[Hetalia OC] "Mines and Murder" Colorado
Title: "Mines and Murder"
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters: Colorado, America
Summary: The late 1800s, early 1900s ushered in some violent growing pains for Colorado.
A/N: This is a rough draft for a project I'm thinking of doing for Colorado's history. Going through Colorado history Hetalia-style might be my project for March since midterms will be coming up :D (Good way to study, ne?)
Words: 1047 (w/ historical notes)
In the late 1800s, early 1900s Colorado experienced several conflicts between mining unions and mining companies. In many of the mining towns there were armed conflicts and the use of the state militia/National Guard to put the unions down. Marital law was declared in many of these towns and the press was controlled. In 1903, one spectator asked, “Is Colorado in America?” along with the following headlines, “Martial Law Declared in Colorado, Habeas Corpus Suspended in Colorado, Free Press Throttled in Colorado, Bull-pens for Union Men in Colorado, Free Speech Denied in Colorado” - William D. Haywood.
America looked hard at Nebraska and the boy shifted nervously from foot to foot. He was getting bigger now, looking closer to America’s own human age than the lanky fifteen year old he had been before the Civil War. America could tell the boy was nervous about being the bearer of this news, but he was hardy and he would do it for his siblings.
“What did you say?”
“Colorado is having a rebellion.” America’s heart was surrounded by ice at this news. It was too soon for something like this to occur again. Too soon after he had patched up his family after the last time they felt wronged and rebellious.
“Not against you!” Nebraska quickly back peddled seeing the look on his nation’s face, “Her people are fighting each other. It’s over the mining industry, it was finally too much.” America’s relief was short lived as he realized the pain she must be in.
“Is she alright?”
Nebraska shook his head. “She’s a real mess, that is why I came out here. We’ve been trying to comfort her, but it’s not enough. I think you are the only one that can make it better at this point.”
“Let me make the arrangements. Send a telegram to the others to let them know I am coming.”
Nebraska hugged him, he was almost as tall as he was now. He could feel the tension flow out of the teenage frame. “Thanks Dad.”
“You know I’m not really your dad.”
“True, but when we need one, you fit the bill.”
It didn’t take America long to get on his way out to Colorado’s house. When he got there he received the worried looks of her neighbors. Kansas looked tired, Utah distressed. New Mexico and Wyoming looked downright distraught. Nebraska and Arizona were seeking to comfort all of the siblings.
“Where is your sister?” America asked. They gestured towards the second floor of the Denver home. Kansas offered to show him up. She led him to the door. America silently prepared himself. He had felt the throws of rebellion in his own body, had felt another person be torn from his psyche and given form. He was not going to let that happen to Colorado, who was literally a ‘golden’ child. He opened the door slowly and went immediately to her side.
The brown-haired girl was lying in her bed her hair askew across the pillows. Her face was flushed and she looked horrible.
“She’s been in agony for too long. She didn’t show it for the longest time,” whispered Kansas, “but when the National Guard burned down Ludlow...” She gestured at her younger sister as the girl cried out in agony.
“I understand, thank you Kansas.”
“You’ll help her won’t you?” The girl looked at him with blue eyes that mirrored his own.
“Of course, I’m the hero.” he said giving her his best reassuring smile. She gave a weak smile in return and mentioned that she would go look after the others, perhaps make something for Colorado to eat. He thanked her. As soon as she left he walked over to the bed and rested a hand on Colorado’s pale forehead. She was cold as ice. As soon as he touched her she reached up and grabbed his hand.
“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Colorado.”
“America?”
“Yes, I’ve come to help you.” A tear slid down her cheek. She looked so young to even America’s eyes. The idea of her was not even 100 years old, she was only about 20 years into being a state, he remembered when she was tiny and he could wrap up the entire west in his arms. America sat down on the bed next to her and gathered her up in his arms. Her long-limbed teenage body curled up against his as she began to cry in earnest. Not only were her people fighting each other, she had been going through terrible growing pains. In less than 50 years she had increased her population many times over and towns had sprung up everywhere in pursuit of the precious metals in her mountains. It was this search for riches that had really begun her growth.
She cried and America held her, telling her of the troops he had brought to stop the pain and that it would all be okay. He held her until she was able to rest and then a relieved Wyoming took his place and he was able to go and settle the awful business that had sprung up between employer and employee.
On April 20, 1914 the ‘Ludlow Massacre’ occurred near Trinidad, Colorado. Coal miners were pressing for better conditions and better wages and had moved out of company housing into a tent city called Ludlow. In 1913 the Colorado governor ended the National Guard’s neutrality in the manner of strikes by extending their purpose from just keeping the peace to protecting strikebreakers that the mining companies were importing. On April 20 the National Guard attacked a tent colony that was considered a trouble spot. Five strikers, one militiaman, two women, and eleven children died. The women in children died in the fire that was set to the tents, the others died from shots fired. It was a really unfortunate event that ended when President Wilson sent 1600 federal troops to disarm everyone, guardsmen and striker alike. It brought to national attention the issues in the mining industry so that changes could start being made.
