DCCUMENT,RESUEE ED 153 894 SC 010803 AUTHOR Griffin, J. David TITLE Georgia and the United States Ccnstituticr 1787-1789. INSTITUTION, Georgia Commission for tbe Eicertenrial Celebraticn, Atlanta.'; Gecrgia State Dept. cf Educaticn, Atlanta. PUPIPATE. 77 \ NOTE 23p. O' EDRS PRICE EF-$0.83 H-$1.67 Plus Ecstage. DESCRIPTORS 'American Idians; Ccicrial HistcLy (UnitedStates); *Constitutonal History; Federal Gcvernaext; *Federal State Relaicnship; Histcry; !,Histcry Instructoi.on;. Iastructioal Materials; fievcluticnarx Waz (United States); SccndaLy Edtcaticr; Scci,a1 Studies" Units; Southern Sates; State Gcverrmert; *State History; TeachingGides; United States EistcLy . IDENTIFIERS Constitutinal Converticr; Constitution of the United States; *Gorgia ABSTRACT \ This pamphaet'on revOuticAory Geor'gia is one of a series des gned for use imi the state's pudic schocls. The cbjective is to present a clear, concise picture cf Gecrgia's history during the American.Revcluticn. The first and Itajcx part of the text. presents an histOrical summary. It descrites how Gecrgia was an early and strong supperteL Of the Constituticx.cf the United States because it needed national support to protect its land hcldings from the Indiahs, Spanish, and French. Under tte Articles cf Ccnfederaticn, Georgireceived little help. Wanting a sticng central government, Georgia readily sent fOur delegates tc the Ccnstituticnal Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The four delegates, lucre irterested in ;- dealing with the Indian menace and the security of the state than With ideas and theories, stayed for tte signing cf the CcnstitUticn in September. One mcnth later, the Gecrgia state legillature met in special session to prepare for war with the Indians. A till, Calling for aconvention to ratify the Ccnstittticn passed with r.c dissent: The bill was regarded as a geasure tc g'et naticnal help in the fight againf the Indians. On January 2,17E6, anxious.tcget tte security a strong national government could p'Kcvide, GecLgia tecame the tough -state to ratify the Constitution. The seccnd part cf the phamphlet rovides a teacher's guide for teaching this unit which.fccuses cn G orgials,role in the Ccnstituticnal Ccrventicn. The guide outlines objectives, suggests a time frame, and listi class activities. (LAA) t *******************t *****************444******************************* * Reproductions supplied by EARS are the beet that can be made * , -* frcm the original dccument., **************************4******-**/444**************************,***** 4 1 "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY U S DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION I WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF tits. Payhowd EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO- DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATIONORIGIN- TO THOEDUCATIONAL RESOURCES ATING IT POiNTSDF VIEW OR OPINIONS INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) AND STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE USERS OF THE ERIC SYSTEM SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POCICY "200 Years of Georgia Days to Remember" Georgia and the United States Constitution 17874789 a 4 J. David Griffin A. B., Howard \college M. A., Emory UniVersity Ph.D., University of Geol-gia_ Professor of History West Georgia College Carrollton; Georgia\ 3 Editors' Note: One of the early concerns of the Georgia Commission for the National Bicentennial Celebration was the lack of material on Revolutionary Georgia available for use in the, state's public schools during the bicent nie,,..121 years. As a , result, one of the first projects of the Commission was the preparation of a series of paMphlets on the American Revolution in Georgia aimed specifically at public school use. With the cooperation of the Georgia Department of Education, this project has become a reality. Thirteen j:iniphlets are scheduled to be published between 1974 and 1978. Our purpose in publishing these pamphlets is to present a clear, concise picture of Georgia's history during these important days. We hope that our efforts will encourage students' interest and add to their knowledge df Georgia's activities during the American Revolution. Kenneth Coleman, Milton Ready 0 Copyright 01977 .Georgia Commission fc4:01e. National Bicentennial CelebratiOn and Georgia Department of Education* , . The desire to be secure is one of the basic drives sej:urity needed to develop its resources. However, of mankind. This urge is not confined to any par-. shortly after the administration of Governor ticular time or place, and so it should not be surpris- Wright the Great War for the Empire ended in ing that file desire for'security has played a large 1763, and serious problems began to develop role in the historical development of the peop10(.6f between Britain and her colonies. Georgia. k These postwar problems were at first viewed in we think of the