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Description
This is a commission from jaarminecraft for the Ad Astra Per Aspera American Empire at its height.

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At its height, the American Empire was the largest Earthly empire in human history. Spanning two entire continents, with direct possessions in Asia, Africa, and across the galaxy, the American Empire enjoyed a degree of power and security that was unmatched by either its German or Soviet rivals, at least on Earth. This would all be for naught, as the American Empire would be decapitated during the Collapse, its different pieces falling into separate, often rival, governments. One successor state, the Coalition of Western Republics, would become a major power in the Milky Way galaxy, before eventually succumbing to a civil war and the ravages of the Grey Swarm.

The American Empire was established over the ashes of the American Republic, but in an ad-hoc manner which meant that American rule meant completely different things, depending on the time and place. For one, the country never officially changed its name from “United States of America,” although the term “American Empire” was de facto recognized in government nomenclature by the 21st century. The Constitution of 1787 was technically in effect well into the Imperial era, with over three dozen amendments, Supreme Court rulings, and the sheer political might of the Emperor making the document meaningless. It was only in 2077 when a new constitution was adopted, part of Emperor Wilkerson’s sweeping reforms which reformed the executive, legislative and judicial branches by concentrating all power in the Imperial throne.

Early on, the Empire was a one-party state, ruled by President Marcus Hill and his National Union Party. At this point, Hill was not officially an emperor, but merely held dictatorial powers in the face of a national emergency. He was always, technically, a president, although a vote would never be cast in his name and he referred to himself as an emperor, and America his empire, numerous times. The title of Emperor, and a system of hereditary succession, would only be adopted with the Constitution of 2077. Prior to this point, the imperial title was unofficial and was held by men who had government titles such as Speaker of the House, Secretary of War, or even generals with no civilian role whatsoever.

The Constitution of 2077 established the Emperor as the supreme autocrat of America, whose powers were legally limitless. However, it also delegated responsibilities to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. These organs of government would be largely unchanged from their counterparts in the Constitution of 1787, only that their powers were explicitly stated to be under the Emperor’s auspices. The Emperor could appoint and dismiss Supreme Court justices at will, and their terms lasted as long as the Emperor desired. The Congress was reduced to a unicameral house and renamed the Senate, where each state would have the chance to select a single Senator. Senators are selected by states however they please, theoretically even democratically, but throughout the Imperial era, almost all Senators were selected by state governors, who themselves were appointed by the Throne or one of its political organs. Senators were charged with proposing laws, but could not pass law without the Emperor’s approval. Further, Senators could be dismissed and replaced by the Emperor whenever he pleased.

The powers of the Throne differed depending on region as well. The notion that state or local governments had any rights separate from the Imperial government was scrapped entirely in the Constitution of 2077. All state and local governments were merely appendages of the central government, and served at its leisure. The Heartland, or the United States prior to its wars of expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries, enjoyed more rights and deference from the American emperors, mostly because they were always seen as the Americans the emperors were to serve before all. Heartland state governors were usually politically influential people who caught the Throne’s eye, or managed to ascend the byzantine ladder of imperial power in their locale. Governors in more peripheral states were usually from the Heartland, and governed their states like conquerors, not representatives. Eventually, the Canadian states, Japan, and Korea would enjoy the same deference, but those south of the former border with Mexico were always seen as occupied territory that was still centuries away from proper integration into the American system. Peripheral colonies, such as Liberia and Ceylon, were managed more like military occupation zones and were often under martial law, which was not helped by the constant unrest in those regions.

Description
This is a commission from jaarminecraft for the Ad Astra Per Aspera American Empire at its height.

---

At its height, the American Empire was the largest Earthly empire in human history. Spanning two entire continents, with direct possessions in Asia, Africa, and across the galaxy, the American Empire enjoyed a degree of power and security that was unmatched by either its German or Soviet rivals, at least on Earth. This would all be for naught, as the American Empire would be decapitated during the Collapse, its different pieces falling into separate, often rival, governments. One successor state, the Coalition of Western Republics, would become a major power in the Milky Way galaxy, before eventually succumbing to a civil war and the ravages of the Grey Swarm.

The American Empire was established over the ashes of the American Republic, but in an ad-hoc manner which meant that American rule meant completely different things, depending on the time and place. For one, the country never officially changed its name from “United States of America,” although the term “American Empire” was de facto recognized in government nomenclature by the 21st century. The Constitution of 1787 was technically in effect well into the Imperial era, with over three dozen amendments, Supreme Court rulings, and the sheer political might of the Emperor making the document meaningless. It was only in 2077 when a new constitution was adopted, part of Emperor Wilkerson’s sweeping reforms which reformed the executive, legislative and judicial branches by concentrating all power in the Imperial throne.

Early on, the Empire was a one-party state, ruled by President Marcus Hill and his National Union Party. At this point, Hill was not officially an emperor, but merely held dictatorial powers in the face of a national emergency. He was always, technically, a president, although a vote would never be cast in his name and he referred to himself as an emperor, and America his empire, numerous times. The title of Emperor, and a system of hereditary succession, would only be adopted with the Constitution of 2077. Prior to this point, the imperial title was unofficial and was held by men who had government titles such as Speaker of the House, Secretary of War, or even generals with no civilian role whatsoever.

The Constitution of 2077 established the Emperor as the supreme autocrat of America, whose powers were legally limitless. However, it also delegated responsibilities to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. These organs of government would be largely unchanged from their counterparts in the Constitution of 1787, only that their powers were explicitly stated to be under the Emperor’s auspices. The Emperor could appoint and dismiss Supreme Court justices at will, and their terms lasted as long as the Emperor desired. The Congress was reduced to a unicameral house and renamed the Senate, where each state would have the chance to select a single Senator. Senators are selected by states however they please, theoretically even democratically, but throughout the Imperial era, almost all Senators were selected by state governors, who themselves were appointed by the Throne or one of its political organs. Senators were charged with proposing laws, but could not pass law without the Emperor’s approval. Further, Senators could be dismissed and replaced by the Emperor whenever he pleased.

The powers of the Throne differed depending on region as well. The notion that state or local governments had any rights separate from the Imperial government was scrapped entirely in the Constitution of 2077. All state and local governments were merely appendages of the central government, and served at its leisure. The Heartland, or the United States prior to its wars of expansion in the 19th and 20th centuries, enjoyed more rights and deference from the American emperors, mostly because they were always seen as the Americans the emperors were to serve before all. Heartland state governors were usually politically influential people who caught the Throne’s eye, or managed to ascend the byzantine ladder of imperial power in their locale. Governors in more peripheral states were usually from the Heartland, and governed their states like conquerors, not representatives. Eventually, the Canadian states, Japan, and Korea would enjoy the same deference, but those south of the former border with Mexico were always seen as occupied territory that was still centuries away from proper integration into the American system. Peripheral colonies, such as Liberia and Ceylon, were managed more like military occupation zones and were often under martial law, which was not helped by the constant unrest in those regions.