land policies. after the revolutionary war, georgia gained access to a large amount of land from...
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Unit 6: Growth and Expansion
Land Policies
Land Policies
After the Revolutionary War, Georgia gained access to a large amount of land from the Native Americans who sided with the British.
The land Georgia claimed stretched all the way to Mississippi River.
The Revolutionary War veterans believed that all citizens had the right to land ownership.o Georgia’s political leadership agreed.o The question became what was the best way to
allocate the land to the people of the state.
The Headright System
The first approach to allocate the land was called the headright system.o Georgia gave thousands of acres to Revolutionary War
veterans. (ex. Austin Dabney)o Heads of households (white men over the age of
21) began with 200 acres and had the “right” to receive up to 1,000 acres, depending on whether they had a family or slaves.
o 50 acres for each family member, 10 acres for each slave
This system ended when there were too many claimants and not enough land. It lasted until 1803.
Vocabulary Land speculator: someone who buys
property expecting that its value will increase and it will be sold at a profit
bribe: money paid to someone to get her or him to do something
cede: to surrender ownership to land
Yazoo Act
The lure of money led the government to corruption.
The 1,000 acres limit was not adhered to.o They granted more land than existed to
land speculators who hoped to make a large profit later.
o This practice is known as “land fraud.”
Yazoo Act
Other land speculators wanted the vast amount of territory that is Alabama and Mississippi.o Speculators in four companies
bribed legislators to pass a bill that sold them huge tracks of land in the Yazoo area (currently Alabama and Mississippi) for a really cheap price.
o This came to be known as the Yazoo Land Fraud.
o When the citizens found out, they were furious!
Yazoo Act The citizens burned
the Yazoo Act on the steps of the capitol in Louisville.
The act was repealed in 1796.
Yazoo Act
The federal government paid more than $4 million to help Georgia settle Yazoo land claims
In 1802, Georgia ceded (gave up) its land claims west of the Chattahoochee River to the federal government for $1.25 million
Land Lottery System
The Yazoo Land Fraud changed the way that land was granted in Georgia.
The final approach Georgia used for land allocation was the land lottery system.o It gave people an equal chance to the land.o Every free white male who lived in Georgia for a
year was given one chance.o A man with a family was given two chances.o A widow with children was given two chances.
Land Policies Matching1. Headright system
2. Land speculator
3. Yazoo land fraud
4. Laud fraud
5. Land lottery
6. Yazoo area
A. Dishonest selling of land
B. Land that is Alabama and Mississippi
C. Speculators bribed legislators to get land cheap
D. Granted no more than 1,000 acres per family
E. Land awarded by chance
F. One who buys land to sell it for profit