36B
36b - evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgia to include the headright system, land lotteries, and the Yazoo land fraud
Headright System
There was a lot of land fever in Georgia. Land was taken from the Native Americans and was given to settlers through the Headright system. Under this system, the head of the family was given 200 acres and 50 extra acres for each family member for a max of 1000 acres of land. Although parts of this system lasted until the early 20th century, it was largely replaced by land lotteries in 1803. Yazoo Land Fraud
The Yazoo Land Fraud of 1795 was the 1st major scandal in American history. Four speculation companies bribed the General Assembly of Georgia to sell them huge tracts of land for extremely low prices, so that they could sell it to others for profit. Copies of the Yazoo Act were burned in Louisville, and Senator James Jackson vowed to shoot the people responsible for the Yazoo Act when he resigned. The Yazoo Act was repealed in 1796. Governor George Matthews fled Georgia. The Federal government paid over $4 million in settlement claims and disputed Georgia's rights to the lands in 1802. Also, Georgia gave its claims on the lands of Mississippi and Alabama to the federal government for $1.25 million. Georgia lost money from the fraud. The western boundary of Georgia that had once been the Mississippi River now became the Chattahoochee River. The Yazoo Lands soon became Alabama and Mississippi. The legislators involved were voted out of office. They were also unable to get reelected. |
Land Lotteries
Georgia couldn't give much more land, unlike it had during the headright system. Georgia then created the land lotteries in 1803. All free white men living in Georgia for one year were given one chance. Georgia had 7 major lotteries from 1805-1832 that attracted settlers but brought the state into conflict with the Creek and Cherokee Native Americans. |