Unit: Growth & Expansion [Following Revolutionary Period and the New Constitution]
SS8H5 Explain significant factors that affected the development of Georgia as part of the growth of the
United States between 1789 and 1840.
a. Explain the establishment of the University of Georgia, Louisville, and the spread of Baptist
and Methodist churches.
b. Evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgia; include the headright system, land
lotteries, and the Yazoo land fraud.
Lesson Essential Question: How did land obtainment lead to population shifts in Georgia?
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 the
Mississippi River. In turn, Revolutionary War veterans, amongst others, believed that all citizens had
the right to land ownership. Due to the ideas espoused by the Declaration of Independence, Georgia’s
political leadership agreed. Though the people and their leaders were in agreement about the people’s
need for land to support a healthy democracy, the question became what was the best way to allocate
land to the people of the state.
Today, we will discuss some of the approaches used to distribute land in Georgia.

Activating Strategy: Distribution of Land Simulation
o Before the beginning of class, divide the classroom into seven sections of varying size. This
can be done by marking the floor off with chalk or tape. Each section will represent a
section of land in a hypothetical state or territory. Each section of the classroom should
have a perk of some sort…access to the windows; access to the pencil sharpener; access to
the door; the secluded back of the classroom, etc. The seventh area of the classroom should
have no perks. Hang one Region sign in each of the first six regions. Label the section
farthest from the door “eviction zone.” Eviction zone region should be expansive enough to
hold a large number of students. Pre-cut the Land Lottery Simulation Blank Squares sheet
(one square per student). Pre-cut the “Land Lottery Simulation Squares” sheets (one square
per student).
Steps for the Distribution of Land Simulation Activating Strategy:
1. Make note of the first six students who enter the classroom. You will need to remember these
six students for step 9.
2. Begin the activity by telling students that some of them will be given sections of the class space
marked off in the classroom.
3. Point out the seven sections of classroom space that have been established. Alert students to the
fact that each section of class will represent a portion of land in a hypothetical state or territory.
4. Randomly assign the sections of the classroom to six students (do not assign anyone to the
eviction zone yet). Inform the six students selected that they are free to go claim their new
“land”.
5. Tell all students who did not receive a section of the classroom to go stand in the Eviction
Zone. Tell these students that they are no longer a part of this territory.
6. Ask students if they are happy with the new set up of the classroom. Who benefited and who
lost because of the new arrangement? [Six students selected benefited, people in the eviction
zone lost]
7. Ask students to describe the advantages and disadvantages of each of the six sections of the
classroom. If students do not bring it up, steer the discussion toward the idea that the section of
class that includes the door is most likely the most valuable piece of land in the room, due to
the fact that the person controlling this area controls all movement in and out of the classroom.
8. Ask students if they think the current arrangement of the classroom is fair. [Students in the
eviction zone will say no, remaining students will most likely say yes.] Ask those students who
said the arrangement was not fair to explain their answers. [Students may answer that the
teacher just picked his or her favorites.] Agree with the eviction zone students and tell everyone
to return to their seats.
9. Explain to students that you will now come up with a better way to assign the classroom
sections. Announce that the six sections of the classroom will go to the first six students who
walked into class. First person in class selects his or her section, second person selects next, etc.
10. Tell all students, including the eviction zone students, to go to their newly assigned areas.
11. Ask students if they think the new arrangement of the classroom is fair. [Students in the
eviction zone will say no, remaining students will most likely say yes.] Ask those students who
said the arrangement was not fair to explain their answers. [Students may answer that their
previous class was far away.] Agree with the eviction zone students and tell everyone to return
to their seats.
12. Explain to students that you have heard their opinions and that you have finally come up with a
plan that will satisfy everyone. Tell students that they will take part in a competition to see who
will get the six sections of the classroom. This competition will be based on who can jump the
highest
13. Complete the competition and assign the winners based on order of finish. Tell all students,
including the eviction zone students, to go to their newly assigned areas.
14. Ask students if they think the new arrangement of the classroom is fair. [Students in the
eviction zone will say no, remaining students will most likely say yes.] Ask those students who
said the arrangement was not fair to explain their answers. [Students may answer that they are
not the strongest or smartest person in the class.] Agree with the eviction zone students and tell
everyone to return to their seats.
15. Explain to students that you are out of ideas on how to assign the six sections of classroom
space. Instruct the students that they will work together to come up with a solution to the
problem.
16. Place students in pairs or groups of three. Have each group identify possible solutions to the
problem of assigning the six classroom sections. Instruct students to include one advantage and
one disadvantage for each solution.
17. Ask groups to share their solutions with the class. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
each plan suggested by student groups. Try to come to a consensus on the best way to distribute
land.
18. Discuss the difficulties of coming to a consensus. [Everyone is looking out for themselves]
19. Distribute the Resource Allocation Strategies Handout. Examine each strategy along with each
advantage and disadvantage. Ask students what method was used to assign class sections
during the first round. [Answer should be command.] Ask students what method was used
during the second round. [Answer should be first-come, first-served.] Ask students what
allocation strategy was used during the third round. [Answer should be competition.]
20. Ask students when a government would need a system in place to distribute land. [Answers
may include when settling a new territory, after acquiring new land after a war, or when
someone fails to pay taxes and has his or her land taken.]
Teaching Strategies:

Hand out the Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War Student
Worksheet to each student

Explain to the students that the activities at the beginning of the class were used to demonstrate
methods used for the distribution of land. Now, we are going to discuss specifically how land was
distributed in Georgia prior to and after the Revolutionary War.

Read the essential question to the students. As a class, discuss and answer questions 1 and 2 on the
student handout to make sure students have an understanding of what the essential question means.

In the same small groups as before, give each student a copy of the Methods for Distributing the
Land Handout. Instruct students to read “Headright System” section of the handout. Ask students
what type of allocation strategy this represents. [Sharing.] Discuss advantages and disadvantages of
this allocation strategy.

Give students a few minutes to answer questions 3-5 on their student handout using the Methods
for Distributing the Land sheet. When students are finished, go over the answers as a class.

Read and continue answering questions 6-10 on the student handout discussing population shifts
and the changes in the location of Georgia’s capital cities during this period. Make sure all students
have answered questions 1-10 on their student handout before continuing.

Instruct students to read “Allocation by Price” section of the Methods for Distributing the Land
handout. Ask students what type of allocation strategy this represents. Ask students why this is an
example of allocation by price. [Money was used to acquire the land.] Discuss advantages and
disadvantages of this allocation strategy. [What happens a lot of times money is involved in things]

Instruct the students to look at the maps on their student handout and questions 11-14. Discuss and
answer these questions together.

Ask the students, have any of the strategies used so far been effective for Georgia’s land
distribution? Discuss for a few minutes the problems. Refer back to some of their solutions for
distributing land.

Instruct the students that you are going to do one more type of land distribution simulation.

Give each student one copy of Map 5 and one blank land lottery simulation square. Tell students to
write their names on the squares. Collect squares and place them in a container. Place the Land
Lottery Simulation Squares in separate container. Do not place the same number of these in the
container as there are students in class. You want three or four students to not get a lot.

Conduct a simulated land lottery with students. Draw a name from one container while
simultaneously drawing a land lot from other container. Announce the results and hand Land
Lottery Simulation Squares to each student. Explain to students who did not get a lot of land that
not everyone received land during land lotteries.

Instruct students to locate their lot on Map 5 - Land to be Distributed. Ask students to answer the
questions on the worksheet. Discuss student answers.