beginnings of our nation a different perspective by Georgians. They had had we thinkf the original 13 colonies. We know enough trouble with their Spanish neighbo s in that Georg' was the last of the 13 to be founded, Florida prior to 1763 to appreciate, the fact hat, bit we often forget how significanl it silipsthat as a result of the war and the British victo , 1'26 years intervened between Jamestoin Florida was Btitish. The colony's 30-year experi- Virginia's establishment in 1607 -and the settling of ence with the Indians had alsb °taught Georgians to Savannah, Georgia, in 1 733. Although the relation- appreciate the British plesenee. ship between Georgia and the other colonies was not close, the fact that the others were there-and With peace made with the foreign powers in solidly established was comforting to early 1763, Georgia's southern and western frontiers Georgians. , were for the moment quiet, and the business of growth and development proceeded. Yet, year- by ir Not only w Georgians secure because of the year for 12 years, bad feelingsteadily increased, colonists to theorth, but they were made even Between colonies'and mother country. Most more comfortable because of their relationship to Gec4,ians, fearing interference With the colony's Great Britain. Georgia, unlike the other 1-2 was progress, probably wanted to avoid a role-in this conceivedwhen Britain's role in the world was far quarrel, but there was the matter of security. better established and when the British situation Exceplior a few 'scattered places, Georgia had atome was much more stable. Yet, in part, the closer ties to England than to most of the other story of early Georgia, which always sought gonies; however, her sister colonies; phisically security for herself, was a paradox. One majors claser than the mothercountry, werebinning reason for the colony's establishmt was to pro- to resjst British rule. Georgians reluctantly chose tect the southern British American rontier from sides!Ohe has to move all the waS, to the shooting Spanish Florida, French Louisiana and unfriendly ..war.irr.1-77-5--befotefinding very many Georgians Indians. Thus, security, whether for herself or willing to join the radical caw against Britain. others, was a vital concern for Georgia from her beginnings. By then dependence upon the mothef country had obviously become untenable, and Georgia % , ' For the first 20 years Georgiaas securelyin1-s embraced the Revolution, weakness being a major the hands of The Trustees. And t ough Georgians reason. As it turned out, the georgians had made may have bridled under their re trictionsand the right choice.' independence was achieved, and. eagerly anticipated the end of the Trusteeshi, after the states with territorial claims northwest of they were safe safe in the gensc that-someone the Ohio relinquished those claims, Georgia became was responsible for them. Finally, Georgia became physically the largest state in the union. Indeed, 4 royal province like her neighbors but wa-cnever aorg,ia's territory was as big as all the states north really happy in the new arrangement until 1760. of the Mason-Dixon line put timether. To own so, when the firm handof Governor Jarnes Wright much, to keep it, develop it 'ard prosper fom it beian to give to the colony The stability and was a frightening responsibility. It was questionable 3. r , "7. -A 7 Nap of the United States by Abel Buell, 1784. Cgortesy, Georgia Department of .. Or 7' I. ..; f- ,, i ..-74.1'3'47",1,..'!i: t 7, . ' ' ( 17 i . 1 ".. 'Z' II.I, -tr ttel it "'"...r...t.'SC ; ,\.. 7 !. o-, ..; sv., , -;"' i,,t t *A7".1.1- 14,.... r l'e°42.'i.--, . 4,. ?` f .!",,,...,;,A; ,... t 7 o 27 ... ....42' fit 4 o4r A t il''''',i , b -./ .i;1 I Ifl\'li t II, fi '4 444 -4- -1 1 . 'A,, 7 -',- 4',...,..._...,#,,,,.. , N.. .11. ........ .. -4 4-4'. i1,4 ''''t t's ...t pt.! 4, 4 A 1..iv.> 4 \ r . ' 4 ... r Vdlk . 1.# .,..M A ) -.,, .....,,,,, .,- 'A 4;4' 1...' 44 , .... ,... .;.,,. , ,,. ,h,..... p. s If 1.. iP4 artaU .- II -K. 8 ArA.L.kenitti fIn, EA FT.C./1 77 A t.." M EX ipc 0 G1 1,F or F L D A ' I , . 40 /r. t) , S a O ,whether Georgia could rise to the challenge. Its of that kind of strength vottld be comforting. small population, only about three percentof the nation's total population, would have trouble main- Georgia was quite willing to strengthen comn- taining so vast an amount of territoty. siderably the-Ai-tieles of Confederation,,and fre- quently there appeared in The laws adopted by the During the first years of her sovereignty it ap- state during these years the clause, "desirous of peared that Georgia could supine alone. There was adopting every measure which can tend to promote °remarkable commercial development after the -Lthrinterest of theUnited States." Yet it does not peace of 1783, and the yalug of Savannah exports appear that theoretical nationalism prompted soon doUbled, Bet,keen 1784 and 1787 the number. Georgia:s wish td strengthen the Articles. Rather.