Georgia History Chapter 8

1. Georgia History Chapter 8 The American Revolution and Georgia Statehood

2. Life After the French-Indian War • With the end of the French and Indian war, colonists were starting to get tired of being under the rule of Great Britain. Many were getting restless and resenting the trading system, (3) mercantilism, which required they trade only with Great Britain.

3. Life After the French-Indian War Some of the colonists ignored the British laws and began (4)smuggling(illegal trade) with other countries; the French, Dutch and Spanish. Colonists were also tired of the (5)duties(taxes on imports) that had been placed on products coming into the colonies.

4. New Taxes to Pay for War • (6) Sugar Act(1764) and (8) Townsend Act(1767) – duties on sugar, coffee, tea, wine, paper, lead, glass and paint. • (7) Stamp Act (1765) – All printed paper used in colonies bear a tax stamp that was purchased from the government. Colonists began to (9) boycott (refuse to buy good that were taxed).

5. Clash of British and American Ideas • Views of American colonists on government & economics influenced by 3 important ideas from Britain: • (10) Consent of the Governed – Government should rule only so long as its citizens agree to be governed. If the government refuses to step down, people can rebel.

6. Clash of British and American Ideas (continued) • (11) Representative Government – People have the right to elect persons to represent them and make decisions affecting their lives. • These elected representatives must assemble in legislative bodies to make laws and set taxes.

7. Clash of British and American Ideas (continued) • (12) Limited Government – Power of government limited by natural law (people have natural rights from God or nature that government cannot take away). Natural laws werelife, liberty and property.

8. Colonists Ideas about Self-Government • Colonists already had town meetings to handle local problems (i.e., road building) • Colonial legislatures already meeting to decide taxes and maintain a (13) militia. • Americans believed that only their own elected representatives should pass laws and set taxes in the colonies, not the British Parliament.

9. Resentment and Conflict • British law forcing the colonists to pay taxes to them violated colonists’ right to be taxed only by their own legislature. • Colonists were British citizens, but their rights were being ignored. (i.e., smugglers going to trial before military courts) • Colonists became angry, so Britain sent troops to enforce laws.

10. Resentment and Conflict(continued) • Parliament required legislatures to house soldiers in inns or taverns (more taxes) • Northern colonists very angry, booed and threw snow at soldiers. Soldiers fired back (16) Boston Massacre. Word spread quickly, uniting the colonies.

11. Tea Act – the Final Straw • Gave one British company a (17) monopoly to sell tea to America. Colonists felt forced to buy it. • Colonial merchants illegally importing Dutch tea very upset at monopoly. • December 16, 1773, (18)Sons of Liberty dumped shiploads of British tea into Boston Harbor (19)Boston Tea Party. Other places tea was dumped or burned.

12. (20) IntorlerableActs In retaliation, Parliament • Closed the port of Boston until tea was paid for • Didn’t allow people of Massachusetts to hold town meetings or elect own officials • Required all colonists to feed and house British soldiers.

13. First Continental Congress • All colonies (except Georgia) met in Philadelphia and agreed to boycott all British goods. • British officials attacked or run out of town. • Loyalists to Britain tarred and feathered. • British goods burned. • More British troops were sent to the colonies.

14. Second Continental Congress Acts • May, 1775, in Philadelphia, Congress becomes acting government for Americans. • Georgia sends 5 delegates. • George Washington becomes Commander in Chief of Continental Army. Fights British at Bunker Hill.

15. Delegates send letter to King George III, declaring loyalty but asking hostile acts to stop. • King declares colonists rebels, all trade is banned. • More Americans demand independence, delegates instruct their colonies to prepare for war.

16. Declaration of Independence • July 4, 1776, Georgia delegates sign (22) Declaration of Independence: • (23) Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton. • DOI made the 13 colonies into independent “states” (really one nation)

17. (24) Thomas Jefferson’s Ideas • All men are created equal • Everyone is born with certain unalienable rights (natural law) – (25) life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. • Government must get power from people. • People can rebel against government they don’t approve of.

