Question

Why did many Georgians maintain their loyalty to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War? Select all that apply.

A. Georgia was more economically dependent on Great Britain than some other colonies.
B. Georgia needed to remain in line with South Carolina's positions to protect inter-colonial trade.
C. Georgia had a strong, popular colonial governor, and many prominent Loyalists were Georgia citizens.
D. Georgia had a rural population that was spread too thinly over its territory to organize political groups or a militia.
E. Georgia was less affected by the Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts than the Northern colonies and was, therefore, less angry with Britain.
F. Georgia felt it needed the British army to protect itself from hostilities with the Native American tribes who contested its western borders.

Answer 1

Georgians remained loyal to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War due to economic dependency on British subsidies, the presence of influential Loyalists, and the need for British military protection against hostile Native American tribes. Additionally, Georgia's rural population was not as effectively organized as in other colonies, and it faced fewer direct consequences from British policies like the Stamp Act.

Step-by-step explanation:

Many Georgians maintained their loyalty to Great Britain during the Revolutionary War for various reasons. Georgia was economically dependent on Great Britain, as it was the only one of the original thirteen colonies dependent on yearly stipends from the British Parliament. This economic dependency was a legacy of Georgia's origin as a haven for the "deserving poor", which further strained after the trustee system collapsed and was replaced by a royal governance structure. Furthermore, Georgia functioned as a buffer zone between British settlements and imperial rivals like Spanish Florida, which meant that Georgia had to maintain strong ties with Britain for defensive purposes. Also, Georgia's society included powerful Loyalists who were influential in maintaining allegiance to Britain.

Adding to the complexity, inter-colonial relationships played a role in political positions, such as Georgia needing to align with South Carolina to protect trade interests. The widely rural population of Georgia, spread thinly over a large area, likely faced difficulties in organizing political groups or militias, which could contribute to a lesser capacity for revolutionary zeal compared to more densely populated colonies. In addition, Georgia's experience with the Stamp Act and Intolerable Acts may have been less direct, thus reducing the impetus to rebel against Britain compared to the Northern colonies. Lastly, the presence of hostile Native American tribes at its western borders meant that Georgia valued the protection that the British army could provide against these threats.