Unit 4 Lesson 5: Growing Tensions
The Georgia Platform
Who was involved? Think about the people or groups who were involved and affected by this event. Response Area
What happened? Summarize the event! Response Area
Where did the event take place? Response Area
When did the event take place? Response Area
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history? Response Area
Who was involved? The Georgia Platform involved a group of influential politicians and leaders from the state of Georgia. Names like Robert Toombs, Alexander Stephens, and Howell Cobb were involved in the development and promotion of the Georgia Platform.
What happened? The Georgia Platform was a political document released in response to growing tensions between the Northern and Southern states regarding slavery and the future of the Union. It was a statement of Georgia's position on the issue, asserting the state's commitment to the principles of the Constitution and the Union while protecting Southern states' rights to own slaves. The platform called for the repeal of the Wilmot Proviso and the ban on the slave trade in the District of Columbia, and rejected the idea of Congress interfering with slavery in the states.
Where did the event take place? The Georgia Platform was created and released in Milledgeville, Georgia.
When did the event take place? The Georgia Platform was released on December 10, 1850.
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history? The Georgia Platform was an influential document that had significant implications for Georgia's role in the growing sectional conflict over slavery. It expressed the state's commitment to the preservation of the Union while advocating for the protection of Southern interests. The Georgia Platform helped solidify Georgia's stance on slavery and states' rights, and its support for compromise measures set a precedent for future actions taken by the state during the Civil War and Reconstruction eras.