18. Independence in Georgia • War begins with battles at Lexington and Concord, MA (1775) • Colonists in Savannah very happy – hate being a royal colony. • Colonists raid gunpowder storehouse and disrupt Gov. Wright’s birthday celebration of King’s birthday. Royal government falls apart.

19. Georgia Choses Sides • Difficult choice for Georgia – not under British rule as long, had prospered under Gov. Wright. • British loyalty stronger along coast. Backcountry folks ready for independence. • British loyalists known as (26) Tories. Georgians who supported independence known as (27) Whigs,

20. Families Divided • First generation families still loyal (memories of old country); children want independence. • Noble Jones and James Habersham always British loyalists. • Georgia-born children joined in fight. Children of Jones and Habersham became political and military leaders for colonists.

21. End of the Royal Government • July, 1775, Provincial Congress of delegates from Georgia’s parishes meet in Savannah. • Delegates vote to join complete boycott of British goods. Council of Safety created to enforce boycott and work with colonies. • Two governments in Georgia: Royal Government (with Gov. Wright), and Whigs’ provisional government.

22. New Government in Georgia • Whigs take over Georgia’s militia and remove Tory officers. • Approved new taxes to finance Georgia’s defense. • Took control of courts and other government activities (Indian relations) • Gov. Wright arrested. He escapes to British warship. Government under Whig control.

23. Georgia and the Declaration of Independence • Colonists found out about DOI a month later – read publicly in Savannah. • Patriots fired cannons and had mock funeral for King George III. • 1500 Tories left Georgia to go to Florida, British colonies in Caribbean or back to England. Some stayed to protect property but didn’t speak out for Tories.

24. Problems with New Government • May 1777 Georgia’s first constitution goes into effect. • (28)John Adam Treutlen became first governor of the state. • Different Whig groups fought over power. • Loyalists still hoping new government would fail.

25. Death of Button Gwinnett • Radical backcountry party and conservative city party at odds with each other. • Button Gwinnett called “a scoundrel and lying rascal” – challenges name caller to a duel. • Both men are shot, Button Gwinnett dies 3 days later.

26. The American Revolution • Most of war in northern colonies (Massachusetts, New York, Quebec) • Almost 500,000 Patriots fought in war. • First battles lost (Quebec, New York), but several key battles won by Patriots (Trenton, Princeton). • British forces decide to concentrate on the South.

27. War Comes to Georgia • Georgians: 1/3 Whigs, 1/3 Tories, 1/3 Neutral. • Whigs try to drive Tories out of Georgia and take their property. • Georgia patriots and East Florida loyalists start to fight. 3 times Georgia forces try to capture British garrison at St. Augustine.

28. Britain Tries to Regain Control • December 1778 British army from New York comes to Savannah. 700 patriots faced more than 2,000 British soldiers. • Georgia’s Whig government escaped, but all major cities (Savannah, Sunbury, August and Ebenezer) were in hands of British. • Gov. Wright returns to reestablish royal authority. Wealthy coastal planters declare loyality, Tories come out of hiding, but backcountry people still patriots.

29. Slaves Join the Fight • About ½ of Georgia’s inhabitants were black slaves. • British began offering freedom to slaves who would join them (later included their families) • Slaves realized their personal freedom more important than facing British rule.

30. Slaves Join the Fight (continued) • Quamino Dolly led British invasion force through little known swamps, past the patriot forces, to take Savannah. • By end of war 10,000 slaves earned freedom by siding with British. • After war, some were reenslaved, some fled to South Georgia or Florida, some evacuated to Canada or other British colonies in the Caribbean.

31. Kettle Creek and Siege of Savannah • Wilkes County battle patriots fight against loyalists and win. Patriots gained needed arms, ammunition, and horses. • France aids patriots to retake Savannah. American army and French fleet storm the city. Count Pulaski (Polish nobleman) was killed. • British kept control over Savannah.

32. End of War • By 1780 only Georgia colony restored to the king. Backcountry continued to fight for independence. • Gen. Cornwallis (British) tries to take south by winning battle in Yorktown, Virginia. He ends up surrendering (Treaty of (30) Paris in 1783) • British troops start to withdraw, give Georgia back to the Whigs. • 2,000 Tories and their slaves leave the state.

