Georgia and the American Experience Chapter 5: From Royalty to Independence, Part 2 Study Presentation © 2005 Clairmont Press

Georgia and the American Experience Section 3: The Call for Independence The Call for IndependenceThe Call for Independence Section 4: The Revolutionary War Period The Revolutionary War PeriodThe Revolutionary War Period

Section 3: The Call for Independence ESSENTIAL QUESTION –How was Georgia’s role in the Revolutionary War affected by the attitudes of the colonists?

Section 3: The Call for Independence What words do I need to know? –Tories –Patriots –Boycotts –Proclamation of 1763 –Liberty Boys –Acts (Sugar, Stamp, Townsend, Quartering)

Unhappy with British Acts Great Britain needed money; much debt and security expenses resulted from the French and Indian War Sugar Act: tax on sugar and molasses imported from the West Indiesmolasses Stamp Act: tax on newspapers, legal documents, and licenses Georgians disapproved of these acts

The Liberty Boys Georgians who came together to oppose the Stamp Act Part of larger group, the “Sons of Liberty” Some called them “Liberty Brawlers” Met in taverns, such as Savannah’s Tondee’s TavernTondee’s Tavern Georgia only colony to actually sell the stamps Stamp Act was eventually repealed

Protests Increase Noble Wimberly Jones, speaker of Georgia colonial assembly, led Townshend Act protests Townshend Act Townshend Acts: placed import taxes on tea, paper, glass, and coloring for paints Governor Wright disbanded the assembly to try to end the protests

Continental Congress Met in Philadelphia in September 1774 to protest “Intolerable Acts” levied against the Massachusetts colonists Georgia was not represented Urged colonies to establish “Committees of Safety”Committees of Safety Agreed to stop all trade with Britain Carried on its work in secret “Provincial Congress” held in Savannah in January 1775; less than one-half of Georgia’s parishes were represented Click to return to Table of Contents

Section 4: The Revolutionary War Period ESSENTIAL QUESTION –Why was there an American Revolution?

Section 4: The American Revolution What words do I need to know? –Second Continental Congress –Declaration of Independence –ratify –Articles of Confederation –siege –Treaty of Paris (1783)

Second Continental Congress Met in Philadelphia after Lexington and Concord battles Drafted petition for King George III, asking for end of unfriendly steps against the colonies Georgia III refused to accept the petition Authorized Continental Army Georgia’s Lyman Hall arrived in May 1775Lyman Hall

Georgia’s Second Provincial Congress Held at Tondee’s Tavern in Savannah in July 1775 Archibald Bulloch, John Houstoun, Noble Wimberly Jones, and Reverend John Zubly chosen to represent Georgia in Philadelphiarepresent Georgia Delegates given no specific instructions; told to make best decisions for Georgians Governor Wright fled colony in early 1776; Council of Safety established “Rules and Regulations” to govern Georgia

Declaration of Independence Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” pamphlet encourage colonies to break from Great Britain; sold more than 500,000 copiesCommon Sense Other pamphlets, including “The Crisis” influenced opinion August 2, 1776: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton sign the Declaration of Independence The Declaration meant the colonists were one nation; Georgians prepared for war

Georgia’s First State Constitution About one-third of Georgians remained loyal to Great Britain; they were called Tories The Whigs influenced a state constitution allowing separation of powers and giving citizens rights to agree how they were governed May 1777: Constitution adopted at Constitutional Convention in Savannah Eight counties formed: Burke, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Richmond, Wilkes, and Liberty Chatham

The 1777 Georgia Constitution The governor’s power was limited Executive Council (12 legislators) held greatest power Council could overrule the governor’s decisions John Treutlen appointed Georgia’s first governorJohn Treutlen Georgia’s 1777 Constitution changed in 1789

The Articles of Confederation First Constitution of the United States of AmericaConstitution Ratified (approved) on July 4, 1776 Went into effect in January 1781, when ratified by Maryland and Virginia

Revolutionary War Fighting in Georgia Savannah captured and looted by British troops in December 1778; lootings, murders, and burnings occurred Sunbury port captured in early 1779; Augusta was also attackedSunbury Georgia militia not effective against well- trained British troops Governor Wright eventually returned from Great Britain to govern Georgia

Battle of Kettle Creek (1779) Colonel Elijah Clarke led Georgia militia, defeated 800 British troops near Washington, GeorgiaGeorgia militia Great victory for morale of the militia and Georgians seeking independence Won badly-needed weapons and horses from the British

Siege of Savannah (1779) 15,000 Americans and 4,000 French laid siege to Savannah siege Attack on October 9 resulted in 1,000 American and French deaths in less than an hour; only 40 British troops died Polish Count Casimir Pulaski killedCount Casimir Pulaski Savannah remained under British control for nearly four more years Guerrilla warfare continued in the Georgia backcountry

Georgia Wartime Heroes Nancy Hart single-handedly captured a group of British loyalists who bragged of murdering an American colonel; Hart County is the only county named for a womanNancy Hart Austin Dabney fought with distinction and was wounded at Kettle Creek; he also saved Elijah Clarke’s life during that battleElijah Clarke’s

The War Ends Elijah Clarke, the Georgia Militia,and the Continental Army regain Augusta from British in June 1781; 11 battles or skirmishes fought in Georgia during the war George Washington, with French help, force British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in October 1781 British leave Savannah in the spring of 1782 Treaty of Paris (September 1783) ends war; treaty is signed by United States, Great Britain, and FranceTreaty of Paris Click to return to Table of Contents