Unit 3 Chapter 4

Colonial Development

• All colonies are agricultural.

• Life is hard. People are just trying to survive.

• Communication is difficult.

• Education is limited. • Little time for leisure.

Royal Colony

• Other colonies are prospering—Georgia wants to.

• 1752 Georgia becomes a royal colony and is directly governed by the king.

• Georgia had formerly been a proprietary colony—directed by those to whom the charter was granted.

• Georgians could not vote, govern themselves, hold elections, or collect taxes.

• Ready for new leadership.

John Reynolds

• John Reynolds is the first royal governor.

• He wants to help colonists to learn to govern themselves.

• He sets up a bicameral legislature to represent the colony.

• Sets up a court system.

Representation

• Reynolds creates representation for the 8 different parishes of the colony.

• Parish is a church and British government district.

• Made of two chambers: Commons House Assembly (lower house) and Governor’s Council (upper house).

Bicameral Legislature

• Settlers had to own at least 500 acres of land in order to be members of the lower house. Then they would vote on bills to become laws

• King of England appoints members of upper house (wealthy, landowners)

• Court cases would go through the Governor’s council before proceeding further.

Henry Ellis

• Reynolds gets into a disagreement with legislature over military.

• He tries to govern everything himself and no one is happy.

• Henry Ellis replaces him.• Takes advice of other

governors.• Brings political harmony.

Henry Ellis

• New settlers bring slaves.• This sparks debate—

Scots don’t want slavery, wealthy landowners do.

• Ellis becomes sick and returns to England.

• Replaced by James Wright, who also agrees with self-government program.

• Wants more trade.

French and Indian War

• British fight French and American Indians for control of land.

• British win in 1763.

• Treaty of Paris: – Florida is English land b/c Spain allies with

France.– Canada and land east of Mississippi River are

English (except New Orleans).

French and Indian War

French and Indian War: Georgia

• Georgia’s southern boundary moves to St Mary’s river.

• Provides water for future shipping.

• Provides fertile land for farming and timber

• Indians pushed west.

Aftermath

• “Crackers” from Virginia move in—no one knows where the name came from. Not welcome.

• No plan for defending Georgia

• Want voice in government

• Unrest develops—people want independence, or political/economic freedom, from Great Britain.

Aftermath Continued

• War costs a lot of money.• Americans complain—

England passes strict laws in response.

• Navigation Act of 1763: colonists can only use British vessels to ship goods– Georgia ok with this.– British ships traded often

with Georgia.– Georgia is still young and

wants to remain on England’s good side.

Stamp Act

• 1765 Parliament passes Stamp Act.

• Tax on newspapers, legal documents, and licenses; later repealed.

• Boston holds a Stamp Act Congress to speak out:– Georgia legislature in

session, doesn’t sent representatives.

– Effigies burned of stamp master day before law goes into effect.

Stamp Act: Liberty Boys

• Liberty Boys were Georgians who opposed the Stamp Act; Part of Sons of Liberty

• Many Georgians aren’t too upset about Stamp Act.

• Georgia was only colony that sold the stamps.

• Georgia Gazette stops publishing for 1 year.

Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine

• Famous speaker is Patrick Henry.• 1775: “Give me liberty or give me death!”• 1776: Thomas Paine writes Common Sense. Many read pamphlets

for news.• Very popular criticism of Britain—120,000 copies in 3 months.• “These are the times that try men’s souls.”

Divided Loyalties

• Georgians become more open with criticism.

• Tories remain loyal to Great Britain.

• Whigs are patriots who joined the fight for freedom.

• Georgia General Assembly speaks out against Townshend Acts of 1767.– Import tax on tea, paper,

glass, paint coloring

Townshend Acts: “No Taxation without Representation”

• Other colonies are very open with disdain; Georgia tries to stay out of it.

• Boston Tea Party occurs as protest to Townshend Acts

• “No Taxation with Representation.”

What to do?

• Punishment? Intolerable Acts!

• 4 harsh laws• Final law is Quartering

Act, soldiers must be fed/housed by colonists.

• First Continental Congress meets on Sept 5, 1775.

• Disagreements from both side, but both want change.

What to do?

• Congress agrees to boycott, or refuse to buy certain items until change is made.

• Congress meets in secret.• Georgia does not go to

First Continental Congress.• Georgia sends resolution

to Parliament demanding rights of English citizenship.

• Georgia Assembly meets, little is done.

Shot Heard Round the World

• April 19, 1775- war breaks out at Lexington and Concord.

• Georgia is late getting the news.

• Radicals protest- steal gunpowder in Savannah

• Second Continental Congress meets in Philadelphia 3 weeks after war starts.

Second Continental Congress

• Send petition to king; he ignores it.

• Establishes army. Washington leads.

• Georgia’s Lyman Hall arrives to Congress; other colonies are mad because Georgia is wishy-washy.

• July congress meets again; Georgia’s delegates told to vote on behalf of all the state– Archibald Bulloch– John Houstoun– Noble Wimberly Jones– Reverend John Zubly

Second Continental Congress

• Georgia seceded (withdrew) from Britain.• Wright is arrested by the Liberty Boys, later escapes to England.• July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was approved.• Lyman Hall, George Walton, and Button Gwinnett sign on the left

next to John Hancock.

Declaration of Independence

• Sent to King George III; 3 parts; written by Thomas Jefferson.

• Preamble: introduction• Body: lists 27 grievances

(complaints) against king• Conclusion: declares the

colonies independent of Britain.

• Very dangerous!• Georgians were excited—

sent arms, food.

What’s next?• Georgia wants statehood.

• Begins writing new constitution to replace “Rules and Regulations.”

• Separation of powers, representative government in Georgia.

• Changes were later made to Georgia’s constitution.

• All of the colonies ratify, or approve, the Articles of Confederation in 1778.

• United States first constitution.

Revolution Continues

• Little fighting in Georgia (11 battles).• Sunbury port is taken.• Augusta under fire.• Wright comes back to Georgia to take over.

Colonel Elijah Clarke

• February 1779 Colonel Elijah Clarke defeats 800 British troops.

• Victory at Battle of Kettle Creek.• Small battle, but morale improved.

Nancy Hart

• Nancy Hart lived with her husband and 8 children.

• Bothered by Tories, would not move.

• Nancy was forced to feed several British soldiers.

• Nancy supposedly killed on soldier then chased off the rest with her loaded rifle.

• Hart county named for her; only county named after a woman.

Austin Dabney

• Freeborn mulatto (mixed parents).

• Dabney joins militia.• Wounded at Kettle Creek.• Fought bravely.• Given good land in

Madison county after war.• One of many people of

color who served in Revolution.

Yorktown

• General Washington is given aide by French at Yorktown, Virginia.

• British Cornwallis surrenders, war ends in 1781.

• French delay arrival of British ships—vessels were just 6 days away.

• British leave Ga in 1782.

Treaty of Paris

• Treaty of Paris signed on Sept. 3 1783.

• Great Britain, France, and United States all sign.

• Ends the war with Britain.• 10 Articles outlining terms

of agreement: i.e. prisoners released, land given to U.S., both sides can access Mississippi River