Age of Expansion DT #2 Redemption Lesson

Age of Expansion Redemption Lesson

Discovery Ticket 2 Redemption Lesson

Manifest Destiny and Westward Expansion

Georgia state officials wanted the population to grow since a larger population would result in greater representation in the U.S. Congress. Also, new settlers would turn the land into farms which would bring more economic growth to the state.

Multiple Choice

The belief that America was destined to expand its borders to the Pacific Ocean?

• Age of Exploration

• Imperialism

• Manifest Destiny

• None of the above

Land Lotteries and the Headright System

Georgia’s farmers had access to a large amount of land but was undeveloped in central and western Georgia. There were few settlers so land was at first given away to encourage settlement through the Headright System and later in a series of land lotteries.

Headright System

To attract more settlers, Georgians were first given the right to FREE land in Georgia east of the Oconee River (200 acres for the head of household, 50 acres for each family member including slaves). Every white male counted as a head of household and had the “right” to receive up to 1,000 acres!

*This system ended when there were too many claims and not enough land to offer. 

Land Lotteries

The Headright System was replaced in 1803 by a land lottery for government-owned land west of the Oconee. Average Georgians could buy land at a cheap price. All white heads-of-household, orphans, and widows could buy a lottery chance and win land.

**Participants could get more than one ticket based on age, marital status and war service

Yazoo Land Fraud

Georgia legislators were bribed by land companies to sell the land near the Yazoo River (located in present-day Mississippi) well below its real value. Nearly 35 million acres were "sold" to 4 private land companies at 2 cents an acre! The land was then sold again for huge profits.

*When the bribes were discovered, the legislators were voted out of office.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT TRUE of the Land Lottery?

• Participants could get more than one ticket based on age, marital status and war service

• Land allocation approach that gave the average Georgian a chance to BUY land at pennies on the dollar.

• Land allocation approach that provided the head of a family up to 200 acres of FREE land in Georgia.

Multiple Choice

What was the FIRST way the government of Georgia distributed land?

• Land Lottery

• Headright

• Yazoo Land Fraud

Multiple Choice

In 1795, land companies bribed members of the Georgia General Assembly to sell land for pennies on the dollar. What event was this known as?

• Yazoo Land Fraud

• Land Lottery

• Headright

Multiple Choice

Which land allocation approach provided the head of a family up to 1000 acres of FREE land in Georgia?

• Land Lottery

• Headright

• Yazoo Land Act