The Road to the The Road to the

AMERICAN AMERICAN REVOLUTION REVOLUTION

(EVENTS, PEOPLE, (EVENTS, PEOPLE, AND BATTLES) AND BATTLES)

How did the Georgia colonists feel?

Many colonists did not like the taxes imposed by Britain, but Georgia had been very prosperous and grown under British rule.

Merchants relied on British trade. Many colonists felt like they should be

able to take part in making the laws. Georgians also still feared attacks by the

Native Americans if they were not protected by Britain.

CAN YOU THINK OF OTHER REASONS?

1774

First Continental Congress met in Philadelphia- Georgia did not send a delegate

Why do you believe that Georgia was not present at the 1st Continental Congress

First Continental Congress

1774- Philadelphia Reps- all colonies except GA Passed resolves- intentions: Boycott all British trade until Intolerable

Acts repealed Told MA colonists- form gov’t and hold

all taxes until act repealed Encouraged colonists- arm selves- form

militias

Georgia’s Response to Georgia’s Response to the Actsthe Acts

NO delegates to the First Continental NO delegates to the First Continental CongressCongress

Most Georgians followed old rulesMost Georgians followed old rules A A minority groupminority group of 30 men of 30 men metmet twice at twice at

Peter Tondee’s Tavern Peter Tondee’s Tavern about the Actsabout the Acts LIBERTY BOYS LIBERTY BOYS

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1697222356

GA felt needed to keep good relations with GA felt needed to keep good relations with the British- military and economythe British- military and economy

A Colony Divided

Loyalists- Colonists who supported Great Britain

Patriots- Colonists who supported the revolution

Even at the point of the first battle in the war for independence, many Georgians were undecided as to who they supported

The Shot Heard Round The Shot Heard Round the Worldthe WorldApril 1775April 1775

Lexington and Concord Lexington and Concord were the first were the first battles of the Revolutionary Warbattles of the Revolutionary War

Colonists had to Colonists had to decidedecide whether they whether they were Loyalists (loyal to Britain) or were Loyalists (loyal to Britain) or Patriots (rebelled against Britain)Patriots (rebelled against Britain)

Loyalists were also called Tories Loyalists were also called Tories Patriots were also called WhigsPatriots were also called Whigs

Paul Revere’s HousePaul Revere’s House

Old North ChurchOld North Church

Boston North End- near Paul Boston North End- near Paul Revere’s HouseRevere’s House

Loyalists and Patriots in Loyalists and Patriots in GAGA

LoyalistsLoyalists (Tories) (Tories) most numerous in most numerous in GA- felt England was helping themGA- felt England was helping them QuakersQuakers and the and the SalzburgersSalzburgers Many in coastal Georgia since merchantsMany in coastal Georgia since merchants

Patriots (Whigs) hated the taxes Patriots (Whigs) hated the taxes imposed on themimposed on them ScotsScots around Darien, the around Darien, the JewsJews in in

SavannahSavannah Upcountry area, AugustaUpcountry area, Augusta

Moving Towards Independence

The Second Continental Congress 1775

Reps met in Philadelphia and voted to cut off trade with GA because of its early actions and lack of action.

A Continental Army is created and George Washington is General.

GA and the 2nd Continental Congress

3 representatives to be sent to Philadelphia.

Georgia joined the other colonies and :

1-boycott of British goods and 2-threatened to declare independence

if not given rights as Brit citizens

Decision of Independence

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence

Georgia delegates signed the Declaration Lyman Hall Button Gwinnett George Walton

July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the document

August 2, 1776, Congress signed the document

Button Gwinnett

Planter who was elected to Georgia’s Commons House of Assembly in 1769

Joined the Continental Congress in 1776

Helped pass Georgia’s first constitution in 1777, and was appointed Georgia’s Commander in Chief

Died May 19, 1777 In a dual with another military leader

George Walton

Patriot- Very active in the revolutionary government

Captured by British in Savannah in 1778 1779 released and elected Governor of

colony Served again as representative in congress In early years of republic, he served as

Chief Justice of Georgia, delegate to the Constitutional Convention, part of the electoral college, governor, US Senator, and justice of state superior court.

Lyman Hall Owned plantation in Georgia Elected to Continental Congress

•involved in provisioning food and medicine for the Revolutionary Armies •Fled to Connecticut when his property was burned by British and he was accused of High Treason•returned to Georgia in 1782, to reclaim his lands, was elected to the House of Assembly in 1783 and then elevated to the office of the Governor

Georgia Takes Action

Nobel W. Jones and Joseph Habersham led a group of Patriots in stealing 600 pounds of “royal” gunpowder in Savannah.

Governor Wright sent a letter to England requesting more troops, but the South Carolinians intercepted it and sent a fake letter saying things were okay in GA.

Provincial Congress to govern

Fighting In Georgia Battle of the Rice Boats – 1776 Took

place in the Savannah Harbor-PATRIOTS burned rice boats to keep the British from getting the rice- Gov. Wright captured and left on British ship

Three attempts to capture land in East Florida Battle of Savannah - December 1778 - 700

Patriots against 2000 British The British troops captured Savannah, Wright

returns as Governor Britain captures Sunbury, Midway and then

Augusta-The Creek helped them gain control of Georgia

Fighting In Georgia Battle of Kettle Creek – January 1779 Patriots with Colonels Elijah Clarke and

Austin Dabney, along with General Nathaniel Greene from South Carolina defeated the Loyalist militia at Augusta

small battle, showed Patriot power Patriots gained ammunition, guns,

horses Success won over many neutral colonists Ended British threat in back country

Siege of Savannah-Fall 1779

Patriots attempt to retake the city of Savannah

Three week battle Attack failed 1000 Patriots/allies killed SAVANNAH UNDER ATTACK:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1672104368

End of the War Colonel Elijah Clarke led GA and SC troops

in taking back Augusta, June 1781 British General Cornwallis was defeated at

the Battle of Yorktown- last battle- Oct. 1781

Spring 1782 - British troops gave up Savannah and left Georgia

The signing of the Treaty of Paris officially ended the American Revolution-1783

Important People of the Revolutionary War Era

Austin Dabney – Free man of mixed parentage – Fought at Kettle Creek and was wounded – Revolutionary War hero, 1st Black to own land in GA

Nancy Hart – Held 5-6 British soldiers or Tories at gunpoint in her house – Hart County is named for her and is the only county in GA named for a woman

THE NANCY HART STORY http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1672039382

Creating a GovernmentCreating a Government

FOR THE COUNTRY:FOR THE COUNTRY: ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION 1778ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION 1778

FOR THE STATE:FOR THE STATE: FIRST GEORGIA CONSTITUTION 1777FIRST GEORGIA CONSTITUTION 1777

Articles of Confederation

First form of a constitution Button Gwinnett helped in writing

them Congress could declare war, sign

treaties, deliver mail, and create money

States had the most power but only one vote each in Congress

Weaknesses of the Articles

Congress could not collect taxes, so it couldn’t pay for the war

Congress could not control trade or enforce laws

Congress could not pay the soldiers, so they gave many of them land instead

Shay’s Rebellion showed that the Articles needed to be revised

Constitutional Convention of 1787

This convention was held to write a new Constitution

2 Georgia reps who signed Constitution:

1-Abraham Baldwin and 2-William Few

GA’s State Constitution

Georgia’s first constitution set up a unicameral legislature (1 house)

Georgia’s second constitution set up a bicameral legislature (2 houses)

The bicameral consists of a Senate and a House of Reps. Also, GA set up 3 branches of government: legislative, judicial, and executive