Georgia History * Trinity Christian School * Mrs. Stephanie Holland

1770: March - Boston Massacre1770: April – Townsend Acts

repealed1772: Committees of

Correspondence est.1773: May – Tea Act1773: Dec – Boston Tea Party1774: First Continental Congress

1763: Treaty of Paris, 1763 Ends French & Indian War L140,000,000 British war debt

1764: Sugar Act sugar, molasses, coffee, indigo, wine

1765: Stamp Act Printed documents

1765: Quartering Act Requirement to house redcoats

1767: Townshend Acts Glass, lead, paper, paints, tea

Post-French & Indian War: Colonists expected to participate in

mercantile system Smuggling (illegal) with French &

other merchants TAXES:

▪ Sugar Act, Tea Act, Townsend Acts, Stamp Act

▪ Duties: taxes on imports

Results: Colonists boycott (refuse to buy) British goods Colonists protest Parliament Formation of Sons & Daughters of Liberty ANTI-BRITISH ATTITUDE ESTABLISHED!

British concepts about government: Consent of the Governed: government

should rule only so long as its citizens consent to be governed

Representative Government: people have the right to elect persons to represent them and make political decisions

Limited Government: the power of government is limited by “natural law” ▪ Natural Rights: life, liberty & property

American ideas on Self-Government: Town meetings for local matters Colonial legislatures

▪ Militia▪ Taxes

Result: only elected representatives should pass laws and set taxes in the colonies

Americans resent Britain because: Taxes

▪ “No taxation without representation!” Legal rights as British citizens are ignored

▪ Trial by jury suspended in smuggling cases▪ Searches allowed without warrants

British troops are sent for law enforcement N. colonies react more strongly to British

actions 1770: Boston Massacre

1773: Tea Act Monopoly (exclusive right to sell)

Dec. 16, 1773: Boston Tea Party (Sons of Liberty) Parliament’s reaction: “Intolerable Acts”

▪ (1) Port of Boston closed▪ (2) MA forbidden from holding town meetings or

electing officials▪ (3) Colonists required to quarter soldiers

Colonial Reaction: 1st Continental Congress British officials targeted

▪ Britain sends more troops 4/19/1775: Lexington & Concord

“the shot heard round the world” Georgia Chooses Sides:

Reluctant to join fight:▪ Relatively young colony▪ Backcountry Settlers more in favor of independence

▪ Whigs: anti-British; “patriots”▪ Tories: pro-British; “loyalists”

Locating the Main Ideas, p.107 In what ways did American colonists

gain experience in self-government?

Why was the Georgia colony at first reluctant to join with the other colonies in gaining freedom from Great Britain?

Locating the Main Ideas, p. 107 Define:

Smuggling Duties Boycott Natural law Militia Monopoly Whig Tory

Locating the Main Ideas, p.107 Identify:

▪ Sons of Liberty▪ Crispus Attucks▪ Paul Revere▪ Representative Government▪ Boston Massacre

1775: Start of Revolutionary War 4/1775: Lexington & Concord

5/1775: Second Continental Congress▪ Georgia sends 2 delegates

▪ Decision made to draft a Declaration of Independence▪ Organization of army – George Washington to be Commander▪ Petition (formal written request) sent to George III

George refuses; Parliament bans trade with America

6/1775: Washington appt. head of Continental Army 6/1775: Battles of Bunker Hill & Breed’s Hill

Royal Government Comes to an End July 1775: “Provincial Congress” @ Savannah

▪ Vote to:▪ (1) Join other colonies in boycott of British goods▪ (2) “Council of Safety” est. to enforce boycott

2 Governments rule Georgia:▪ British government – Governor Sir James Wright▪ Colonial government

8/1775: King George III declares the colonies in rebellion January 1776: Thomas Paine’s Common Sense

January 1776: Whigs arrest Governor Wright Wright escapes

April 1776: “Rules & Regulations” adopted Temporary constitution Preamble (introduction) Popular Sovereignty (gov’t rests on the people’s will)

July 4 1776: Declaration of Independence adopted by 2nd Continental Congress

Georgia signers: Button Gwinnett Lyman Hall George Walton

Authored by Thomas Jefferson1.All men are created equal2.Everyone is born with certain rights that government cannot

take away (life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness)3.Government gets its power from the people4.The people can do away with a government they no longer

approve of! “These colonies are … Free and Independent States.”

