Yazoo Land Fraud
Who was involved? Think about the people or groups who were involved and affected by this event.
What happened? Summarize the event!
Where did the event take place?
What region(s) of Georgia did the event take place in?
When did the event take place?
Why is this event important to Georgia’s history?
The Yazoo Land Fraud involved various groups, including the Georgia Assembly, the Yazoo Land Companies (made up of four land companies: the Tennessee Company, South Carolina Company, Virginia Company, and Georgia Company), and the citizens of Georgia.
The event occurred when the Georgia Assembly, with the help of bribes from the Yazoo Land Companies, passed a law in 1795 that sold 35 million acres of land to the companies for a fraction of its actual value. This act was highly controversial and led to public outrage.
The event took place in Georgia, specifically in the state's capital at the time, Louisville.
The Yazoo Land Fraud affected the entire state of Georgia, as the sale of the land meant that large areas of the state were transferred to the Yazoo Land Companies' control.
The Yazoo Land Fraud took place between 1795 and 1796.
This event is important to Georgia's history because it highlighted issues of corruption within the Georgia Assembly and demonstrated the negative effects of political bribery. The public outcry from the fraud eventually led to the reform of the state's political system and the adoption of a new state constitution in 1798 that prohibited private land sales. This event also had lasting effects on the political landscape of Georgia and led to a shift towards more democratic ideals.