AKS 34
Westward Expansion and Indian Removal
Manifest Destiny
AKS 34a
Establishment and growth of the University of Georgia
Establishment and growth of the University of Georgia
In 1784, the government set aside twenty thousand acres of land for a state college. In 1785, the University of Georgia was chartered as a land grant university (a school for which the federal government donated the land). It is the oldest school of its kind in the nation. The university, which was to oversee all public schools in the state, opened for classes in 1801. the first building for the all-male, all white student body was Franklin College, and for many years, the University of Georgia was frequently called Franklin College. Women were not admitted to the University of Georgia until 1918, 117 years after the college was opened to men.
In 1796, the capitol of Georgia was moved a 3rd time to Louisville.
In 1796, the capitol of Georgia was moved a 3rd time to Louisville.
AKS 36b
Evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgians
Evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgians
Headright System: Georgians of the late 1700s and early 1800s developed a huge appetite for land. During the settlement of the colony, much of the land east of the Oconee River belonging to the Indians was given to settlers by means of the headright system. Under this system, each white male counted as a "head" of a family and had the "right" to receive up to 1,000 acres. Although parts of this system lasted until the early twentieth century, it was largely replaced by a land lottery in 1803.
Land Lotteries: When public domain lands were opened for settlement, Georgia surveyed land lots of different sizes. This so-called lottery land was located west of the Oconee River. For a small fee, any white male twenty-one years of age or older could buy a chance and, on the spin of a wheel, win land. Heads of households with children, war veterans, and widows were given extra chances in the land lotteries. Other states also had lotteries, and about 30 million acres of land were given away through them.
Yazoo Land Fraud: Georgians' growing hunger for land reached a peak in 1795. At that time, Georgia's western borders were the Mississippi River and one of its tributaries, the Yazoo River. Included in this territory were the present states of Mississippi and Alabama. Both South Carolina and Spain also claimed some of the same land, and the matter went to court for settlement. Before any settlement was made, however, four land companies approached Governor George Mathews and members of the General Assembly and bribed them to pass a bill allowing the land companies to buy the western lands. When the Assembly enacted the bill, the land companies bought between 35 and 50 million acres of land for $500,000--about 1 1/2 cents an acre. As a result of public anger and pressure, the legislators involved were voted out of office. The new legislature repealed the law that had allowed the land to be sold. All records of these land sales were burned in public at Louisville, which had become the state capitol of Georgia in 1796. The state offered to refund the money from the land sales; however, there were many people who had bought land from the land companies and wanted to keep it. These people went to court. Finally, the federal government resolved the matter by paying over $4 million to settle the Yazoo land claims. The long aftermath of the Yazoo affair created bad feeling among many of the state's citizens, and they appealed to the legislature to give in to the federal government. Therefore, in 1802, Georgia ceded its land west of the Chattahoochee River to the federal government for $1.25 million, making the river Georgia's western boundary.
Land Lotteries: When public domain lands were opened for settlement, Georgia surveyed land lots of different sizes. This so-called lottery land was located west of the Oconee River. For a small fee, any white male twenty-one years of age or older could buy a chance and, on the spin of a wheel, win land. Heads of households with children, war veterans, and widows were given extra chances in the land lotteries. Other states also had lotteries, and about 30 million acres of land were given away through them.
Yazoo Land Fraud: Georgians' growing hunger for land reached a peak in 1795. At that time, Georgia's western borders were the Mississippi River and one of its tributaries, the Yazoo River. Included in this territory were the present states of Mississippi and Alabama. Both South Carolina and Spain also claimed some of the same land, and the matter went to court for settlement. Before any settlement was made, however, four land companies approached Governor George Mathews and members of the General Assembly and bribed them to pass a bill allowing the land companies to buy the western lands. When the Assembly enacted the bill, the land companies bought between 35 and 50 million acres of land for $500,000--about 1 1/2 cents an acre. As a result of public anger and pressure, the legislators involved were voted out of office. The new legislature repealed the law that had allowed the land to be sold. All records of these land sales were burned in public at Louisville, which had become the state capitol of Georgia in 1796. The state offered to refund the money from the land sales; however, there were many people who had bought land from the land companies and wanted to keep it. These people went to court. Finally, the federal government resolved the matter by paying over $4 million to settle the Yazoo land claims. The long aftermath of the Yazoo affair created bad feeling among many of the state's citizens, and they appealed to the legislature to give in to the federal government. Therefore, in 1802, Georgia ceded its land west of the Chattahoochee River to the federal government for $1.25 million, making the river Georgia's western boundary.
