The Georgia Constitution of 1777
Georgia joined the other colonies in celebrating the decision to become independent of Great Britain.
The former colonies were tired of being governed and living under laws made by Great Britain, which
they believed was both out of touch and too far away to understand their needs. The new goal for each
colony was statehood. Each new state was to develop its own method of governance and pass laws that
met its needs.
Work was begun on a state constitution to replace the earlier “Rules and Regulations”, which had been
used to govern the state. Writing the new constitution was not easy. Some citizens wanted a government
like the one already in place, with most of the power in the hands of a few wealthy landowners and
merchants. The Whigs, a more extreme group, wanted to give all the people of Georgia a chance to
govern themselves. The Whigs won, and Georgia decided on a government based on the separation of
powers and the rights of citizens to agree with how they were governed.
By May 1777, Georgia adopted its first state constitution at a constitutional convention held in
Savannah. The parish system was done away with, and eight countries were formed. However wellmeaning lawmakers were in developing the 1777 constitution, there were problems. Rather than a
bicameral legislature, the Constitution of 1777 provided for a unicameral, or one-house, legislature. This
single legislative body had very broad powers, including the ability to make appointments for the
judicial branch (the courts) and the executive branch (the governor).
Stung by the loyalty of formers governors to the king, the members of the constitutional convention
wanted to limit severely the influence and power of the governor. They proposed a one-year term for the
governor. The governor was to be selected by the legislature rather than voted on by the people. The
actual power, therefore, was in the hands of twelve lawmakers from the legislature who served as an
executive council. The executive council could accept or reject any proposals initiated by the governor.
The constitutional convention selected John Treutlen, a Salzburger.
1. What was the main weakness of the Georgia Constitution of 1777?
a. It placed too much importance on checks and balances
b. It gave too much power to the legislative branch
c. It established two parts in the legislative branch
d. It created an independent executive branch
2. Under Georgia’s Constitution of 1777, governor were selected by…?
a. The legislature
b. A vote of the citizens
c. The chairman of each parish
d. The executive council of Georgia
3. The writers of Georgia’s first constitution wanted to limit the power of the
governor because…?
a. They believed the legislature, which was closer to the people, should have more power
b. In the past the governor showed too much loyalty to the king
c. They feared the governor would become a dictator
d. There were no good candidates for governor
4. Who was elected Georgia’s first governor under the Constitution of 1777?
a. Button Gwinnett
b. Lyman Hall
c. John Treutlen
d. George Walton
More on the Constitution of 1777…
Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was adopted, Georgia’s provincial congress met
to create a stable state government. A new state constitution was adopted in 1777 that defined
separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Other features of the constitution
included:
 Most power was given to the unicameral (one-house) legislature.
 Legislature elected the governor, his 12-man executive council, and other
state officials.
 Governor served a one-year term.
 A superior court was created for each county.
 Basic rights listed such as freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and
trial by jury.
Strengths of the Constitution of 1777 included the separation of government branches and
protection of basic rights. The document also had several weaknesses. First it put too much
power in the hands of the legislature by allowing only one house, so there was no check on its
power. Third, a one-year term limited the governor’s effectiveness. Finally, the constitution was
not ratified by a vote of the people so it did not fully represent their interests.
Think About It:
The Constitution of 1777 gave a lot of power to the legislature (which typically
upolds the rights of the people), and not to the governor. Why do you think that
was such an important issue in 1777?