Summarizing Strategy: 3-2-1
o Identify 3 methods Georgia used to try to distribute land
o Identify 2 problems with these methods
o Identify the method of land distribution that was the most effective
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War
Lesson Essential Question 1: How did land obtainment lead to population shifts in Georgia?
1. What is meant in the essential question by the phrase “land obtainment”? __________________________
2. What is meant in the essential question by the phrase “population shifts”? __________________________
The map to the right shows the state of Georgia. The
black outline on the map shows what was considered
Georgia before the end of the Revolutionary War.
Headright System
Prior to 1803, Georgia distributed land using the
Headright system.
3. Conditions of the Headright System:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. Limitations of the Headright System: _______________________________________________________
5. Describe other methods used to distribute land during and immediately following the Revolutionary War.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
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 the Mississippi
River. In turn, Revolutionary War veterans, amongst others, believed that all citizens had the right to land
ownership. Due to the ideas supported by the Declaration of Independence, Georgia’s political leadership
agreed. Though the people and their leaders were in agreement about the people’s need for land to support a
healthy democracy, the question became what was the best way to distribute land to the people of the state.
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War
Augusta was the
state capital in
1785
Mississippi
River
The map above shows the land ceded to Georgia after the Revolutionary War.
6. Where was the population of Georgia concentrated prior to and during the Revolutionary War?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
7. After the Revolutionary War, when Georgia gained more land, what type of population shifts do you think
occurred? Why?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
The map to the right shows changes in Georgia’s
capital cities from 1785 to 1806.
8. Where did Georgia’s capital move in 1796?
___________________________________
9. Why were there changes in the location of Georgia’s
capital cities?
1796
Louisville
_____________________________________________
10. What do you notice about the location of all of Georgia’s
capitals? Explain.
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
1806
Milledgeville
1785
Augusta
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War
Yazoo Land Fraud
The maps to the right show land
involved in the Yazoo Land Fraud
11. What did the Yazoo Act of 1794 do?
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
12. How did land speculation companies get
members of the legislature to pass the act?
___________________________________
13. How did the citizens of Georgia respond to
the Yazoo Land Fraud?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
14. What deal was made between the state of
Georgia and the United States’ government as a
result of the Yazoo land controversy in 1802?
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Land Lottery System
15. Describe the Land Lottery System. _______________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
16. What were the advantages and disadvantages to the
Land Lottery System?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War KEY
Lesson Essential Question 1: How did land obtainment lead to population shifts in Georgia?
1. What is meant in the essential question by the phrase “land obtainment”? get, find, gain, or acquire land
2. What is meant in the essential question by the phrase “population shifts”? people living in an area move
The map to the right shows the state of Georgia. The
black outline on the map shows what was considered
Georgia before the end of the Revolutionary War.
Headright System
Prior to 1803, Georgia distributed land using the
Headright system.
3. Conditions of the Headright System:
The head of a family was granted two hundred acres of land,
together with 50 acres for each member of his family. For each
slave, the family received up to 10 acres.
4. Limitations of the Headright System: No family would be granted more than a thousand acres of land.
5. Describe other methods used to distribute land during and immediately following the Revolutionary War.
Soldiers who enlisted in the Revolutionary War for three years were offered 100 acres and if they remained
in the war until the end, they received 250 more acres. Other men who had fought in the war received land
grants ranging from 2,000 to 20,000 acres.
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 the Mississippi
River. In turn, Revolutionary War veterans, amongst others, believed that all citizens had the right to land
ownership. Due to the ideas supported by the Declaration of Independence, Georgia’s political leadership
agreed. Though the people and their leaders were in agreement about the people’s need for land to support a
healthy democracy, the question became what was the best way to distribute land to the people of the state.
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War KEY
Augusta was the
state capital in
1785
Mississippi
River
The map above shows the land ceded to Georgia after the Revolutionary War.
6. Where was the population of Georgia concentrated prior to and during the Revolutionary War?
Along the coast and eastern portion of the colony
7. After the Revolutionary War, when Georgia gained more land, what type of population shifts do you think
occurred? Why?
People started moving west in hopes of gaining more land or more valuable land.
The map to the right shows changes in Georgia’s
capital cities from 1785 to 1806.
8. Where did Georgia’s capital move in 1796?
Louisville
9. Why were there changes in the location of Georgia’s
capital cities?
1796
Louisville
