What if the Confederate army had moved on Washington, DC after their victory at the first battle of Bull Run?
I could give many examples of how history turned on a snap decision, a quirk, a timely death, a misunderstanding, or just dumb luck. One of my favorite history books is appropriately entitled What If? (Berkley Books, 1999). It’s a collection of essays by eminent historians about how history might have turned out differently. For example, Thomas Fleming writes about 13 ways the colonists could have lost the American Revolution.
I may be the last to know this, but but I’ve just found an alternate history channel on YouTube. It’s called the Alternate History Hub (https://www.youtube.com/user/AlternateHistoryHub). If you have the time, you can watch some thought-provoking videos.
Alternate history is a fascinating intellectual exercise, and could be a treasure trove of ideas for historical fiction. I’d be tempted if I had another lifetime.