GCSU GA History Exam Study Guide+Questions
with Complete Answers
Paleoindian Period (first prehistoric period) - ANSWER the period in which the people of
the New World lived as paleolithic hunters and gatherers
13,000-8900 BCE
Archaic Period (second prehistoric period) - ANSWER Early: covered with oak forests,
hunters and gatherers, stone spear points
Middle: pine forests replace oak due to climate changes, increasing population, less
movement, natives relied more on local resources
Late: traveled long distances, more permanent settlements, wattle-daub houses, people
often settled near rivers, cooking technology
Woodland Period (third prehistoric period) - ANSWER Settlements became larger and
more permanent, circular arrangements in villages, more seed crops, began clearing
forests for fields, the Kolomoki site in southwestern Georgia was the largest Woodland
settlement in GA and contained at least eight mounds (burial sites), bow and arrow
Mississippian Period (fourth prehistoric period) - ANSWER first chiefdoms (the Etowah
site was most impressive), Paramount chiefdoms were loosely united confederacies of
individual chiefdoms spread over large areas, period ended due to increasing European
influence, the authority of chiefdoms was destroyed due to the European trade, the
remnant chiefdoms dissolved to become native groups including the Creeks, Cherokees,
and Seminoles.
Native populations in GA - ANSWER Cherokee in North, Creek confederation in other
areas, small band of Chickasaw near Augusta
,Colonial Period (1550s-1775) - ANSWER 1-Spanish expeditions (Hernando de Soto)
exploring GA coast and interior
2-Spanish missions along Coastal Georgia
3-Founding of Charleston, English traders began to trade with Natives
4-1732, Charter granted (GA was last of 13 colonies to be founded)
5- GA was founded because: new start for persecuted European protestants and poor
English, English government wanted defense buffer between Spanish Florida and English
Carolina, English government wanted GA to fit into British mercantilism
6-First colonists arrived (James Oglethorpe-founding trustee)
Trustee Period (1732-1752) - ANSWER time period when Georgia was governed by the
trustees, the three laws: no rum, no slavery, license required to trade, Malcontents: the
people who opposed the band on slavery rum, and land ownership
War of Jenkin's Ear (1739) - ANSWER This war was between Spain and England and was
caused by Jenkin's presentation of his ear to Parliament. His ear had been cut off by a
Spanish captain.
Battle of Bloody Marsh - ANSWER Victory for Oglethorpe over the Spanish on St. Simons
Island in 1742
Royal Colony Period (1752-1775) - ANSWER Development of slavery and plantation
system, rice culture along the coast, fur trade in back country, new government with
Commons House of Assembly and royal governor (John Reynolds first royal governor
(not great at his job), Henry Ellis was second- him and Mary Musgrove got along, James
Wright was third)
Royal Colony continued - ANSWER Indian Land Cessions as a result of the French and
Indian War (expanded GA out west and opened back country to farmers), Events leading
to Revolution: GA was slow to rebel due to the success of James Wright, when news
, reached Savannah that British troops fired on American Minute Men in Massachusetts,
acts of rebellion became much more prominent in the colony (including a raid by
Savannah's Liberty Boys, a local group of patriots, on the public powder magazine), only
colony with no representative in First Continental Congress (three signed Declaration of
Independence at the Second Continental Congress: George Walton, Lyman Hall, Button
Gwinnett)
Hernando de Soto - ANSWER first European to explore interior of Georgia, led to
collapse of powerful chiefdoms
James Oglethorpe - ANSWER founded the colony of Georgia, 1/21 trustees (was
unofficial leader of colony), laid out a plan for Savannah, established peaceful
relationships through Tomochichi (leader of Yamacraw natives) (Mary Musgrove was
translator)
William Stephens - ANSWER Oglethorpe's secretary who took over the colony after
Oglethorpe returned to England; he encouraged the trustees to relax their rules on land
ownership and slavery
Mary Musgrove - ANSWER Interpreter between James Oglethorpe and Chief of the
Yamacraw Indians.
John Reynolds - ANSWER Georgia's first colonial royal governor; he introduced self-
government to the colonists.
