The Growth of Georgia (1789–1840)

Vocabulary flashcards covering the growth and expansion of Georgia between 1789 and 1840, including the establishment of UGA, the five state capitals, land distribution policies, and key technological developments.

University of Georgia

Chartered in 1785 by the Georgia General Assembly, it was the first state-created public institution of higher education in the United States.

Abraham Baldwin

A signer of the U.S. Constitution who drafted the charter for the University of Georgia, believing education should be available to all, and served as the university's first president from 1785 to 1801.

Lyman Hall

A signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Georgia who appointed Abraham Baldwin to write the charter for the University of Georgia.

Franklin College

The first building constructed on the University of Georgia campus, which opened its doors and held classes beginning in 1806.

Morrill Act of 1872

Federal legislation that designated the University of Georgia as a land grant institution, granting federal aid to avoid bankruptcy following the Civil War and funding programs in agriculture and mechanical arts.

S.A.L.M.A.

A mnemonic acronym representing the westward chronological sequence of Georgia's five capital cities: Savannah, Augusta, Louisville, Milledgeville, and Atlanta.

Augusta

Georgia's second capital city from 1785 to 1795, selected after the state's population center migrated westward into the backcountry.

Louisville

Georgia's third capital city from 1796 to 1806, located on the Ogeechee River and named after King Louis XVI of France to honor his support during the American Revolution.

Market House (Louisville)

Louisville's oldest surviving structure, built during the 1790s shortly after the town became Georgia's capital city.

Milledgeville

Georgia's fourth capital city from 1806 to 1867, situated along the Oconee River and named for Governor John Milledge, who donated the land for the University of Georgia.

Old Capitol Building (Milledgeville)

The statehouse in Milledgeville that housed Georgia's legislature, the General Assembly, for 60 years between 1807 and 1868.

Terminus

The original name given to Atlanta because it marked the end of the line for the Western & Atlantic Railroad depot.

Marthasville

An early name for Atlanta, chosen by the governor in honor of his daughter before the General Assembly changed the name to Atlanta in 1847.

Headright System

Georgia's first method of land distribution, granting free land to Revolutionary War veterans and up to 200 acres to white male heads of household aged 21 and older, with extra acreage for families or enslaved persons.

Yazoo Act of 1795

A law under which the Georgia General Assembly sold vast portions of the state's western lands to four land companies for $500,000$.

Yazoo Land Fraud

A major scandal triggered when it was discovered that private land companies bribed Georgia legislators to pass the Yazoo Act of 1795, leading to nullification of the act and the burning of documents on the Louisville capitol steps.

James Jackson

A U.S. Senator from Georgia who resigned his seat to return home, took control of the Georgia General Assembly, and led the repeal and public burning of the Yazoo Act.

Compact of 1802

An agreement in which Georgia ceded its western Yazoo territory to the U.S. government for $1.25\text{ million}$, in exchange for federal settlement of land claims and the removal of the Creek Indians from the state.

Land Lotteries

Georgia's third system of land distribution between 1803 and 1833, consisting of eight lotteries where eligible citizens bought tickets to draw for parcels ranging from 50 to 500 acres.

Fortunate Drawers

The term used to identify individuals who won land lots during Georgia's state-sponsored land lotteries.

Eli Whitney

The inventor who created the cotton gin in 1793 while visiting a plantation near Savannah, revolutionizing cotton processing and Southern agriculture.

Cotton Gin

A machine patented by Eli Whitney that quickly separated seeds from cotton fiber, capable of cleaning up to 50 pounds of cotton per day.

King Cotton

A phrase describing the agricultural and economic dominance of cotton across the South and Georgia, which dramatically expanded the demand for enslaved labor.

Western and Atlantic Railroad

A state-chartered railway whose terminus established the city of Atlanta, creating a major transportation hub connecting Augusta, Macon, LaGrange, and Chattanooga without relying on a navigable river.