As the population moved westward, it became necessary to
move the capital to a more central location.
10. What do you notice about the location of all of Georgia’s
capitals? Explain.
All of the capitals were located around water (either the coast
or rivers). Capitals were located around water sources for
transportation and trade purposes.
1806
Milledgeville
1785
Augusta
Georgia’s Growth & Expansion After the Revolutionary War KEY
Yazoo Land Fraud
The maps to the right show land
involved in the Yazoo Land Fraud
11. What did the Yazoo Act of 1794 do?
It approved four land companies to buy
Georgia’s land west of the Chattahoochee
for a very low price.
12. How did land speculation companies get
members of the legislature to pass the act?
Land speculators who worked for the four
companies bribed the members of the legislature.
13. How did the citizens of Georgia respond to
the Yazoo Land Fraud?
Citizens of Georgia learned about this fraud
and elected new members to the legislature
who promised to repeal the act. The Legislature
repealed the Act and regained the land.
14. What deal was made between the state of
Georgia and the United States’ government as a
result of the Yazoo land controversy in 1802?
Land Lottery System
15. Describe the Land Lottery System.
The state wanted good citizens to settle the western
lands instead of Indians so they gave tracts of land away.
This land was laid out in lots of 202 acres each. The Land
Lottery System was used to give out the land.
Each piece of land was given a number. Each lot number
was placed on a piece of paper. These pieces of paper, all of
the same size, were put in a box. Other pieces of paper
without numbers were added to the box since there were
always more citizens desiring free land than there were
tracts of land available. Pieces were mixed together and a
drawing was held. Some men drew blank pieces of paper
and got no land at that drawing. A man who drew a paper
with a lot number received the piece of land bearing that
number.
16. What were the advantages and disadvantages to the
Land Lottery System? There were more people than
available land
Classroom Regions
Teacher Resource
Region 1
Region 2
Region 3
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Lesson 5
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Classroom Regions
Teacher Resource
Region 4
Region 5
Region 6
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Lesson 5
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Classroom Poster
Teacher Resource
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Lesson 5
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Resource Allocation Strategies
Strategy
Handout
Description
Advantage
Disadvantage
price
resource goes to those
who use market
mechanisms such as
trade, barter, monetary
compensation
great for those who
have money or a job
with income
not good for those who
don’t have income or
aren’t entrepreneurs
majority rule
resource goes to those
who win an election;
voting; consensus;
largest number of
people are satisfied
great for those who
are popular and
those who have
many members
not good for the
unpopular; those who
don’t have the skills to
form alliances
competition
resource goes to the
most competitive –
winner of a race or arm
wrestling; survival of
the fittest
great for those who
are talented and
skillful
not good for those who
aren’t competitive;
unskilled
force
resource goes to the
one who is strongest
(physical, mental,
political)
great for those who
are strong, powerful,
bullish
not good for those who
are weak, small, easily
intimidated
sharing
resource goes to
multiple parties by
dividing the resource
great in that
everyone gets an
equal part; no one is
left out
not good in that some
resources can’t be
divided; no party may
get enough; not
everyone wants some
of every resource
lottery
resource goes to the
luckiest; random; fair
great for those who
are lucky and win
things; everyone has
an equal chance;
random winners
not good for those who
are unlucky or who
“never win anything”
command
resource goes where
directed, ordered, told
by another person
great for those who
are liked by the
commander or if the
planner is always
fair
not good if the planner
isn’t fair
first-come,
first-served
resource goes to the
early bird; first in line
great for those who
are quick, willing to
get ahead of the
crowd
not good for the
procrastinator; those
who are late in
planning/ preparing
Georgia Council on Economic Education © 2008
Lesson 5
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METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTING THE LAND
Handout, page 1
Headright System
Georgia's offer of free land to early settlers was generous and fair. The head of a family was
granted two hundred acres of land, together with fifty additional acres for each member of his
family and for each slave up to ten. However, no family would be granted more than a thousand
acres of farm land. This system of distributing farm land in Georgia was known as the Headright
system.
During the Revolutionary War, Georgia also offered farm land to men who would come to the
defense of the struggling state. In 1776, the offer was one hundred acres for each soldier who
enlisted for three years. To those who should remain in the service until the end of the war, two
hundred and fifty more acres were granted.
After Georgia was rid of its foreign enemies in 1783, it also granted land as rewards to many
men who had fought during the Revolutionary War. Some of these men were prominent leaders.
They received grants ranging in size from a thousand to twenty thousand acres. Elijah Clarke,
Count d'Estaing, Nathaniel Greene, Anthony Wayne, and many others were given such grants.
Allocation by Price
In 1794, the General Assembly passed the Yazoo Act authorizing four land 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 1 1/2 cents per
acre.
As the citizens of Georgia learned of this fraud, they grew angry and elected new members to the
