Colonial American Fantasy

What’s the background like, for Path of the Magi and the Tales of Tiberius? On the one hand it’s the usual for a fantasy novel. I’m talking about Knights, Dragons, elves, etc, so naturally there are taverns, castles and the usual stuff you’d find at a renascence fair.
On the other hand, things are a bit different. My fantasy world is populated from the same people who were colonizing North America and there is certain colonial American flavor to the countryside. The local governments are generally democracies, not monarchies, the food is more likely to feature johnnycake than blackbird pie, and so on. Why? Partly because you write about what you know, and I’ve been an American History student forever. I also think it’s worth remembering that not all the magical stuff happens in Europe. We have Rip Van Winkle and the Headless Horseman right here in New York. And did you know that Jousting is the official sport of Maryland? Something to think about when you read the Path of the Magi.