State = nation Independent country with its own government

Button Gwinnett Button Gwinnett served in Georgia's colonial legislature, in the Second

Continental Congress, and as president of Georgia's Revolutionary Council of Safety. He was one of three Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Button Gwinnett's signature is said to be one of the rarest and most valuable of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. The signature is housed at the Georgia Archives in Morrow.

Define: Preamble Popular Sovereignty Petition Declaration of Independence State Nation

Identify: Button Gwinnett Lyman Hall George Walton Thomas Jefferson

Why was it important to the rebelling Georgia colonists to include the concept of popular sovereignty in their temporary constitution?

8/1776: Declaration of Independence read in Savannah Mock funeral for George III, cannons fired Split families

▪ 1st generation: pro-British Tories (James Habersham)

▪ 2nd generation: anti-British (Habersham’s sons) Tories leave

▪ 1,500 leave Georgia for W. FL, Carribbean, or Britain

Election called to author a new constitution Constitution: fundamental plan of operation

for a government▪ What can (or cannot) the government do?▪ Branches of government▪ How are offices to be filled?

2/1777: Georgia Constitution of 1777▪ Preamble

▪ Separation of Powers: “The Legislative, executive & judicial departments shall be separate and distinct, so that neither exercises the powers belonging to the others.”

Reality of the Georgia Constitution of 1777 Unicameral (one-house) Legislative Branch

▪ Powers of the House of Assembly▪ Enact Laws▪ Appoint Executive Branch Officials▪ Appoint Judicial Branch Officials▪ Grant pardons

Weak Executive Branch (name only)▪ Elected by the Legislature▪ 1-year term, could not succeed himself in office▪ 12-man Legislative Executive Council could veto governor

8 counties replace parishes▪ Officials, courthouse, schools, militia, Superior Court

5/1777: New Constitution goes into effect Challenges

▪ 1000s still loyal to King George III▪ Struggle amongst Whig groups

▪ 5/16/1777: duel - Lachlan McIntosh vs. Button Gwinnett Lachlan to Gwinnett: “scoundrel & lying rascal” Both wounded, Gwinnett dies

1777-1778: Valley Forge & Baron von Steuben 1778: Savannah recaptured by British

1779: Royal Governor returns Siege of Savannah

Count Pulaski killed

Define: Constitution Separation of powers Unicameral

Identify: July 4, 1776 House of Assembly John Adam Treutlen

Why were some Georgia families divided in their loyalty to Great Britain?

Why was Georgia’s Constitution of 1777 written to give the legislative branch the most power?

Georgia Loyalties: 1/3 Whigs 1/3 Tories

▪ 1776-1778: Tories driven out of GA 1/3 Neutral

Fighting in Georgia b/w Georgians b/w GA Patriots & E.FL Loyalists

▪ 3 attempts to capture British St.Augustine

1778: Britain attempts to regain GA &

Carolinas 12/1778: reach Savannah▪ 2000 Tories vs. 700 Patriots

Battle for Savannah: Quamino Dolly (slave) guides the British to victory▪ British Victory

▪ Coastal GA becomes a (British) slave haven Slaves also flee to S. GA & FL Indians Slaves evacuate to Canada or Carribbean

1779: Sir James Wright returns to GA to re-establish British authority

▪ GA loyalties are divided - Backcountry holds out▪ Slaves are promised freedom for fighting with British

Early 1779: Battle of Kettle Creek Wilkes County

▪ SC & GB Patriots (Leader: Lt. Col. Elijah Clarke) Patriot Victory

▪ Supply of arms, ammunition, & horses▪ Tories never again gain a sizeable backcountry force

Revolutionary War: Civil War Neighbor vs. neighbor Brother vs. brother

Elijah Clarke In early 1794 Elijah Clarke, in an attempt to claim Creek lands west of the

Oconee River, established as many as six settlements in areas of present-day Greene, Morgan, Putnam, and Baldwin counties. The state militia intervened in September 1794, and the settlements, which came to be known as the Trans-Oconee Republic, were disbanded peacefully.

Elijah Clarke was among the few heroes of the Revolutionary War from Georgia. Clarke County is named for him.

