SS8H3 The student will analyze the role of Georgia in
the American Revolution.
a. Explain the immediate and long-term causes of the American Revolution and their impact on Georgia;
include the French and Indian War (Seven Years War), Proclamation of 1763, Stamp Act, Intolerable Acts,
and the Declaration of Independence.
b. Analyze the significance of people and events in Georgia on the Revolutionary War; include Loyalists,
patriots, Elijah Clarke, Austin Dabney, Nancy Hart, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton, Battle of
Kettle Creek, and siege of Savannah.
EU: CONFLICT AND CHANGE: When there is conflict between or within societies,
change is the result.
EQ: What were the causes, both immediate and long term of the American Revolution against
England? (H3a)
EQ: What role did Georgia play in the American Revolution? (H3b)
EU: Individuals, Groups, Institutions: The student will understand that the actions of
individuals groups, and/or institutions affect society through intended and unintended
consequences.
EQ: What persons /groups/events were significant to the development of the new government
of the U.S. of America and of Georgia and how? (H3b, H4b)
EU: Governance: As a society increases in complexity and interacts with other
societies, the complexity of the government also increases.
EQ: How did past experience of the patriots with England’s monarchy influence their decisions
regarding a new form of government? (H3a, H4a,b)
England
and
France
were at war.
Some French people
began moving to the
American colonies
from Canada.
Canada
Colonies
•England did not want to lose the
colonies to the French, so the English
asked the colonists to help them fight
against the French.
•The French asked some American
Indians to help them fight against
England and the colonists.
1.
Washington learned that the
British were not unbeatable
in battle as many people
thought.
2.
Washington believed that the
key to winning the war was
to fight like the Indians.
* This led him to success during
the Revolutionary War!
1.
Braddock and his army
moved very slowly, building
roads and bridges as they
headed through the
wilderness.
2.
Braddock believed that
fighting like the Indians was
cowardly.
-Mission: To rid the Ohio Valley of
the French Invaders.
-Strength: 1400 British Regulars;
smaller number of Colonial Militia
-Braddock’s Dilemma: Tried to
fight a European style war in the
wilderness of Pennsylvania.
Braddock’s force
is routed and
retreats in
disarray. During
the battle on July
9th Braddock is
mortally
wounded.
Braddock dies
and is buried in
the middle of the
road he built and
the remainder of
his army marches
over him to hide
the grave from the
French and their
allies.
Treaty of Paris 1763
• The British gained control over the area west of the
13 British Colonies all the way to the Mississippi
River.
• The French agreed to give up any colonies in North
America, including all of Canada.
• Since Spain had helped the French, the Spanish
were also forced to give up Florida. But the Spanish
still held their territory west of the Mississippi River
and in Central and South America.
1. England and the Colonists beat
the French and the Indians.
2. The Treaty of Paris was formed
between the opponents.
3. This war was very costly to
England. The British decided
to tax the Colonists to pay for
the war!
Cause of the American Revolution
Pitt decides to fund the war through the British Treasury and
through loans. This relieves the American colonists from
fronting the bill for the war. However, after the war is over,
Britain must settle its debts and pay for a standing army in
America. In order to do this they decide to have the colonists
bear some of the burden for their own defense.
Cause of the American Revolution
The Proclamation of 1763
 Proclaimed that land west of the Appalachian Mountains
temporarily off limits to settlements.
 British Halt Westward Expansion to minimize costs in
maintaining a military force to secure the Frontier.
 Colonists upset. Especially those who had bought shares
in companies or bought land in the newly captured territories.
 However, this does create a fragile peace between the
British and the Native Americans.
First Continental Congress
• Many of the British colonies in North America
had began to protest taxation as long as they
were not represented in British Parliament.
• 12 of the 13 colonies sent representatives to
the First Continental Congress; Georgia was
not represented.
• Urged colonies to establish “Committees of
Safety”
• Agreed to stop all trade with Britain (boycott)
• Carried on its work in secret
• “Provincial Congress” held in Savannah in
January 1775; less than one-half of Georgia’s
parishes were represented
Second Continental Congress
• Where was the first
meeting?
• What were their
demands?
• Were their demands met?
• Met in Philadelphia after
Lexington and Concord
battles in Massachusetts
• Drafted petition for King
George III, asking for end
of unfriendly steps
against the colonies
• No. George III refused to
accept the petition
• Authorized Continental
Army
Second Continental Congress
•
Georgia’s Lyman Hall arrived in
May 1775. He was declared an
enemy of the crown
•
August 2, 1776: Button Gwinnett,
Lyman Hall, and George Walton
(representatives from Georgia)
sign the Declaration of
Independence
Button Gwinnett was the youngest
representative at age 26.
All of these men have a Georgia
county named after them.
•
•
Button Gwinnett
George
Walton
Important people in Georgia
during the Revolutionary War
• Elijah Clarke
• Austin Dabney
• Nancy Hart
Battle of Kettle Creek (1779)
• Colonel Elijah Clarke led Georgia militia,
defeated 800 British troops near
Washington, Georgia
• Great victory for morale of the militia
and Georgians seeking independence
• Won badly-needed weapons and
horses from the British
Siege of Savannah (1779)
• What is a siege?
• Siege-When forces try to capture a fortified fort or
town by surrounding it and preventing any supplies
from reaching it.
• 15,000 Americans and 4,000 French laid siege to
Savannah
• Attack on October 9 resulted in 1,000 American and
French deaths in less than an hour; only 40 British
troops died
• Savannah remained under British control, and the
leadership of James Wright, for nearly four more
years
• Guerrilla warfare (small scale fighting; sneak attacks)
continued in the Georgia backcountry
Georgia Wartime Heroes
• Nancy Hart single-handedly captured a
group of British loyalists who bragged of
murdering an American colonel; Hart
County is the only county named for a
woman
• Austin Dabney, a mulatto, fought with
distinction and was wounded at Kettle
Creek; he also saved Elijah Clarke’s life
during that battle
Why were they important?
• Elijah Clarke: commanded patriot troops in GA
• Led militia force that defeated 800 British @ the Battle of
Kettle Creek
• Clarke County, Georgia named after him
• Austin Dabney: A freeborn Mulatto who fought alongside
Colonel Clarke at the Battle of Kettle Creek (wounded in
action)
• Nancy Hart: Tricked Tory soldiers as they drank whiskey at her
house, seized their weapons and killed one of them the others
she held at gunpoint till help arrived
Who won the fight for Kettle Creek &Savannah?
• 1st military victory for Georgia during Revolutionary War was
at the Battle of Kettle Creek in February 1779 (Col E. Clarke)
• American patriots tried to take Savannah from the British in
Sept 1779
• This event is known as the “Siege of Savannah”
• 22 French ships & 4000 soldiers in addition to 15000 troops
could not take Savannah
• Savannah stayed under British control till the end of the war
Revolutionary War Fighting
in Georgia
• Georgia was divided between patriots (people that were
rebelling against Great Britain; fighting for freedom) and
loyalists (people that remained loyal to Great Britain).
• Savannah captured and looted by British troops in
December 1778; lootings, murders, and burnings
occurred
• Sunbury port captured in early 1779; Augusta was also
attacked
• Georgia militia not effective against well-trained British
troops. French military leaders and reinforcements were
brought in to train and assist the Continental Army.
• Governor Wright eventually returned from Great Britain to
govern Georgia. Continued to govern from Savannah
until 1783.
What do you know about Loyalists &
Patriots? (Similarities and differences)
• Patriots/Rebels
• Loyalists/Tories
• Identify all of the
counties that
were named after
significant people
from the
Revolutionary
War.