Unit 6: Growth and Expansion Land Policies

Land Policies After the Revolutionary War, Georgia gained access to a large amount of land from the Native Americans who sided with the British. The land Georgia claimed stretched all the way to Mississippi River. The Revolutionary War veterans believed that all citizens had the right to land ownership. Georgia’s political leadership agreed. The question became what was the best way to allocate the land to the people of the state.

The Headright System The first approach to allocate the land was called the headright system. Georgia gave thousands of acres to Revolutionary War veterans. (ex. Austin Dabney) Heads of households (white men over the age of 21) began with 200 acres and had the “right” to receive up to 1,000 acres, depending on whether they had a family or slaves. 50 acres for each family member, 10 acres for each slave This system ended when there were too many claimants and not enough land. It lasted until 1803.

Vocabulary Land speculator: someone who buys property expecting that its value will increase and it will be sold at a profit bribe: money paid to someone to get her or him to do something cede: to surrender ownership to land

Yazoo Act The lure of money led the government to corruption. The 1,000 acres limit was not adhered to. They granted more land than existed to land speculators who hoped to make a large profit later. This practice is known as “land fraud.”

Yazoo Act Other land speculators wanted the vast amount of territory that is Alabama and Mississippi. Speculators in four companies bribed legislators to pass a bill that sold them huge tracks of land in the Yazoo area (currently Alabama and Mississippi) for a really cheap price. This came to be known as the Yazoo Land Fraud. When the citizens found out, they were furious!

Yazoo Act The citizens burned the Yazoo Act on the steps of the capitol in Louisville. The act was repealed in 1796.

Yazoo Act The federal government paid more than $4 million to help Georgia settle Yazoo land claims In 1802, Georgia ceded (gave up) its land claims west of the Chattahoochee River to the federal government for $1.25 million

Land Lottery System The Yazoo Land Fraud changed the way that land was granted in Georgia. The final approach Georgia used for land allocation was the land lottery system. It gave people an equal chance to the land. Every free white male who lived in Georgia for a year was given one chance. A man with a family was given two chances. A widow with children was given two chances.

Land Policies Matching Headright system Land speculator Yazoo land fraud Laud fraud Land lottery Yazoo area Dishonest selling of land Land that is Alabama and Mississippi Speculators bribed legislators to get land cheap Granted no more than 1,000 acres per family Land awarded by chance One who buys land to sell it for profit