1. SS8H3
The student will analyze the role of Georgia in the American Revolution.

2. SS8H3a:
Explain the immediate and long-term causes of the American Revolution and their impact on Georgia: include the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts, and the Declaration of Independence.

3. The French and Indian War
By 1750, Great Britain and France were the two most powerful nations with colonies east of the Mississippi River.
These two nations hated each other and had a long history of fighting.
This caused serious problems as British colonists moved west and came in contact with more Native Americans and French settlers.
In 1754 these tensions resulted in the FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR.
The British fought the French and their Native American allies.
This lasted 9 years with France finally surrendering and giving up all its land in Canada and east of the Mississippi.
The British also gained Florida from Spain.
Great Britain stood alone as the one, true colonial power in eastern North America.

5. Effects of the War on Georgia
No actual fighting took place in Georgia.
The French and Indian War had beneficial effects on Georgia.
1. The territory grew: with the French gone, the Mississippi River now became Georgia’s western border. ( Alabama and Mississippi did not yet exist)
2. Now that Great Britain owned Florida, Georgia was much more secure. Georgia no longer had to worry about a Spanish threat from the south.

6. Tensions Rise Between Great Britain And The Colonies
After the French and Indian War the colonies and Great Britain began having a hard time getting along.
Colonies did not like that Great Britain tried to exercise grater control over the colonies.
The colonies were use to governing themselves.
Britain had a lot of new land in North America and was in debt from the war. As a result the king and Parliament felt they needed more say over things in America.
They offended the colonists and led them to eventually declaring independence.

7. The Proclamation of 1763
In an effort to manage Britain’s new territories, King George III issued the Proclamation of 1763.
This created four new colonies ( Quebec in Canada, Granada in the Caribbean, East Florida, and West Florida).
This upset many middle and northern colonies because it stated that colonists could not move into previously French territory near where the Native Americans were living.
Many colonists resented this regulation because it limited their personal freedom and economic opportunities.

9. The Stamp Act
The Proclamation of 1763 addressed the land problem but did nothing for the debt that the British owed for the French and Indian War.
The crown and parliament felt that colonists should help with the cost.
They passed a series of acts or laws. One was the Stamp Act in 1765 which made the colonists the maddest.
This tax affected anyone trying to conduct business.
It Taxed:
Legal documents
Licenses
newspapers

11. All documents had to have a government stamp
All documents had to have a government stamp. To get a stamp you had to pay a tax.
The Colonies sent delegates to the Stamp Act Congress in New York City Georgia did not send a representative.
James Otis of Massachusetts proclaimed “No Taxation without representation!”
Many colonists engaged in boycotts of British products. They hoped that the British would get tired of losing money and pressure parliament into changing the law on taxes.
Groups like the Sons of Liberty started to develop e throughout the colonies ( including Georgia). These groups used violence and threats to make sure no stamps were sold and that everyone stuck to the boycotts.

13. Georgia and the Stamp Act
The day before the Stamp Act was to go into effect in Georgia, protestors in Savannah burned a dummy of the stamp master.
This alarmed Governor Wright.
The stamps came to Georgia a month later. However, thanks to the Liberty Boys the stamp master did not come.
Liberty Boys was the chapter of the Sons of Liberty in Georgia.
Many colonies simply refused.
Eventually Parliament had no choice but to cancel the Stamp Act.
Georgia was the only colony to ever sell any of the stamps.

14. The Intolerable Acts
The Stamp Act was repealed but other acts followed.
One of these involved prices on British tea.
In December 1773, on group of colonists in Boston, Massachusetts decided they’d had enough. They dressed as Mohawk Indians, marched to the Boston Harbor, boarded British ships hauling tea, and began dumping he crates overboard. This was known as the Boston Tea Party.
As a result of this Parliament was so angry they passed a series of laws known as Intolerable Acts.

16. Intolerable Acts Placed military governor over Massachusetts
Closed Boston Harbor
Expanded the border of English Canada so as to take land away from several colonies.
To deal with this crisis every colony had a representative gather in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress in 1774.
Again only Georgia did not send representative.

17. First Continental Congress
In a statement to the king, the First Continental Congress wrote that the colonies had a right to be represented in their government and, since they were not represented in England, they should be allowed to live by their own laws instead of Parliament’s.
The king and Parliament disagreed with the Congress.
By 1775 is was clear that tensions between the Crown and the colonists were reaching a breaking point.

