The
state of Georgia has undergone many economic changes since it was first
established as an English colony in 1733. The first city, Savannah, was
a port city. It became Georgia’s largest export
center and was very successful in the trade industry. As more of Georgia
was settled, large portions of the state were used for plantations and
small farms. Many factors have shaped the developing economy of Georgia
but perhaps none as
much as this agricultural-based economy. Before large plantations or even
modest-sized farms could be started, entrepreneurs had to acquire land on
which to farm. Georgia’s Land
Act of 1777
was designed just for this - as a tool to promote immigration. This Act
established the Headright System which entitled the head of a family 200
acres for himself and 50 additional acres for each member of his family,
including slaves. No family could receive more than 1,000 acres. In 1794,
the General Assembly passed the Yazoo Act authorizing four companies to
buy Georgia’s land west of
the
Chattahoochee. By bribing the members of the legislature, the companies
were authorized to purchase over 30 million acres of land for about one
and a half cents per acre. As the citizens of Georgia learned of this fraud, they
grew angry and elected new
members to the legislature to repeal the act. The Legislature
repealed the Act by passing the Rescinding Act of 1796 and
regaining the land. Controversy still swirled around the Yazoo
Land, so in 1802 an agreement was worked out between the state of Georgia
and the U.S. government. This agreement stated that Georgia would cede
to the U.S. its land west of the Chattahoochee in exchange for $1.25 million
and removal of the Indians remaining in the boundaries of Georgia.
Following
the Yazoo Land Fraud, during what is now called the Antebellum Era
(meaning "before
the war"), landowners enjoyed the benefits of
Georgia’s economy. The land was good for planting and harvesting.
Using slave labor, landowners were able to cultivate the enormous tracts
of land they had acquired for pennies an acre that had once belonged
to the Indians. In addition to agricultural prosperity, there were other
thriving industries including the new railroad
system, textile mills, lumber yards, and stone quarries. Many products
were still shipped to the North for manufacturing. But the South was just
beginning to be able to manufacture its own goods. During this time period,
the South was much more independent than
the "interdependent" North. Most families made their own clothes,
grew their own food, and purchased only those items that couldn’t
be found in their own region. It was a time of prosperity
not only for the wealthy landowners but also for much of the thriving middleclass.
The Georgia Council on Economics
is currently conducting a series of workshops on how to incorporate economics
into Georgia History and social studies.
The workshops are free of charge, and the only requirement is that there
must be no less than 15 to 20 teachers sign up to participate in a
system-wide or regional staff development. For more information on participation
in the Georgia Council on Economic Education’s Georgia Economic
Project, contact Glen Blankenship at the Georgia Councilon Economic Education,
P.O. Box 1619, Atlanta, GA,
30301-1619, by using e-mail at gblankenship@gsu.edu,
by telephone at 404-651-3280 or on the web at
www.gcee.org.
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