Fall 1779: Siege of Savannah (3 weeks) Patriots & French try to re-take Savannah

▪ Patriot Leader: Count Casimir Pulaski Result: Pulaski storms Savannah

▪ Patriots fail▪ Pulaski is killed▪ 1000 Patriot casualties

▪ British losses:▪ 150 casualties

The End of War 1780: Britain controls all of GA

We are the ONLY colony still controlled by the crown

1781: Whigs recapture Augusta

In the meantime … Washington accepts Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown = End of War

Spring 1782: British give up GA 2000 GA Tories & Slaves depart the state

1783: Treaty of Paris Formal end of the war “free and independent states”

Treaty of Paris, 1783Britain

▪ Ousted from N. America ▪ Indian allies remain loyal & will pester Americans

Spain▪ Gains W. FL, & E. FL

▪ To be disputed: N. boundary of W. FL

Building a New Nation

Recap: Sept. 1774: 1st Continental Congress

April 1775: Battles of Lexington & Concord

May 1775: 2nd Continental Congress Declaration of Independence to be written

June 1775: Washington, Commander in Chief

June 1775: Battle of Bunker Hill

Nov. 1777: Articles of Confederation Adopted

March 1781: Articles of Confederation ratified by 13 states

Building a New Nation Articles of Confederation

States remain wary of a strong, central government!▪ Confederation: Partnership

Weak union:▪ Legislature (Congress)

▪ Unicameral▪ Could not levy taxes▪ Could not regulate trade

▪ Executive (President)▪ Virtually non-existent (for show)

▪ Judicial (Courts)▪ None

▪ Representation: Equal (1 vote per state)

Challenges:• Shaky Economy• American business @ standstill• Interstate Trade

Building a New Nation 1786: MA levies a tax to pay war debt 1787: Shays Rebellion

Citizens rebel against the tax Lesson Learned: Regulation of interstate trade is needed!

May 1787: Philadelphia Convention Purpose: Revise the Articles of Confederation Result: The US Constitution is drafted Convention Compromises

▪ Representation: Size Based? Equal Representation? Slaves? ▪ House: Size Based▪ Senate: Equal Representation

▪ Federal System▪ National: defense, interstate commerce, foreign affairs, etc.▪ State: roads & taxes▪ Separation Of Powers and Checks & Balances

Legislative: Enacts (Makes) Executive: Enforces Judicial: Interprets

Key Constitutional Compromises

Problem Solution

The Great Compromise

In the legislative branch, states with large populations wanted representation based on population. States with small populations wanted equal representation.

Congress was created with a Senate (2 Senators per state) and a House of Representatives (with the number of representatives based on population)

The 3/5ths Compromise

How to count the slaves for the purposes of taxation and representation in the House of Representatives

Only three out of every 5 slaves were counted for taxation and representation purposes.

Key Constitutional Compromises

Problem Solution

The Commerce Compromi

se

Who would regulate trade with foreign nations and among the states? The

South’s economy depended on free trade

Congress would regulate all trade. It could impose tariffs on imports only. The tariffs had to apply throughout the

country.

The Slave Trade

Compromise

As a result of the Commerce Compromise, Congress would regulate

trade. Did that mean Congress could also

prohibit the slave trade by law and tax slaves as

imports?

Congress was prohibited from regulating the slave trade for 20 years (until 1808). During that time the import tax could

not exceed $10.

Define: Articles of Confederation Levy Confederation Federal Legislative Executive judicial checks and balances

2. Why were Americans interested in creating a weak union of states under the Articles of Confederation?

3.List three problems that made political leaders realize a strong central government was needed for the new nation.

4. Why did delegates to the constitutional convention divide the new government into three separate branches?

GA Ratifies the Constitution

9/17/1787: Delegates approve the Constitution and send it out to the 13 states for ratification (formal approval) Concerns of Americans

▪ Strength of Central Government▪ No list of citizens’ guaranteed rights and liberties

▪ Solution: A Bill of Rights is promised!

1/2/1788: GA is #4 to ratify the Constitution!

State Government

1789: New State Constitution 3 branches of government

▪ Legislature: General Assembly▪ Bicameral▪ Most powerful

Appropriations bills Selection of governor, judges & state officials

▪ Executive

▪ Judicial▪ Superior Courts: Serious cases; organized into circuits▪ Inferior Courts: Less serious cases; located in each county

1789 New Constitutions for US & GA

Georgia’s Territory Spreads to MS River

▪ Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw▪ Lowest white population in the states

▪ New settlers are needed to protect the frontier!

Georgia & the US Constitution http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/storie

s/georgia_and_the_united_states_constitution

Siege of Savannah▪ http://

www.gpb.org/georgiastories/story/savannah_under_attack

Define: Ratification Bill of Rights Bicameral General Assembly Superior Court Inferior Court

Why were Georgians in favor of the new Constitution and a stronger national government?

What was Georgia’s population ranking among the 13 states? Why was population growth important to Georgia’s future?