H4B.

Evaluate the impact of land

H4A H4B H4C

policies pursued by Georgia;
include the headright system,
land lotteries, and the Yazoo
Land Fraud.

H4D/
E
 PAGE 9

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

From colonial times until the mid-1800s, Georgia gained and distributed land that had belonged to
the Cherokee and Creek Indians. During this period, the state sold or granted many acres of land
through three main strategies: the headright system, the Yazoo land sale, and the land lottery.

The first way Georgia chose to give away the land was with the Headright System. Thousands of
acres were given away to soldiers who had fought in the Revolutionary War. Also white men over
the age of 21 had the right to land if they were the head of the household. Two hundred acres of
land were given to heads of households. More was provided if the head of the household had a family
or slaves. Farmers and ranchers soon took advantage of this system to obtain fertile farmland and
grazing areas for their livestock. The Headright System ended because there were more people
claiming land than there was land available.

Directions: Use the textbox below to answer the following items in sentences:
1. Georgia gained and distributed land that had belonged which American Indian groups?

2. What are the names of the three ways the state sold or granted many acres of land?

3. What was the first system of land distribution?

4. How many acres were given away to soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War?

5. How old did the men have to be and what position did they need to have to be part of the
Headright System?

6. How much land was given to the head of the household under the Headright System?

7. Why did the Headright System end?

 PAGE 10

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Weakened by the Revolutionary War, the government of Georgia was not strong enough to defend settlements in
the western part of the state. At the time, Georgia’s boundaries stretched west to the Mississippi River and
included present-day Alabama and Mississippi. Leaders thought they had found a solution to the problem with
the Yazoo Land Sale of 1795. The second land policy was known as the Yazoo Act, named after the Yazoo
River. In this plan, the government would sell thirty-five million acres of land near the Yazoo River to four
companies for $500,000. In return for this cheap land, the companies would establish a presence there that
would help keep the frontier safe. Settlers would be more likely to move to western Georgia if the area was
secure and had the jobs and products that the companies offered. Georgia’s governor, George Matthews,
signed the Yazoo Act on January 7th, 1795.

The plan backfired. Many important legislators were bribed in exchange for their support of the Yazoo
Act. Shocked Georgians protests in the streets and collected signatures on petitions that opposed the sale
by the government. Despite the public outcry, the sale was completed. Senator James Jackson of Georgia
resigned his seat over the deal. He returned home and set out reverse the sale. Jackson and allies were
soon voted back into office. They used their control of the legislature to pass the Rescinding Act of 1796,
which repealed the original sale.

Directions: Use the textbox below to answer the following items in sentences:
1. What was the name of the second Land Policy AND why was it named that?

2. Who sold thirty-five million acres of land near the Yazoo River to four companies for $500,000?

3. Who signed the Yazoo Act on January 7th, 1795?

4. Who were bribed in exchange for their support of the Yazoo Act?

5. How did the Georgian’s respond to the Yazoo Act AND what did they do?

6. What was the name of the senator of Georgia who resigned his seat over the deal and then
returned home and set out reverse the sale?
 PAGE 11

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

After the disaster of what became known as the Yazoo land fraud, the state of Georgia
implemented a lottery system to determine who could buy land. From 1805-1833, a final
approach was used to distribute land to Georgians. The lottery approach was used to offer
land for a cheap price. A person’s age, war service, marital status, and years of residence in
Georgia were all factors that determined who was eligible for the land lottery. The land
lottery was basically a system under which ordinary and less wealthy Georgians could
purchase cheap land and was restricted to white men, orphans, and widows.

Interested Georgians would purchase a ticket. The name of the ticket owner would be placed in
a barrel. Land lot numbers were placed in a second barrel. Additional entries were provided
depending on age, marital status, and service in the war. A hundred thousand families would
benefit from the land lotteries which gave away about three-fourths of Georgia’s land.

Directions: Use the textbox below to answer the following items in sentences:
1. What was the next Land Policy after the disaster of what became known as the Yazoo land
fraud?

2. What approach was used to offer land for a cheap price?

3. What were all factors that determined who was eligible for the land lottery?

4. Under the Lottery System, who could purchase cheap land?

5. Who would purchase tickets?

6. How many families would benefit from the land lotteries AND how much of Georgia’s land was
given out?
 PAGE 12

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

HeadRight System
An approach to land ownership to give the head of a
family 200 acres to free land in the Georgia frontier.