19. Georgia’s Discontent
As Parliament continued to pass laws taxing the colonies, discontent grew in Georgia.
Legislators began to openly complain about Britain’s policies.
This put the Assembly at odds with Governor Wright, who was loyal to the crown.
Businessmen in Savannah grew impatient and resentful of British taxes because they affected their ability to do business freely.

20. The Tories and Patriots
The taxes that British passed did not effect all of the colonists of Georgia the same. Because of this the colony became divided.
Many Georgians who owed their positions to the wealth to England remained Tories (colonists loyal to the king).
Many others became Patriots (colonists who favored independence from England). They felt oppressed by Parliament’s taxes and believed that their rights and freedoms were being trampled on.
Many rural Georgians simply did not care because they lived isolated lives.

21. Standard: SS8H3b
The student will analyze the significance of people and events in Georgia on the Revolutionary War; include Loyalists, patriots, Elijah Clarke, Austin Dabney, Nancy Hart, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton, Battle of Kettle Creek, and siege of Savannah.

22. Independence Declared
In April 1775, colonists and “red coats” (British soldiers) fired the first shots of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord Massachusetts.
Less than one month later the 2nd Continental Congress met.
Lyman Hall went to Philadelphia as Georgia’s unofficial representative. The fact that he was unofficial made the other colonies angry with Georgia.
They felt that Georgia was not doing enough to support their cause.
In July 1775, finally Georgia elected to send additional delegates to join Hall and made him Georgia’s official representative at the 2nd Continental Congress meeting.

23. Continental Army
At first the congress tried to find peaceful solutions.
The King refused to compromise.
The congress voted to form the Continental Army and elected George Washington of Virginia to be it’s commander.
The Congress also appointed Thomas Jefferson of Virginia to write a statement outlining the reasons for the colonies separation from Great Britain.

24. The Declaration of Independence
On July 4th 1776, the delegates to the 2nd Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.
This proclaimed that American colonies were a united and free nation.
Three Georgians signed:
George Walton, Lyman Hall, and Button Gwinnett. ( Walton was only 26 years old. He was the youngest to sign.)
It was read publicly in Savannah in Aug
Patriots rejoiced. ( fired cannons, had mock funeral for King George…)
Thousands of Tories left Georgia. Some went to Canada, Caribbean and others went to England.
Most Tories stayed because they believed it would be a short time before Great Britain crushed the revolution.

25. The Revolution in Georgia
Colonists in Savannah responded to the Lexington and Concord fighting by storming in British storehouses and stealing arms and gunpowder.
It was clear a was coming. Everyone divided into Tories and Patriots.
In July 1775 a group of Patriots from towns throughout Georgia met in Savannah to set up a Patriot Government Provincial Congress.
This made Georgia have two governments:
1. Patriot Government
2. James Wright Government
January 1776 Governor James Wright barely escaped and fled aboard British ship and left Georgia under patriot rule.

26. In The Wake of Independence
With independence Congress now made decisions for a nation.
It set up a committee to draft or write a national set of laws.
Button Gwinnett of Georgia was part of that committee.
They came up with a body of laws known as the Articles of Confederation.
This was the first United States Constitution until
This also allowed colonies to now be independent states and form own government.

27. Georgia’s Battles
July 1776 the 13 original British colonies declared independence from Great Britain.
British Florida was not one of these colonies.
This region was once again a threat to Georgia.
Georgia Patriots attempted to invade Florida and failed.
After the ratification of the Constitution on Button Gwinnett became chief executive of the General Assembly and authorized another invasion of Florida and failed again.

28. What Happened to Gwinnett?
Gwinnett was called a “lying rascal!” by Lachlan McIntosh.
This made Gwinnett so mad he challenged McIntosh to a duel.
Gwinnett died from his wounds.
This caused a division. Many patriots including Lyman Hall supported Gwinnett and others like George Walton supported McIntosh.

29. Savannah and Kettle Creek
In 1778 Great Britain decided to focus more on the south since they were having a hard time defeating Washington in the north.
In December 1778 the British attacked and captured Savannah.
The Patriot Government was forced to leave and James Wright returned as Royal Governor of Georgia.

30. Kettle Creek
In Feb Georgia’s patriot militia finally won a key victory at the Battle of Kettle Creek.
Elijah Clarke from North Carolina led a force with Andrew Pickens that defeated roughly 700 British troops.
This victory allowed Georgians to capture badly needed weapons and supplies and made Clarke a hero.
The patriots reestablished their government in Augusta for a time.