AKS 36c
Technological developments impacting Georgia's growth
Technological developments impacting Georgia's growth
Cotton Gin: In 1793, the cotton engine, later shortened to just "gin" was created. The gin was used to separate cotton from the seeds. Before its invention, a worker might have been able to separate six or seven pounds of cotton seed a day by hand. After the cotton gin's introduction, workers were able to separate about fifty pounds a day.
Railroad: A major economic development during the early 1800s was the building of railroads. Before the railroads were built, people traveled on horses, boats, or stagecoaches. Freight was sent to market by riverboats, ferries, or wagon trains. At first, rail travel was, perhaps, the least favored means of transportation. In 1830, there were only 13 miles of laid track in the United States, and those belonged to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. But just ten years later, there were 3,300 miles of track. Most of the track in Georgia belonged to the Western and Atlantic Railroad, which was chartered in 1836. the Western and Atlantic ran from a point near present-day Chattanooga, Tennessee, to a point on the southeastern bank of the Chattahoochee River. That point was called Terminus, which literally means the end of a railroad line. Today it is known as Atlanta. The railroads dramatically shortened travel time for both passengers and freight, reducing to hours trips that had previously taken days.
Railroad: A major economic development during the early 1800s was the building of railroads. Before the railroads were built, people traveled on horses, boats, or stagecoaches. Freight was sent to market by riverboats, ferries, or wagon trains. At first, rail travel was, perhaps, the least favored means of transportation. In 1830, there were only 13 miles of laid track in the United States, and those belonged to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. But just ten years later, there were 3,300 miles of track. Most of the track in Georgia belonged to the Western and Atlantic Railroad, which was chartered in 1836. the Western and Atlantic ran from a point near present-day Chattanooga, Tennessee, to a point on the southeastern bank of the Chattahoochee River. That point was called Terminus, which literally means the end of a railroad line. Today it is known as Atlanta. The railroads dramatically shortened travel time for both passengers and freight, reducing to hours trips that had previously taken days.
AKS 36d & 36e
Analyze events leading to removal of Creek and Cherokee
Analyze events leading to removal of Creek and Cherokee
Sequoyah: One of the most important contributions to the advancement of Cherokee culture was made by George Gist, who was born around 1760. Gist's Indian name was Sequoyah, which meant "lonely lame one." Sequoyah was very interested in the white man's "talking leaves," pieces of paper with marks on them. He noticed that the papers could be carried many miles, and the people who used them could understand the meaning of the various marks. In 1809, Sequoyah began to make a syllabary. Unlike an alphabet of letters, a syllabary is a group of symbols that stand for whole syllables. As a result, the Cherokee were the first Indians to have their language in written form.
Andrew Jackson: Tecumseh, a Shawnee leader, tried to unite all native Americans to fight for their land. The tribes in the Southeast split over this issue. Those who wanted war were called Red Sticks, and those who wanted peace were known as White Sticks. During the War of 1812, many of the Red Stick Creek fought alongside the British. In 1813 that changed the future of the Creek Nation. On August 30, one thousand Red Sticks attacked Fort Mims in present-day Alabama. About four hundred people, including women and children, died at the hands of the Red Sticks. Cries of "Remember Fort Mims" were heard all over the country. Troops from Georgia, Tennessee, and the new Mississippi Territory began attacks in Creek Territory. Many battles were fought during the next year, but the Creek were no match for the United States Army. The last battle of the Creek War began on March 27, 1814, at Horseshoe Bend, along the Tallapoosa River in Alabama. Over one thousand Red Sticks met two thousand troops led by General Andrew Jackson. With the help of White Stick Creek and Cherokee, Jackson defeated the Red Stick Creek. In the following months, the Creek Surrendered to Jackson and gave most of their lands to the United States government. In 1828, Andrew Jackson was elected president of the United States. Jackson had been friendly to the native Americans, especially the Cherokee, when he needed their help to fight the Red Sticks; however, he was wise enough politically to know that white voters wanted the Native Americans removed from the southern states. In 1830, Congress passed a bill, the Indian Removal Act, that called for all Native Americans to be moved to the western territories. There were strong feelings on both sides, and the bill passed by only fourteen votes. After Jackson signed the bill into law there was no question about what would happen to the Southeast tribes.
Chief William Mcintosh: By February 12, 1825, Creek Chief William McIntosh and his first cousin, Georgia Governor George Troup, had worked out the terms of the treaty of Indian Springs in Butts County, Georgia. The United States paid McIntosh and a large group of Lower Creek chiefs $200,000 to cede (give up) the last Creek lands in Georgia to the federal government. The government, in turn, gave the use of that land to Georgia. Groups of Creek who disagreed with the treaty met secretly to decide how to punish McIntosh. They agreed that, in accordance with Creek law, he should die. They sent a rival chief, Menawa, to execute him.
