Unit Four The American Revolution and Georgia Statehood

Georgia after the French & Indian War Colonies prospered Not happy with mercantile system Forced to trade only with Britain Wanted to produce or grow what they wanted Some began smuggling (illegal trade)

Taxes French & Indian War cost Great Britain a lot of money To recover cost they began a series of tax laws Sugar Act (1764) placed duties on sugar, molasses, coffee, indigo, and wine Townshend Act (1767) placed duties on lead, glass, paper, tea, and paint Stamp Act (1765) required all paper used in the colonies to bear a tax stamp purchased from the government American colonists protested to Parliament

America Protests! Groups such as Sons of Liberty were formed to make people act Some boycotted products (refused to buy) Tax officials were threatened and attacked Parliament repealed most of the unpopular taxes America was getting an anti-British attitude

Clash of British and American Ideas Consent of the Governed – Government should only govern as long as people agree to be governed. If people are unhappy with government it loses its right to govern. Representative government- People have the right to elect those who represent them Limited government- the power of government is limited by “natural law.” Natural law – people have natural rights – which come from God or nature- that government cannot take away (life, liberty, and property)

Resentment & Conflict Taxes passed by Parliament (people Americans could not vote to elect) violated the colonists’ right to taxation with representation Americans were supposed to have the same rights as British citizens – often their rights were ignored Increased protests & violence against government officials caused Britain to send more troops to enforce laws Colonists were taxed to pay for more troops – colonists had to pay for the soldiers housing Colonists’ anger was greatest in northern colonies – in 1770 several British soldiers, attacked by a crowd, fought back and five colonists died and six were wounded “Boston Massacre”

Tea Act 1773 Parliament passed the Tea Act, which gave one British company a monopoly – exclusive right- to sell tea in America. Tea was popular but many colonists refused to buy tea as a protest. December 16, 1773, Sons of Liberty dumped shiploads of British tea into the Boston harbor, in other ports tea was also dumped or burned Punishment from Parliament Closed the Boston port until tea was paid for People in Massachusetts couldn’t elect their own officials or hold town meetings Require people to feed and house British soldiers

Intolerable Acts These punishments fueled resentment from the colonists of Britain The First Continental Congress, with delegates from all colonies except Georgia, met in Philadelphia and agreed to boycott all British goods British goods burned British loyalists tarred and feathered Britain sent more troops

Continental Congress Acts May 1775, Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia Became government for the American colonies Georgia sent five delegates June 15, 1775, the Congress named George Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army American forces fight back forces at Bunker Hill until they ran out of gun powder and had to retreat

Declaration of Independence July delegates sent King George III a petition (formal written request) Stating loyalty & asking him to stop Britain’s hostile actions against colony King George refused to accept petition & declared the colonists in a state of rebellion Parliament bans all trade with America

July 4, 1776 Independence Day July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence All the delegates signed including Georgia’s: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton Document (written by Thomas Jefferson) included: All men are created equal Everyone is born with certain rights the government can’t take away-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness Government gets its power from the people The people can do away with a government they no longer approve of “These United Colonies are…Free and Independent States.”

Independence Movement in Georgia 1775 Battles at Lexington & Concord signaled the beginning of the American Revolution People in Savannah were excited by the news Georgia’s royal government was openly defied Raided colony’s gunpowder storehouse and disrupted King’s birthday celebration Government is falling apart

Georgia Chooses Sides Georgia was newer than the other colonies with less history of self-government On the coast Georgians became wealthy through trade Sir James Wright had been a good leader and the colony had prospered Loyalty to Britain was strongest in coastal Georgia Further inland, backcountry Georgians were ready for independence

Georgians Take Sides Anti-British = Whigs (Patriots) British supporters = Tories (Loyalists) Older or first-generation Georgians were typically Tories Tied to England by tradition, friends and relatives, and their homeland Younger or second-generation Georgians were typically Whigs Georgia born children often joined the fight for liberty

Royal Government Ends July 1775 “Provincial Congress” of delegates from Georgia’s parishes met in Savannah Complete boycott of trade with Great Britain Whigs set up “Council of Safety” to enforce boycott Georgia has two governments – royal government with James Wright and Whig’s provisional government January 1776, Whig forces arrested Governor Wright, who escaped to a British warship

Reaction in Georgia Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776 but Georgians didn’t hear about it for one month 1,500 Tories left Georgia Some stayed to protect their homes May 1777 Georgia’s first constitution went into effect John Adam Treutlen was the first governor of the state Thousands are still loyal to the king Whigs are fighting each other for control Fighting between conservatives and radicals led to the death of Button Gwinnett. Gwinnett and Lachlan McIntosh fought in a duel and Gwinnett died three days later.