Thousands of acres were given away

to soldiers who had fought in the
Revolutionary War. Also white men
over the age of 21 had the right to
land if they were the head of the
household. Two hundred acres of land
were given to heads of households.
More was provided if the head of the
household had a family or slaves.
Farmers and ranchers soon took
advantage of this system to obtain
fertile farmland and grazing areas for
their livestock.

5
 PAGE 13

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Yazoo Land Fraud

An event where land companies bribed Georgia
leaders to sell large lots of land for low prices.

The second land policy was known as the

Yazoo Act, named after the Yazoo River. In
this plan, the government would sell thirty-
five million acres of land near the Yazoo
River to four companies for $500,000. In
return for this cheap land, the companies
would establish a presence there that would
help keep the frontier safe. The plan
backfired. Many important legislators were
bribed in exchange for their support of the
Yazoo Act.

6 6
 PAGE 14

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Land Lottery
An approach to land ownership offering average
Georgians the opportunity to take a chance at owning
land for pennies per acre.

The lottery approach was used to offer

land for a cheap price. A person’s age,
war service, marital status, and years
of residence in Georgia were all
factors that determined who was
eligible for the land lottery. The land
lottery was basically a system under
which ordinary and less wealthy
Georgians could purchase cheap land
and was restricted to white men,
orphans, and widows.

7 7
 PAGE 15

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Directions: Read the descriptions in the side panel. Drag and Drop items to place the
description to the correct land policy. (Use the readings on pages 12-14)

Headright System

B. An approach to land ownership to give the

head of a family 200 acres of free land in the
GA frontier.
Georgia’s Land Policies

Land Lotteries

A. An approach to land ownership offering

average Georgians the opportunity to take a
chance at owning land for pennies per acre.

Yazoo Land Fraud

C. An event where land companies bribed

Georgia leaders to sell large lots of land for
low prices.

©Rachel Wells
 PAGE 16

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Directions: Read the descriptions below in each box. Using the word bank select the correct title
for each Land Policy of Georgia and who was impacted.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
A. Yazoo Land E. Yazoo Land
C. Headright
Land Lottery D. Trail of Tears
_______ System _______ _______ B._______
Act Fraud _______

An approach An act signed An event

An approach to American
to land by Governor where land land ownership Indian tribes
ownership to George companies offering average that were
give the head Mathews bribed Georgians the
removed
of a family 200 selling 35 Georgia opportunity to
acres to free million acres take a chance at from their
leaders to sell
land in the of land to land owning land for lands during
large lots of
Georgia companies for pennies per the land
land for low
frontier $500,000. acre. policies.
prices.

9
 PAGE 17

SS8H4B Land policies pursued by Georgia

Directions: Read the descriptions on the side panel, and drag and drop it
to the correct term it is describing.
2. Yazoo Act
1. Headright System
C. An act signed by Governor George Mathews
pproach to land ownership to give the
selling 35 million acres of land to land companies
amily 200 acres to free land in the
for $500,000.
ontier.

3. Yazoo Land Fraud 4. Land Lotteries

event where land companies bribed B. An approach to land ownership offering

orgia leaders to sell large lots of land for average Georgians the opportunity to take a chance
w prices. at owning land for pennies per acre.

5. ______ What land policy is being described: Four land companies bribed leaders of Georgia to sell
land, 35 million acres were sold for $500,000, and the sale of the land was later nullified?
A. Land Lotteries
B. Yazoo Land Fraud
C. Headright System
D. Louisiana Purchase

6. ______Which best describes the Headright System?

E. Free land that was given to white men and slaves who fought during the Civil War.
F. Free land that was given to white male heads of the households over 21 and soldiers who fought
in the Revolutionary War.
G. Land that was sold to heads of the household for a penny an acre.
H. A barter and trade system that was established for anyone with a family or a soldier who wanted
to own land.

7. ______ Why were many Georgians upset by the Yazoo Act?

I. The Creek and Cherokee Indians in northern Georgia were treated unfairly.
J. The land deal involved much of western Georgia was scandalously sold.
K. The government determined how the land would be used.
L. Slavery was restricted in many of the newly sold western lands.

10

©Rachel Wells