Let me tell you about a country called New Britannia. In this scenario, the British maintained nominal control over the Thirteen Colonies until 1867, and thus the British Empire began to grow and grow. (Note: By 1796 it encompassed what would be known as the United States and Canada in real life, but these obviously cannot exist in this universe. By 1860 it had annexed all of Spanish Mexico.) This makes it the world's largest country, with incredibly diverse geography and abundant natural resources. It shouldn't be surprising that this has attracted a large population estimated at 466 million. 300 million live in the Commonwealth of Central Britannia (CCB), 51 million in the Commonwealth of Northern Britannia (CNB), and 108 million in the Commonwealth of Southern Britannia (CSB). Others live in overseas territories. The three  largest groups are Britannians, Acadians, and Hispanics. (Note: Britannians are a specific ethnic group that is mostly of British and Irish origin. A study found that the average Britannian is of 62% British or Irish ancestry, 29% Germanic, including Germans, Scandinavians, and Dutch, 7% French, and 2% of other European origins.) Blond hair and blue eyes are common among Britannians, present in 52% and 75% respectively. Acadians are well known for their French origins, but in this scenario the typical Acadian is of 63% French DNA, with Italian peoples making up 27%. Other DNA has been traced back to German, Swiss, Iberian, or even British sources, though small in number. Britannians make up 65% of the total population in New Britannia, and they are not to be confused with "New Britannians" which refers to people of the entire country. "New Britannian has since become synonymous with "American." Britannians are prominent just about everywhere. Acadians are prominent in the former Louisiana territory, Acadia (note: Including Northern New England), Louisiana, California, and Florida) (Note: California is part of the province of Serena. Serena would encompass Oregon, Washington, California, and Nevada. Montalucio would encompass Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and the Dakotas if these states existed. The state names are still used to specify regions within.). They make up 16% of the population. Hispanics account for 9% of the population. Of the remainder, most of European or native descent, with 3.0% being of African descent. Slavery was abolished earlier. The capital of New Britannia is Philadelphia, also known as Philly. This is situated in the province of Delmarva. (Note: In real life, Delmarva would be made up of parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, New York, and the Virginias.) Though many of these colonies have since been merged, New Britannia still honors (or honours, as 87% will spell it) its colonial legacy, and it continues to use the Grand Union flag. Some other provinces: Carolina, made from North and South Carolina.  Houstonia, made from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Huron is made from Kansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illlinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Kentucky. Dixie is made from Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida. In Northern Britannia are the provinces of British Columbia, Victoria (Note:Vancouver Island and its surrounding archipelago), the Northern Territory (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Alaska. By far the largest by land.), Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Prince Edward Island. Northern Britannia (Note: known in reality as Canada) is more sparsely populated. Southern Britannia (Mexico) is the newest addition to the country. There were no changes made to the provinces. Sadly, Southern Britannia has also been the target of efforts to suppress the Spanish language, as well as erode any unique identity tied to their unique heritage. New Britannia has utilized replacement migration to weaken their cultural identity. Because New Britannia is prosperous, European groups such as the Irish, Eastern Europeans, as well as Ashkenazi Jews have been used by New Britannia to assert its desired national identity. This makes Southern Britannia (Mexico) the most diverse region, but has shifted the Hispanic share of the population to just 28%. Recently, efforts have made to preserve a Mexican identity, with the establishment of Spanish-speaking schools in Southern Britannia, in which Mexicans can cultivate their identity. Anglicization efforts have waxed and waned with different time periods. The national currency of New Britannia is the Britannian pound (𝕷).

While the tide began to turn in the 1940s, the Cold War was another turning point. (Note: New Britannia fought on the side of the allies in World War II. It and the Soviet Union were the real victors, and promptly divided the world into spheres of influence. New Britannia founded NATO in 1949, and the Soviet Union responded with its Warsaw Pact.) The Soviet Union had targeted Mexicans with the aim of spreading communism, and disrupting the unity of New Britannia. This causes Anglicization efforts, which had begun to decline, to ramp back up, lead by figures such as J. Edgar Hoover and Joseph McCarthy. They would largely come to an end in 1995, after the end of the Cold War. Unsurprisingly, New Britannia is traditionally anti-communist, though this varies among major ethnic groups. According to official surveys, around 67% of Britannians would rather perish than accept a communist takeover of the country, with 91% holding negative views of communist governance. This number dropped to 48% and 72% respectively for Acadians, but the sentiment is clearly there. Among Hispanics, these same numbers are 34% and 51%. New Britannia (Note: In this scenario South Korea and South Vietnam ultimately won with New Britannian help, and annexed their rivals) fought in the Korean and Vietnam Wars to great success. New Britannia has a unique system of governance. Citizens over 21 take the Civic Aptitude and Knowledge Exam (CAKE), which is designed to ensure that voters are knowledgeable enough to participate in politics. Voting points are weighted based on exam performance.

