Set 04: Westward Expansion in Georgia Between 1789 and 1840

Georgia’s early years as a state were marked by expansion and growth. Georgia’s population grew after the Revolutionary period and the white population looked west for more elbow room. New technologies like the cotton gin and steam-powered rail led to expansion and growth of Georgia’s economy. It was in this period that cotton became king of the South, Georgia being no exception. Several defining historic events occurred during this period including, the Yazoo land frauds, the founding of the University of Georgia, the discovery of gold in North Georgia, the spread of Baptist and Methodist churches, the creation of a Cherokee syllabary, and the Trail of Tears.

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