The American Revolution First battle occurred in Massachusetts at Lexington & Concord in April 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill two months later Patriot troops marched into British Canada hoping colonists there would join their cause Captured Montreal Defeated in Quebec July 1776 British troops captured New York City Christmas night, George Washington led troops across the Delaware River and defeated the British at the Battle of Trenton

War Comes to Georgia No battles in Georgia during the early years of the revolution 1/3 of Georgians were Whigs (Patriots) 1/3 of Georgians were Tories (Loyalists) 1/3 remained neutral Some Tories were driven out of Georgia and their property was taken by the state Fights erupted between Georgia Patriots and East Florida Loyalists

1778 December 1778, British army reached Savannah 700 Patriots faced 2000 British soldiers, Britain took control of Savannah and soon every important town in Georgia was in the hands of the British Sir James Wright returned to Georgia

Slaves Join the Fight Before the American Revolution about half of Georgia’s population was black slaves A few slaves sided with the Patriots, but most sided with Britain to gain their freedom British commanders offered freedom to any slave who would join the British army December 1778 battle for Savannah Quamino Dolly led a British invasion through a little-known swamp to get around a Patriot force By the end of the war as many as 10,000 Georgia slaves had won freedom siding with the British

Battle of Kettle Creek 1779, at Kettle Creek in Wilkes County, Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke led Georgia Patriots against the British Helped by South Carolina patriots, they scattered the British forces Patriots gained arms, ammunition, and horses Caused many Georgians to join the Patriots

Siege of Savannah Fall of 1779, patriots, helped by France, tried to retake Savannah British held Savannah During a cavalry charge, Count Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman, was killed

End of the War During 1780, the British controlled most of Georgia 1781 the Whigs (Patriots) recaptured Augusta British General Cornwallis moved his army to Yorktown, Virginia Aided by the French, the patriots laid siege Cornwallis surrendered his army Spring 1782, the Tories and the British troops gave up Georgia Revolution ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783

Constitutional Foundations Constitution is the fundamental plan of operation for a government. It spells out what the government can and cannot do. April 1776 Georgia’s Provincial Congress adopted a temporary constitution Preamble proclaimed the idea of popular sovereignty – that government rests on the will of the people The first article of the new constitution introduced a new principle – separation of powers The legislative, executive, and judiciary departments shall be separate and not exercise powers belonging to the other

Georgia’s New Government Three independent branches – Judicial – interprets the law Executive – enforces the law Legislative – creates new laws Constitution set up a unicameral legislature (one house) House of Assembly was given authority to enact laws, appoint officials in the executive & judicial branches Because of their experience with royal governors under British rule, framers of Georgia’s 1777 constitution made the executive branch weak

Nation’s First Constitution November 1777 set up Articles of Confederation Approved by all states on March 1, 1781 Created a weak government with only one branch (unicameral) Could not levy (impose) taxes or regulate trade between states No president to carry out the law No courts to handles disputes Each state had an equal vote regardless of size or population

Shay’s Rebellion After the American Revolution the economy was shaky State governments discouraged trade between states by taxing the products coming in from other states 1786, Massachusetts levied taxes to pay off their war debt 1787, angry citizens led by Daniel Shay rebelled Shay’s Rebellion was quickly resolved by the state militia Other states worried the same could happen – they needed a stronger central government to regulate trade

Constitutional Convention` Georgia sent four delegates to the Philadelphia convention of 1787 – William Pierce, William Houstoun, William Few, and Abraham Baldwin – all of them supported the constitution, but only Few and Baldwin stayed to sign it They supported a strong central government

Convention Compromises Debated 4 months How would states be represented in Congress? State and national governments would function side by side National government would handle – defense, interstate commerce, and foreign relations Both would handle – roads and taxes State government would handle – organization of state government, creation of cities and counties, marriage and divorce laws

Continued Three branches of national government: Executive – enforce or carry out laws Judicial – interpret laws and settle disputes Legislative – to make the laws Checks and balances were built in to make sure no branch overpowered another

Georgia Ratifies the Constitution September 17, 1787 convention delegates gave their final approval to the constitution Ratification needed by nine states January 2, 1788 Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the Constitution of the United States 1789 George Washington became the president of the new government

Georgia’s State Government 1789 Georgia ratified a new state constitution Bicameral Two houses Branches not balanced – most power rested in the legislature Georgia had one of the largest areas but smallest population of the 13 states