The thing about history is that it actually makes no sense. Until somebody comes along and imposes a narrative on it.
But there's always something that makes the narrative go kerflooey.
Linear models of chaotic systems don't really work so good. Also, now I remember why I don't write alternate history.
*recalls Jefferson from France in time for the Philadelphia Convention, institutes female suffrage, and gives up on American history as a bad job all over*
_