Henry Ellis - ANSWER Georgia's second colonial royal governor. He was very popular
with the colonists and during his time as royal governor the colony experienced lots of
economic and population growth.
with Complete Answers
Paleoindian Period (first prehistoric period) - ANSWER the period in which the people of
the New World lived as paleolithic hunters and gatherers
13,000-8900 BCE
Archaic Period (second prehistoric period) - ANSWER Early: covered with oak forests,
hunters and gatherers, stone spear points
Middle: pine forests replace oak due to climate changes, increasing population, less
movement, natives relied more on local resources
Late: traveled long distances, more permanent settlements, wattle-daub houses, people
often settled near rivers, cooking technology
Woodland Period (third prehistoric period) - ANSWER Settlements became larger and
more permanent, circular arrangements in villages, more seed crops, began clearing
forests for fields, the Kolomoki site in southwestern Georgia was the largest Woodland
settlement in GA and contained at least eight mounds (burial sites), bow and arrow
Mississippian Period (fourth prehistoric period) - ANSWER first chiefdoms (the Etowah
site was most impressive), Paramount chiefdoms were loosely united confederacies of
individual chiefdoms spread over large areas, period ended due to increasing European
influence, the authority of chiefdoms was destroyed due to the European trade, the
remnant chiefdoms dissolved to become native groups including the Creeks, Cherokees,
and Seminoles.
Native populations in GA - ANSWER Cherokee in North, Creek confederation in other
areas, small band of Chickasaw near Augusta
,Colonial Period (1550s-1775) - ANSWER 1-Spanish expeditions (Hernando de Soto)
exploring GA coast and interior
2-Spanish missions along Coastal Georgia
3-Founding of Charleston, English traders began to trade with Natives
4-1732, Charter granted (GA was last of 13 colonies to be founded)
5- GA was founded because: new start for persecuted European protestants and poor
English, English government wanted defense buffer between Spanish Florida and English
Carolina, English government wanted GA to fit into British mercantilism
6-First colonists arrived (James Oglethorpe-founding trustee)
Trustee Period (1732-1752) - ANSWER time period when Georgia was governed by the
trustees, the three laws: no rum, no slavery, license required to trade, Malcontents: the
people who opposed the band on slavery rum, and land ownership
War of Jenkin's Ear (1739) - ANSWER This war was between Spain and England and was
caused by Jenkin's presentation of his ear to Parliament. His ear had been cut off by a
Spanish captain.
Battle of Bloody Marsh - ANSWER Victory for Oglethorpe over the Spanish on St. Simons
Island in 1742
Royal Colony Period (1752-1775) - ANSWER Development of slavery and plantation
system, rice culture along the coast, fur trade in back country, new government with
Commons House of Assembly and royal governor (John Reynolds first royal governor
(not great at his job), Henry Ellis was second- him and Mary Musgrove got along, James
Wright was third)
Royal Colony continued - ANSWER Indian Land Cessions as a result of the French and
Indian War (expanded GA out west and opened back country to farmers), Events leading
to Revolution: GA was slow to rebel due to the success of James Wright, when news
, reached Savannah that British troops fired on American Minute Men in Massachusetts,
acts of rebellion became much more prominent in the colony (including a raid by
Savannah's Liberty Boys, a local group of patriots, on the public powder magazine), only
colony with no representative in First Continental Congress (three signed Declaration of
Independence at the Second Continental Congress: George Walton, Lyman Hall, Button
Gwinnett)
Hernando de Soto - ANSWER first European to explore interior of Georgia, led to
collapse of powerful chiefdoms
James Oglethorpe - ANSWER founded the colony of Georgia, 1/21 trustees (was
unofficial leader of colony), laid out a plan for Savannah, established peaceful
relationships through Tomochichi (leader of Yamacraw natives) (Mary Musgrove was
translator)
William Stephens - ANSWER Oglethorpe's secretary who took over the colony after
Oglethorpe returned to England; he encouraged the trustees to relax their rules on land
ownership and slavery
Mary Musgrove - ANSWER Interpreter between James Oglethorpe and Chief of the
Yamacraw Indians.
John Reynolds - ANSWER Georgia's first colonial royal governor; he introduced self-
government to the colonists.
Henry Ellis - ANSWER Georgia's second colonial royal governor. He was very popular
with the colonists and during his time as royal governor the colony experienced lots of
economic and population growth.
