1. Georgia and the American Experience
Chapter 6:
An Age of Expansion,
Study Presentation

2. Georgia and the American Experience
Section 1: Creating A New Government
Section 2: Land Fever in Georgia
Section 3: Economic Growth in Georgia
Section 4: Georgia At the Dawn of a New Century
Section 5: The War of 1812
Section 6: Native Americans in Georgia

3. Section 1: Creating A New Government
Essential Question
What was Georgia’s role in the Constitutional Convention?

4. Section 1: Creating A New Government
What words do I need to know?
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
General Assembly

5. Constitutional Convention of 1787
William Few and Abraham Baldwin represented Georgia at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia; George Washington presided
U.S. Constitution established three governmental branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial
Senate and House of Representatives established; only three-fifths of slave population would count toward representation

6. U.S. Constitution Ratified in 1788
Georgia was fourth state to ratify (approve) the new Constitution
Constitution could be amended (changed); first 10 amendments became Bill of Rights
George Washington became the first President

7. Postwar Georgia
Economy in ruin; government provided food basics as farmers tried to reestablish their farms
Capital moved to Augusta
Georgia delegates met in 1788 and 1789; adopted state constitution similar to national government, with three branches
General Assembly had two houses, Senate and House of Representatives; appointed governor and judges; controlled spending decisions
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8. Section 2: Land Fever in Georgia
Essential Question
How did many Georgians obtain land in the twenty years following the end of the American Revolution?

9. Section 2: Land Fever in Georgia
What words do I need to know?
headright system
Yazoo land fraud
Louisiana Purchase

10. Headright System
Indian land in Georgia east of the Oconee River was given to settlers
Every white male counted as a head of household and had the “right” to receive up to 1,000 acres
This was generally replaced in 1803 by a land lottery for government-owned land west of the Oconee
All white heads-of-household could buy a lottery chance and win land; millions of acres in several states were given away

11. Yazoo Land Fraud
Around 1795, four companies bribed the governor and legislators
Bought millions of acres in western Georgia (today’s Alabama and Mississippi) for 1½¢ an acre
The public found out and protested; the legislators involved were voted out of office
General Assembly repealed the law approving the sale; the federal government paid more than $4 million to help Georgia settle Yazoo land claims

12. The Western Territory
In 1802, Georgia ceded (gave up) its land claims west of the Chattahoochee River to the federal government for $1.25 million
President Thomas Jefferson doubled the nation’s size in 1803 with the Louisiana territory purchase; the U.S. paid France $15 million for land that stretched to the Rocky Mountains
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13. Section 3: Economic Growth in Georgia
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How did Georgia rebuild and expand its economy in the late 17th and early 18th century?

14. Section 3: Economic Growth in Georgia
What words do I need to know?
depression
turnpike
cotton gin
mechanical reaper

15. Cotton and the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney in 1793 invented a machine for separating cotton seeds from its fiber
Increased the amount cotton growers could process each day
The gin used wire teeth on a turning cylinder to separate the seed from fiber

16. The Mechanical Reaper
Cyrus McCormick invented a machine to cut grain in a field
Wooden paddles attached to a horse’s harness allowed six times more grain to be cut per day than previous methods
Georgia farmers could work larger and more profitable farms with these agricultural machines

17. Depression and the Panic of 1837
Many Georgia banks failed between 1837 and the early 1840s
This happened during a depression (a sharp economic downturn)
Many business failed; many farmers and planters lost their land
Many banks didn’t have enough cash to pay out money their depositors had entrusted to them

18. Early Roads in Georgia
Railroads, most built after 1830, replaced horses, stagecoaches, and boats
Most Georgia roads ran east to west; they were former Indian footpaths
Plank roads over wetlands that featured “pikes” or gates were called turnpikes
Travelers paid a toll, or fee at each pike; the Old Federal Road connected Athens north to Tennessee

19. Terminus
Located at the southern end of a rail line that originated in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Later remained Marthasville, after the daughter of former Governor Wilson Lumpkin
Marthasville became Atlanta, and the capital of Georgia
Rail lines greatly reduced travel time for people and freight
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20. Section 4: Georgia at the Dawn of a New Century
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
How did lifestyles differ in Georgia between frontier families and town dwellers?

