1. Revolutionary Background, 1763-1775.
- Author
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Georgia Commission for the Bicentennial Celebration, Atlanta., Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta., and Downs, Charles
- Abstract
The pamphlet outlines the geographic, social, economic, and political status of Georgia in the 18th century and traces some of the events that led to the revolt against British rule. One of a series of materials about the American Revolution in Georgia, it is designed for junior or senior high school students. A brief teacher's guide is included. Prior to the Revolution, the colony comprised coastal lands of large plantations, small farms along the Savannah river, and unsettled land to the north and west. Savannah was the administrative and commercial center. Products included rice, indigo, deerskins, and lumber. Merchants and planters provided the colony's leadership while artisans, shopkeepers, and small farmers comprised the bulk of the white population. There was a large slave population. Beginning in 1763, efforts by Britain to raise revenue in the colonies initiated conflict between Britain and America. The Stamp Act, Sugar Act, and duties on imported goods prompted opposition to the colony's British governor, James Wright, and a boycott of British goods. During the next decade the colony's government branches disagreed over other issues, including voting rights. As other colonies to the north began to revolt against Britain, the Whig party in Georgia gained power and, in 1775, took control of local government. Georgia's signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 locked her into the Revolution. The teacher's guide presents ideas for informal activities to enhance understanding of the text. (Author/AV)
- Published
- 1974