John Ross: Cherokee Chief John Ross took a petition to Congress with 15,000 signatures, 90 percent of all Cherokee, to protest the Indian removal.
Dohlonega Gold Rush: Gold was discovered in Dahlonega in the summer of 1829. In a matter of months, gold fever swept through the North Georgia mountain region The Georgia legislature passed a law that placed part of the Cherokee land under state control. It declared Cherokee laws null and void and would not let the Cherokee speak against white men in a court of law. This meant any white person could hurt or even kill a Cherokee without much fear of punishment. A second law, passed on December 19, 1829, refused the Cherookee any right to gold mined in the Dahlonega area.
Worchester vs. Georgia (Samuel Worchester & John Marshall): a group of white missionaries were living in Cherokee territory. To remove the missionaries, the Georgia legislature passed a law on December 22, 1830, which said a white person could not live on Cherokee land without taking an oath of allegiance to the governor. Eleven people, including the Reverend Samuel Worchester, postmaster at New Echota, refused to sign the oath and were jailed in March 1831. At their trial in September, the jury took only only fifteen minutes to return a verdict of guilty. Gwinnett County Judge Augustin Clayton sentenced the group to four years at the state penitentiary in Milledgeville. Missionaries Worchester and Elizur Butler took their case to the US Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the decision of the Lawrenceville court could not stand because Cherokee territory was not subject to state law. The Cherokee through the ruling meant they could keep their land and government. Chief Justice Marshall ordered Butler and Worchester set free, but Judge Clayton refused. Georgia's newly elected governor, Wilson Lumpkin, would not take a stand against the judge. Even President Andrew Jackson refused to honor the Supreme Court order. Jackson thought that state governments should be in charge of Indian territories. He reportedly said "John Marshall has rendered his 'decision'; now let him enforce it." Cherokee lands were divided into lots of 40 and 160 acres. In 1832, the government held a state lottery to give the Cherokee lands to white men. Even then, the Cherokee refused to leave their home. On January 9, 1833, Worchester and Butler gave up and told Governor Lumpkin that they would "abandon litigation." (Litigation is a legal court action.) The governor pardoned them and then said the two missionaries must leave the state and never return.
Worchester vs. Georgia (Samuel Worchester & John Marshall): a group of white missionaries were living in Cherokee territory. To remove the missionaries, the Georgia legislature passed a law on December 22, 1830, which said a white person could not live on Cherokee land without taking an oath of allegiance to the governor. Eleven people, including the Reverend Samuel Worchester, postmaster at New Echota, refused to sign the oath and were jailed in March 1831. At their trial in September, the jury took only only fifteen minutes to return a verdict of guilty. Gwinnett County Judge Augustin Clayton sentenced the group to four years at the state penitentiary in Milledgeville. Missionaries Worchester and Elizur Butler took their case to the US Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshall ruled that the decision of the Lawrenceville court could not stand because Cherokee territory was not subject to state law. The Cherokee through the ruling meant they could keep their land and government. Chief Justice Marshall ordered Butler and Worchester set free, but Judge Clayton refused. Georgia's newly elected governor, Wilson Lumpkin, would not take a stand against the judge. Even President Andrew Jackson refused to honor the Supreme Court order. Jackson thought that state governments should be in charge of Indian territories. He reportedly said "John Marshall has rendered his 'decision'; now let him enforce it." Cherokee lands were divided into lots of 40 and 160 acres. In 1832, the government held a state lottery to give the Cherokee lands to white men. Even then, the Cherokee refused to leave their home. On January 9, 1833, Worchester and Butler gave up and told Governor Lumpkin that they would "abandon litigation." (Litigation is a legal court action.) The governor pardoned them and then said the two missionaries must leave the state and never return.
Trail of Tears: In December 1835, the Cherokee were told to come to their capital, New Echota. There they were to sign a treaty giving up all Cherokee land that remained in the Southeast. General Winfield Scott was ordered to remove the fifteen thousand or more Cherokee who refused to leave their home. In May 1838, Scott and nearly seven thousand troops arrived in New Echota. The troops first built stockades to house the Cherokee. Then they went into homes and community buildings and forcibly moved the Cherokee to the stockades. Hundreds of men, women, and children died of cholera, dysentery, and fever while in the stockades. During the summer of 1838 the army loaded several thousand Cherokee onto the crowded boats and sent them on the Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas rivers to their new homes. The boats were dirty, and the food the government gave them was often not fit to eat. By the time these Indians arrived in Indian Territory, nearly one third of the group had died.