21. Section 4: Georgia at the Dawn of a New Century
What words do I need to know?
pioneers
frontier Georgia
cultural refinements
townsfolk

22. Frontier Georgia Undeveloped land in central and western Georgia
Few settlers; much land given away in land lotteries
Far-flung trading posts were only stores
Often danger lurked from hostile attacks
Social activities often centered around necessary work
The country store became the center of activity; few luxuries were available

23. Life in Georgia’s Towns
Cultural refinements (higher level living) set apart frontier and town lifestyles
Newspapers, theater, and debate societies
Fancy balls, barbecues, camp meetings, and horse racing
Orphanages, hospitals, and facilities for people with special needs were operated

24. Religious Activities
Anglicans, Quakers, and Methodist circuit riders (traveling ministers for frontier dwellers) grew in number
Georgia’s first Roman Catholic Church established in Wilkes County in 1796
Savannah had active Jewish synagogue
As more towns were established, churches become central to community life
In other parts of America, the Mormon church and the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) churches were started

25. Education in Georgia
The University of Georgia chartered in 1785 as nation’s first land-grant university; opened for classes in 1801
UGA was often called Franklin College in its early days
By 1820, there were forty academies (schools) across the state
Georgia Female College (later Wesleyan College) opened in 1836
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26. Section 5: The War of 1812 ESSENTIAL QUESTION
What were the causes of the War of 1812?

27. Section 5: The War of 1812 What words and people do I need to know?
embargo
president James Madison
war hawks
Treaty of Ghent

28. Unhappy with French and British Trade Policies
Years of war between Great Britain and France prompted both countries to try to block U.S. trade with its enemy
British ships made American sailors serve with the British Navy
President Thomas Jefferson ordered an embargo in 1807 to stop trade with foreign countries; this proved disastrous to American shipping

29. The War Hawks Land-hungry Southerners and Westerners
Believed British were stirring up the Indians in the western territories
Argued for war against Great Britain
Believed the British should be driven from Canada to eliminate the problems in the western territories
President James Madison pushed Congress to declare war on Great Britain in 1812; the war declaration narrowly passed

30. War Breaks Out
War lasted for two years; neither side gained advantage during first two years
In 1814, British attack and burn Washington, the young national capital
British later attacked Baltimore harbor; “The Star Spangled Banner” written during The Battle of Fort McHenry
The Battle of New Orleans, fought after the Treaty of Ghent ended the war, was a decisive American victory
The war united the American states as one nation; Andrew Jackson became a national hero
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31. Section 6: Native Americans in Georgia
ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Why were the Indians removed from Georgia?

32. Section 6: Native Americans in Georgia
What words do I need to know?
syllabary
Oconee War
Treaty of New York
Red Sticks
White Sticks
Treaty of Indian Springs
Trail of Tears

33. Cherokee Culture
Most advanced of Georgia’s tribes; learned quickly from white settlers
Some, like Chief James Vann, lived in large houses
Chief Vann encouraged Christianity
Sequoyah developed a syllabary, a group of symbols that stand for whole syllables; it gave Cherokees a written form of their language
Government modeled on that of United States; capital at New Echota by 1825

34. Creek Indians
Series of clashes between Creek and settlers who pushed into their land known as Oconee War
Treaty of New York: Creeks give up all land east of the Oconee River, but could keep land on the west side; this angered Georgia settlers, who felt betrayed by their government
Land treaties were often broken
Red Stick Creeks endorsed war to fight for their land claims; White Stick Creeks wanted peace

35. The Creek War
Red Sticks attacked Fort Mims, killing more than 400 people
The Battle of Horseshoe Bend, in Alabama, ended the Creek War in 1814; Andrew Jackson led the U.S. troops
The Creeks were forced to give up nearly all their land to the U.S. government
The Treaty of Indian Springs gave up last Creek lands in Georgia to the U.S.; Chief William McIntosh was later murdered by rival Creeks for signing the treaty

36. Creek Removal
Treaty of Washington (1832) resulted in 5 million acres of Creek land ceded to the United States
U.S. agreed to allow Creeks who wished to remain and live on 2 million of those acres; the U.S. promised to protect those who stayed
Those who didn’t wish to stay would have to move to the western territories
The treaty was broken; by 1840, nearly all Creeks were forced to move west

37. The Trail of Tears
Discovery of gold in north Georgia heightened demand for Cherokee land
The Supreme Court ruled that Cherokee territory was not subject to state law, but the ruling was not enforced
Between 1832 and 1835, Cherokees were stripped of their land
In 1838, thousands of Cherokees were forcibly removed to Oklahoma; about 4,000 died from disease, exposure, or hunger
700 to 800 escaped and hid in the North Carolina mountains
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