33. Allies with Patriots • Not only did the French fight with the patriots, but Spain joined in as well.. • After war Spain regains East and West Florida. U.S. disputes northern boundary of Florida (in dispute for 12 years). • Indians who fought with British began threatening Georgia’s frontier.

34. Constitutional Foundations • A constitution states: • What governments can and cannot do • Sets up different branches of government • Says how each office is to be filled • States important rights and liberties of the people.

35. Georgia’s Provincial Congress • “Rules and Regulations” becomes temporary constitution. • The preamble (introduction) proclaims popular sovereignty (government rests on the will of the people) • Election held to select delegates for more permanent government to write a new consititution.

36. Georgia’s New Constitution • Separation of Powers – created 3 main branches of government: legislative, judicial and executive branches. • Unicameral (one-house) legislative branch meant no 2nd house would safeguard against hastily passed laws. • Called House of Assembly, it had authority to enact laws and to point officials to executive and judicial branches.

37. Georgia’s Constitution(continued) • Because of recent escape of British rule, constitution severely limited power of executive branch. • Legislature elected governor, who could only serve 1 year. He could not veto legislation. • Legislature could veto governor. Legislature could grant pardons. Governor had no real authority.

38. Nation’s First Constitution • Articles of Confederation – all states agreed to it. • Only had a unicameral legislature. Confederation Congress had little power. • Could levy taxes or regulate trade between states. • No president or judicial court system to enact laws or handle grievances.

39. Articles of Confederation • Each state, regardless of size or population, had an equal vote. • U.S. became a confederation (partnership) of independent equal states, no real power for central government. • After war, economy was shaky. State governments discouraged trade by taxing the products of other states.

40. States – Too Much Power? • Some states issued worthless paper money (merchants wouldn’t take it) • 1786 – Massachusetts levied taxes to pay war debt. Daniel Shays led disgruntled citizens rebellion. • Other states argued over boundaries and control of rivers and shipping. It was evident that central government with power was needed.

41. Constitutional Convention • 1787 – Georgia sends 4 delegates to support a new constitution (William Pierce, William Houstoun, William Few, Abraham Baldwin). • Georgia’s delegates want to protect their state’s interest. They opposed a ban on slavery (what northern delegates wanted). • Supported creating a strong central government (need help in defending frontier from Creek Indian raids.)

42. Convention Compromises • Delegates at Philadelphia Convention debate for 4 months. • How would states be represented? Georgia’s Abraham Baldwin helped with compromise (page 130). • Division of power between central government and states important decision.

43. Federal Government • Central government would rule over national defense, interstate commerce and foreign relations. • States and central government would have say in roads and taxes. • States would be free to organize state government, creation of cities and counties, marriage and divorce laws.

44. Separation of Power Legislative Branch – Creates laws Executive Branch – Carries out laws Judicial Branch – Interprets laws and settles legal dispute. This is part of a checks and balances system that prevents one branch from overpowering another.

45. Georgia Ratifies the Constitution • Sept. 17, 1787, new constitution is approved and must be ratified (approved) by nine states. • Some Americans felt central government given too much power, and no list or rights or liberties given to protect individuals from government. • Georgians needed protection and knew a Bill of Rights would be added to the consititution. • Jan. 2, 1788, Georgia becomes 4th state to ratify the Constitution. A year later George Washington elected as first president of U.S.

46. Georgia’s State Government • New government much like federal government: bicameral (two-house) (legislature and senate), judicial and executive branches. • Georgia still gave legislative branch (General Assembly) most power. They controlled raising and spending money, chose the governor, judges, etc. and even granted divorces.

47. Court System in Georgia • Superior courts were highest courts. Judges traveled a regular circuit by horseback or stagecoach. Most serious cases handled by superior judges. • Each county had an inferior court for less serious cases. Justice of the Peace handled most of these cases. • Georgia now had to concentrate on attracting more settlers to increase their population.