What is Alternate Timelines?
Alternate Timelines is a project dedicated to exploring counterfactual history - the "what ifs" of our past. We create detailed, well-researched scenarios that examine how the world might be different if key historical events had different outcomes. Our growing collection of alternate history scenarios spans from ancient civilizations to modern times, covering diverse regions and historical events.
Our Approach
Each scenario on Alternate Timelines follows a consistent structure:
- The Actual History: We begin with a factual summary of what actually happened.
- The Point of Divergence: We identify a specific moment where history could have gone differently.
- Immediate Aftermath: We explore the short-term consequences of this change.
- Long-term Impact: We examine how the world would be different today.
- Expert Opinions: We include perspectives from historians and experts in relevant fields.
- Further Reading: We provide resources for those who want to learn more about the topic.
We organize our scenarios by time periods (Ancient, Medieval, Renaissance, Modern), regions (Europe, Asia, Americas, Africa), and types of events (Military, Political, Scientific, Cultural) to help you discover content that matches your interests.
Why Alternate History?
Exploring alternate history scenarios isn't just entertaining - it's educational. By understanding the pivotal moments in history and how they shaped our world, we gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity of historical events and the contingent nature of our present reality.
Alternate history helps us:
- Understand the significance of historical events
- Appreciate the role of chance and individual decisions in shaping history
- Consider multiple perspectives on historical developments
- Recognize patterns and forces that drive historical change
- Develop critical thinking about historical causality and consequences
We believe that engaging with these "what if" scenarios enhances historical literacy and makes learning about the past more accessible and engaging.
Our Team
Alternate Timelines is created by a team of history enthusiasts, researchers, and writers who share a passion for exploring the roads not taken in our collective past. We're constantly expanding our collection with new scenarios across different time periods and regions.
How We Support This Project
Alternate Timelines is a labor of love, and we're committed to keeping our content freely accessible to everyone. To support the ongoing development of the site, we include carefully selected book recommendations in our "Further Reading" sections. These recommendations use Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission if you purchase a book through our links, at no additional cost to you.
We only recommend books that we believe provide genuine value and deeper insights into the historical topics we cover. Your support through these affiliate links helps us continue creating quality content and expanding our collection of alternate history scenarios.
Stay Updated
Want to be notified when we publish new scenarios? Consider subscribing to our newsletter. We'll send you updates about our newest alternate history explorations and highlight interesting scenarios you might have missed.
Contact Us
Have a suggestion for an alternate history scenario? Want to contribute or provide feedback? We'd love to hear from you!
Email us at: [email protected]
Explore Our Scenarios
Ready to dive into alternate history? Start by browsing our complete list of scenarios, explore specific time periods and regions, or check out some of our most popular alternate timelines on the homepage.