legislature who promised 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 United
States’ government.
This agreement stated that Georgia would cede to the United States its land west of the
Chattahoochee in exchange for $1.25 million and removal of the Indians remaining in the
boundaries of Georgia.
Land Lottery System
In 1802, land-hungry men pushed the Indians out of the land west of the Oconee River. The
state wanted good citizens to settle the western lands and gave tracts away freely. The land was
laid out in lots of 202 acres each.
In 1803, a new system of granting farm lands called the land lottery was begun. Each piece of
land was given a number. Each lot number was placed on a piece of paper. These pieces of
paper, all of the same size, were put in a box. Other pieces of paper without numbers were added
to the box since there were always more citizens desiring free land than there were tracts of land
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Lesson 5
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METHODS FOR DISTRIBUTING THE LAND
Handout, page 2
available. All pieces of paper were thoroughly mixed. Then the drawing began. Some men
drew blank pieces of paper and got no land at that drawing. A man who drew a paper with a lot
number received as a farm the piece of land bearing that number.
This lottery system proved to be a good means of dividing Georgia's land among those who
wanted to start farm homes.
The land lines of many farms in Georgia today still show marks of the two systems of granting
farm lands to the original settlers. Going north or west from Savannah where the Headright
System was used, land lines often are irregular and difficult to follow. On the other hand, the
land lines of farms where the lottery system was used are straight and farm corners have right
angles.
It is evident that Georgia started out to convert its vast areas of land into farms as rapidly and as
fairly as possible. Because of bad use of the land laws in some cases, however, dishonesty
prevailed for some years. Some state officials ignored the farm limit of a thousand acres as set
by law. Certain families were granted ten-thousand acre tracts. Land speculation became
common.
Land speculation was an easy means by which those who had money could buy a large quantity
of land when the price was low, and hold it until the price rose. They could resell it later for
extravagant prices and thereby increased their own bank accounts at the expense of the poor.
The worst political scandal in Georgia's history occurred as a result of this type of evil doing. It
was called the Yazoo Land Fraud because the lands involved extended to the Yazoo River.
Nevertheless, even with some corruption in the distribution of Georgia's lands, the tracts of land
sold rapidly. One reason was that the cotton gin increased land value by giving the people an
important money-making crop, cotton. As a result, the state's population increased tremendously
during this period, rising from 162,686 in 1800 to 516,812 in 1830.
Cherokee land lots were parceled out to white
Georgians in one of the two state land lotteries
held in 1832. The state conducted a total of
eight lotteries between 1805 and 1833. Sketch
by George I. Parrish Jr., circa 1832.
Artwork by George I. Parrish Jr. Courtesy of Cindy
Parrish, Maryville, TN in The New Georgia Encyclopedia
(www.newgeorgiaencyclopedia.com)
Source: Changing Culture - Georgia History, Atlanta Public Schools, 1971, pp. 104 - 105.
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Lesson 5
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Lottery Simulation Land Lot Slips
Teacher Resource, page 1
100 acres
some swamp,
good farm land
140 acres
swamp, poor soil
115 acres
good farm land
Lot #1
Lot #2
Lot #3
200 acres
some desert
poor farm land
150 acres
good farm land
210 acres
hilly, borders river, some good
farm land, creeks
Lot #4
Lot #5
Lot #6
120 acres
river frontage, hilly, good
farm land
120 acres
hilly, creek, good farm land
145 acres
swamp, poor farm land
Lot #7
Lot #8
Lot #9
100 acres
good farm soil
105 acres
good farm soil
120 acres
hilly, lake, rich soil
Lot #10
Lot #11
Lot #12
50 acres
rich soil, lake frontage, river
100 acres
dense forest, poor soil for
farming
120 acres
rich soil
Lot #13
Lot #14
Lot #15
100 acres
rich farmland, river
105 acres
rich soil, level land
15- acres
steeply sloping, poor soil on a
river
Lot #16
Lot #17
Lot #18
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Lesson 5
page 18 of 20
Land Lottery Simulation Squares
Teacher Resource, page 2
160 acres
lake frontage, some
mountains, rich soil
140 acres
lake frontage, rich soil
125 acres
level land, rich soil
Lot #19
Lot #20
Lot #21
240 acres
river frontage, rocky soil
160 acres
mountains, steeply sloping
land, poor soil
100 acres
dense forest, ocean frontage,
plentiful game
Lot #22
Lot #23
Lot #24
90 acres
ocean frontage, deep harbor,
dense forest
`
100 acres
rocky, steeply sloping land
120 acres
ocean frontage, natural
harbors, good roads
Lot #25
Lot #26
Lot #27
110 acres
level land, rich soil
95 acres
level land, rich soil, ocean
frontage
45 acres
swamp, low lying, poor soil
Lot #28
Lot #29
Lot #30
95 acres
Ocean frontage
75 acres
rich soil, level land, creeks,
good roads
75 acres
bay frontage, good harbor,
good soil
Lot #31
Lot #32
Lot #33
105 acres
peninsula, ocean frontage,
poor soil, alligator problem
115 acres
ocean frontage, no harbor,
poor rocky soil
105 acres
steeply sloping land, fair soil
Lot #34
Lot #35
Lot #36
Georgia Council on Economic Education © 2008
Lesson 5
page 19 of 20
Map 5- Lands to be Distributed
1. Describe the features of your lot. How do you plan to use this land? (Answer if you won land)
2. If you could select any lot on the map what would it be? Explain? (Answer if you won land or
not)
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the lottery system? (Answer if you won land or
not)
Georgia Council on Economic Education © 2008
Lesson 5
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