SS8H5 The student will 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.

Lack of College Opportunities The opportunity to receive a college education was almost impossible for anyone living in Georgia during the colonial period. Colleges in the United States were private, which means that they are NOT operated by the government and expensive. The closest college to Georgia was William and Mary College located in Williamsburg, Virginia. Lack of College Opportunities

Establishment of the University of Georgia In 1783, Abraham Baldwin wrote the charter that established the University of Georgia. Baldwin believed that it was the right of everyone to receive a good education and that it was the duty of the government to provide it. On the 27th of January in 1785 the Georgia state government accepted the charter making the University of Georgia the first to be created by and supported by a state government. It was charted as a land grant university which meant that the federal government donated the land on which it was to be built. Its creation went on to the serve as a model for the public university and college systems in the United States. Establishment of the University of Georgia

For the next sixteen years, the university existed only on paper. Georgia’s leaders were occupied with creating a state and used the land designated for the college for other purposes. The university had its first class in 1801 after John Milledge purchased and donated 633 acres to the university. However, it wasn’t until 1803 that the first building was built on the campus. It was named the Franklin building after Benjamin Franklin. It remained the only building on campus until 1821. The University of Georgia was the first public university which meant that it received funds from the state. This helped keep the cost of a college education down which provided more people with the access to an advanced education. UGA Significance

Georgia’s 1st Capital- Savannah Savannah was Georgia’s first capital because it was the 1st permanent settlement in Georgia. Savannah was not technically the capital. Power resided with the Trustees in England. In 1754, when Georgia transitioned from a trustee to a royal colony, it was officially declared as the state’s capital. Georgia’s 1st Capital- Savannah

Georgia’s 2nd Capital- Augusta During the American Revolution in 1778, Savannah fell to British forces. Georgia’s government was relocated to Augusta. Following the recapture of Savannah in 1782, the capital rotated between Savannah and Augusta . Georgia’s 2nd Capital- Augusta

Georgia’s Population Moves Georgia’s population began to move inland (away from the coast… West). It was difficult for Georgia’s citizens to travel to the coast for state business. In 1786, the legislature appointed a commission to find a site for a permanent, centrally located capital. Georgia’s Population Moves

Georgia’s 3rd Capital- Louisville The commission was given funds to purchase 1,000 acres of land. The city was to be… Modeled after the then U.S. capital of Philadelphia. 20 miles from an Indian trading post on the Ogeechee River. Named Louisville to honor King Louis XVI of France for France’s help in the Revolutionary War. Georgia’s 3rd Capital- Louisville

Georgia’s 3rd Capital- Louisville Even though the land had been obtained, it took 10 more years for Louisville to be ready to serve as the state capital. Building was delayed by lack of funds, death of the contractor, and the rush to obtain and disburse Creek and Cherokee lands. Augusta served as capital until it was ready. In 1796, Louisville officially became Georgia’s state capital. Louisville served as Georgia’s capital until 1804 when it was moved to Milledgeville to accommodate Georgia’s moving population. Georgia’s 3rd Capital- Louisville

Religion has strongly influenced Georgia’s growth… What are some ways that this can still be seen in Georgia today? Religion in Georgia

Second Great Awakening Starting in the 1790s, religious revivals began to pop up throughout the United States and transform religion throughout the country. By 1800, Methodist and Baptists were becoming the fastest growing religions in the nation. By 1860, they were the two largest church denominations in Georgia. The spread or religion in the South earned it the nickname of the Bible Belt. This spiritual resurgence is known as the Second Great Awakening. Second Great Awakening

Second Great Awakening is best known for its large CAMP MEETINGS. Camp meetings were religious services where people would travel from miles away to a particular camp site to listen to preachers and pray. Typically lasted for 2-3 days, but could last longer. Very popular in the frontier areas because they lacked traditional churches. Camp Meetings

African Americans and Religion Free blacks founded the First African Baptist Church in Savannah in December 1777. It is believed to be the oldest African American congregation in the United States. Few segregated churches existed… most slaves usually attended the same churches as their masters. Slavery caused divisiveness in churches. Methodist Episcopal Church was formed when they pulled out of the Methodist National Organization over the issue of slavery. The Southern Baptist Convention was formed when Baptists in the South left the American Baptist Union when its foreign mission board would not accept slave owners as missionaries. African Americans and Religion