedition arrives on Mars

Late 1971 - British surprise everyone by colonising the Moon and managing to convincingly defends it against all comers. They built a large (Vernian) cannon to supply their base on the Moon

Late 1971 - America expands orbital railway platform to be able to launch missions

Early 1971 - Russian Space Station completed

1960s

The space race kicked into gear by competition to exploit the resources of space.

1965 - The Union and Confederacy reached a landmark agreement to form a political union to capitalise on the new frontiers opening up and combined resources

1963 - Russians complete their orbital launch ramp

1860s

1864 - President Davis abolished slavery in the Confederacy