Who dominated Georgia's General Assembly due to their wealth and land ownership?

The correct answer is planters, who significantly influenced Georgia's General Assembly due to their considerable wealth and extensive land ownership. During the period when Georgia was developing economically and socially, planters were at the top of the social hierarchy. They owned large plantations, which enabled them to accumulate substantial wealth from cash crops like cotton and tobacco. This economic power translated into political influence, allowing planters to dominate legislative processes and policies that favored their interests and supported their agricultural operations.

Planters had the resources to engage in politics, contribute to campaigns, and exert control over local governments and state affairs. Their interests often shaped legislation related to land use, taxes, and labor, reinforcing their status and control within the society of Georgia.

The other groups mentioned, such as free persons of color, middling planters, and yeoman farmers, did not wield the same level of power in the General Assembly. Free persons of color faced significant legal restrictions and social disadvantages that limited their influence. Middling planters, while somewhat significant, did not possess the same vast resources as the wealthier planters and therefore lacked the same level of political clout. Yeoman farmers, typically small landowners who worked their own land, had their own interests, but they were often