It shouldn't surprise anyone that New Britannia's national dish is the cheeseburger, the crown of its rich culinary scene. Should you look hard enough, you'll be able to find a variety of cuisines including the Southern cuisine in Dixie, the Tex-Mex flavors in Houstonia, and the influence of French and Italian gastronomy of the Acadians. Something else worth mentioning about Acadians is that they favor warm areas such as Texas, California, and Florida. The ones that do not already live in these places will frequently journey to warm places in New Britannia during the Winter. But because New England is one of the oldest colonial regions, they are still known as Acadians. They're also known as Cajuns in Louisiana, Dixie. Cajuns have their own unique cuisine, known for hearty dishes which use liberal seasoning. Seafood is prominent here, though obviously it isn't the only food. Po'Boys, gumbo, and jambalaya are popular treats. Acadians have a vibrant, outgoing culture and are known for their love of good food, wine, and art, and they've left their mark on plenty of cities, such as New Orleans, Miami, and San Francisco. 
Acadians are a smaller population than the Britannians, and yet they are the cause of much fascination. Descended primarily from two cultures almost universally viewed as romantic, sopisticated, and with great taste, it's no surprise they are a major player in the food market. Authentic French food, authentic Italian food, creative fusion food, and even sometimes Alsatian are devoured by millions of New Britannians. In addition to already-established foods, experimental dishes such as the garlic parmesan croissant have also attained popularity. Of course, as  pizza and pasta dishes are also present, alongside salads. The quattro formaggi (Italian for four-cheese) variant is the most popular pizza in New Britannia. It's loaded with a crushed tomatoes and topped with fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan, and tiny balls of mozzarella that leave visible spots in the finished product. For salad: Apple and Gorgonzola Salad: Combining Acadian and Britannian influences, a salad made with local apples, gorgonzola cheese, walnuts, and a cider vinaigrette would marry flavors from both cultures. Panzanella Cascadienne: A twist on the Italian bread salad, incorporating locally-produced vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers, with the addition of smoked salmon, a popular item in the Pacific Northwest.  Wild Rice and Cranberry Salad. Lyonnaise Salad: A warm salad featuring frisée lettuce, crispy bacon (lardons), a poached egg, and a Dijon vinaigrette, reflecting the French influence in Acadian culture.

Meat is central to most Britannian cuisines. It's not at all uncommon for those living in the Northeast, Delmarva or New England specifically, to eat steak, eggs, and potatoes for a hearty breakfast. Beef, pork, chicken, and turkey are the most popular. Houstonia and Alberta are well-known sources of delicious beef. Barbecuing is very common, and barbecue has even been combined with Afternoon Tea. One popular dinner dish in Britannian cuisine is braised short ribs served with pappardelle and complementary vegetables such as carrots and onions. Pot pies are also a staple. For dessert, pies and pie-like dishes such as bars, for example the Nanaimo bar served in the Pacific region, Serena and British Columbia, beat out pies in popularity. The most popular are apple pies, cheesecakes, cherry pies, and Mississippi mud pies. Cookies, especially chocolate chip cookies, are a popular snack.

The CSB, or Mexico, as mentioned earlier, is a melting pot. It's 32% Britannian, 28% Hispanic, 15% Acadian, and a large 25% are of Eastern European descent. The largest groups of Eastern European are Slavs, Hungarians, Romanians, and Jews. It's the place to go for authentic Slavic as well as Mexican food, if one seeks a different dining experience. Spanish became an official language in 1975. Northern Mexico, above the 25th parallel north, had been part of Britannia for 148 years prior, while its entirety would be conquered by 1860. English and French have always been official languages. The capital of the CSB is Victoria City, which was known as Mexico City from 1585-1870.

Sports are enjoyed by hundreds of millions, with the most popular being Rugby Union, Baseball, and American Football. These are known as the Big Three, but hockey, basketball, and football (soccer) also have followings. Hockey is especially popular in the CNB. While American football evolved out of the collegiate scene, professional rugby players are drafted at age 17-20 out of the ARU (American Rugby Union), an umbrella organization governing such minor leagues as the Western Rugby League (WRL) with jurisdiction over the west coast and rockies, or the Southern Rugby League. The  largest professional rugby league is the Grand Rugby League. Nearly every male in New Britannia grows up playing a sport, whether recreational or in pursuit of a career. This contributes to the overall fitness and athletic culture of the country. 25% of New Britannians, or Americans, are overweight, and included in this figure are the 15% who are obese. In total, 25% are overweight or obese. This is not as high as other developed countries but it still accounts for 1 in 4.