Creation Check

Articles of Confederation

The first constitution of the United States, creating a weak central government with most powers reserved for individual states.

Why Were the Articles Intentionally Weak?

Americans feared a strong central government or monarch like Great Britain's, preferring power to remain with the states.

Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation

Lack of power to tax, no executive branch to enforce laws, no national court system, inability to regulate trade, and no national military.

Why Were Laws Hard to Pass or Change?

Passing a law required approval from 9 of the 13 states, and amending the Articles required a unanimous vote of all 13 states.

Why Did the Articles Lead to the Constitution?

Economic instability, national debt, and civil unrest proved the national government was too weak to govern effectively, prompting a constitutional revision.

Constitutional Convention

The 1787 meeting in Philadelphia where delegates originally intended to revise the Articles of Confederation but ultimately drafted the U.S. Constitution.

Georgia’s U.S. Constitution Signers

Abraham Baldwin and William Few.

French and Indian War

A 1754–1763 conflict between Great Britain and France over land in North America, resulting in British victory and massive war debt.

Proclamation of 1763

A British order prohibiting American colonists from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains to prevent conflicts with Native Americans.

Stamp Act

A 1765 British law that taxed printed paper goods in the American colonies, sparking widespread colonial protest.

Why Was Georgia Slower to Resist Britain?

It was the youngest and poorest colony, heavily reliant on British financial subsidies and military protection.

Declaration of Independence

The July 4, 1776 document in which the thirteen American colonies formally announced their independence from Great Britain.

Patriots vs. Loyalists

Patriots supported independence from Great Britain, while Loyalists (Tories) remained loyal to the British Crown.

Battle of Kettle Creek

A 1779 Revolutionary War battle in Georgia where Patriot militia defeated a larger Loyalist force, boosting morale and securing crucial supplies.

Siege of Savannah

A failed 1779 military attempt by combined French and Patriot forces to recapture Savannah from British occupation.