Georgia State Constitution: 1789 Resembled new US Constitution –C–Called for a bicameral legislature and three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative –I–Included plans for local governments Responsible for keeping records and establishing a system of law County seat was the center of local government: courthouse and jail located there Counties had to be small enough so that citizens could make it back home in one day –A–As counties grew, they were divided into 2 seats –A–Amendments Changed the way of electing governor: both houses would elect Legislature would meet in January Louisville (present-day Jefferson County) would be the new state capital

Post-Revolutionary Georgia Education Slow growth; many not schooled Slow growth; many not schooled Governor Lyman Hall recommended state set aside land for schools; few built Governor Lyman Hall recommended state set aside land for schools; few built 1784: set aside land and named trustees for a state college 1784: set aside land and named trustees for a state college – Land Grant University: federal government gave land 1785: University of Georgia (Oldest school of its kind) 1785: University of Georgia (Oldest school of its kind) – First Building: Franklin College 1786: Georgia Legislature required all counties to open schools 1786: Georgia Legislature required all counties to open schools Wealthy could afford colleges Wealthy could afford colleges Females not admitted to UGA until 1918 Females not admitted to UGA until 1918 The building of the University of Georgia

Creating a Capital City For much of Georgia’s early history, the capital rotated between Savannah and Augusta – Savannah became difficult to get to for citizens who moved inland – Augusta was too far east – 1786: legislature appointed a commission to find a site for the new, centrally located capital Funds to purchase 1000 acres of land—city was to be modeled after then-US capital of Philadelphia – Legislature required that the new location be 20 miles from an Indian trading post on the Ogeechee River (present-day Jefferson County) – Insisted the new capital be called “Louisville” to honor King Louis XVI of France (helped in the Rev. War) – 1796: New Capital in Louisville finished; served as capital for 10 years – February 21, 1796: Holy Fire From Heaven (Yazoo land sales records burned in front of the capital steps) – 1804: With western expansion, legislature voted to build a new capital in Baldwin County (Milledgeville)