Fandom: Hetalia
Characters: Colorado, America
Summary: The late 1800s, early 1900s ushered in some violent growing pains for Colorado.
A/N: This is a rough draft for a project I'm thinking of doing for Colorado's history. Going through Colorado history Hetalia-style might be my project for March since midterms will be coming up :D (Good way to study, ne?)
Words: 1047 (w/ historical notes)
In the late 1800s, early 1900s Colorado experienced several conflicts between mining unions and mining companies. In many of the mining towns there were armed conflicts and the use of the state militia/National Guard to put the unions down. Marital law was declared in many of these towns and the press was controlled. In 1903, one spectator asked, “Is Colorado in America?” along with the following headlines, “Martial Law Declared in Colorado, Habeas Corpus Suspended in Colorado, Free Press Throttled in Colorado, Bull-pens for Union Men in Colorado, Free Speech Denied in Colorado” - William D. Haywood.
America looked hard at Nebraska and the boy shifted nervously from foot to foot. He was getting bigger now, looking closer to America’s own human age than the lanky fifteen year old he had been before the Civil War. America could tell the boy was nervous about being the bearer of this news, but he was hardy and he would do it for his siblings.
“What did you say?”
“Colorado is having a rebellion.” America’s heart was surrounded by ice at this news. It was too soon for something like this to occur again. Too soon after he had patched up his family after the last time they felt wronged and rebellious.
“Not against you!” Nebraska quickly back peddled seeing the look on his nation’s face, “Her people are fighting each other. It’s over the mining industry, it was finally too much.” America’s relief was short lived as he realized the pain she must be in.
“Is she alright?”
Nebraska shook his head. “She’s a real mess, that is why I came out here. We’ve been trying to comfort her, but it’s not enough. I think you are the only one that can make it better at this point.”
“Let me make the arrangements. Send a telegram to the others to let them know I am coming.”
Nebraska hugged him, he was almost as tall as he was now. He could feel the tension flow out of the teenage frame. “Thanks Dad.”
“You know I’m not really your dad.”
“True, but when we need one, you fit the bill.”
It didn’t take America long to get on his way out to Colorado’s house. When he got there he received the worried looks of her neighbors. Kansas looked tired, Utah distressed. New Mexico and Wyoming looked downright distraught. Nebraska and Arizona were seeking to comfort all of the siblings.
“Where is your sister?” America asked. They gestured towards the second floor of the Denver home. Kansas offered to show him up. She led him to the door. America silently prepared himself. He had felt the throws of rebellion in his own body, had felt another person be torn from his psyche and given form. He was not going to let that happen to Colorado, who was literally a ‘golden’ child. He opened the door slowly and went immediately to her side.
The brown-haired girl was lying in her bed her hair askew across the pillows. Her face was flushed and she looked horrible.
“She’s been in agony for too long. She didn’t show it for the longest time,” whispered Kansas, “but when the National Guard burned down Ludlow...” She gestured at her younger sister as the girl cried out in agony.
“I understand, thank you Kansas.”
“You’ll help her won’t you?” The girl looked at him with blue eyes that mirrored his own.
“Of course, I’m the hero.” he said giving her his best reassuring smile. She gave a weak smile in return and mentioned that she would go look after the others, perhaps make something for Colorado to eat. He thanked her. As soon as she left he walked over to the bed and rested a hand on Colorado’s pale forehead. She was cold as ice. As soon as he touched her she reached up and grabbed his hand.
“Who’s there?”
“It’s me, Colorado.”
“America?”
“Yes, I’ve come to help you.” A tear slid down her cheek. She looked so young to even America’s eyes. The idea of her was not even 100 years old, she was only about 20 years into being a state, he remembered when she was tiny and he could wrap up the entire west in his arms. America sat down on the bed next to her and gathered her up in his arms. Her long-limbed teenage body curled up against his as she began to cry in earnest. Not only were her people fighting each other, she had been going through terrible growing pains. In less than 50 years she had increased her population many times over and towns had sprung up everywhere in pursuit of the precious metals in her mountains. It was this search for riches that had really begun her growth.
She cried and America held her, telling her of the troops he had brought to stop the pain and that it would all be okay. He held her until she was able to rest and then a relieved Wyoming took his place and he was able to go and settle the awful business that had sprung up between employer and employee.
On April 20, 1914 the ‘Ludlow Massacre’ occurred near Trinidad, Colorado. Coal miners were pressing for better conditions and better wages and had moved out of company housing into a tent city called Ludlow. In 1913 the Colorado governor ended the National Guard’s neutrality in the manner of strikes by extending their purpose from just keeping the peace to protecting strikebreakers that the mining companies were importing. On April 20 the National Guard attacked a tent colony that was considered a trouble spot. Five strikers, one militiaman, two women, and eleven children died. The women in children died in the fire that was set to the tents, the others died from shots fired. It was a really unfortunate event that ended when President Wilson sent 1600 federal troops to disarm everyone, guardsmen and striker alike. It brought to national attention the issues in the mining industry so that changes could start being made.