Transcript Slide 1

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England realized that it needed a “buffer”
between its colonies and the Spanish
settlements in Florida, and GA would become
that buffer.
Fort King George was built at the mouth of the
Altamaha River in Georgia and became the
British “warning point” for invaders.
Although later abandoned, this fort established
the English presence in GA.
Today, you can see what the fort was like by
visiting the city of Darien where it was located.
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In the late 1720s, James Oglethorpe began
talk of a colony for the “working poor”.
Oglethorpe was a member of an influential family
and always tried to find ways to help people.
After one of his friends died in jail, he became very
angry because he did not think people who were in
debt should have to go to jail.
Oglethorpe worked endlessly to get laws passed that
both improved prison conditions and let thousands of
prisoners go free.
However, these people needed a place to go! They
still could not find work or pay their debts after being
released.
Oglethorpe and a group of men worked on a plan to
promise these people a fresh start in the New World
to “unfortunate but worthy individuals”
On June 7, 1732, King George II granted a charter (legal
document that grants special rights and privileges) to Oglethorpe
and his trustees (people who hold responsibility on behalf of
others) to establish the colony of GA.
 The Charter of 1732 was an important legal document that
specified the colony’s boundaries, its form of government, the
powers of its officials, and the rights of its settlers.
 There were 3 purposes for founding Georgia:
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› 1. Charity: To help relieve poverty and unemployment in Britain
› 2. Economics: The new colony could produce silk, cotton dyes, and
wine, which were 3 items that Great Britain was importing from France,
Russia and Spain. This would increase Britain’s trade and wealth.
› 3. Defense: This new settlement in GA could defend the southern
Carolinas from Spanish Florida. It could also provide protection from the
French who were pushing east from the MS river. Could also provide SC
with a buffer from Indian attacks.
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Though not stated in the charter, Georgia would also offer
religious freedom to Protestants who were being mistreated by
the Catholic Church in England.
A search began for settlers for the newest colony.
Advertisements were given and people were interviewed for the
voyage.
 No debtors or prisoners were allowed to go, so the original
proposal was forgotten.
 The trustees put 4 regulations in place for the colonists:
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› 1. Put limits on land ownership and inheritance (land could only be
passed down to a male heir)
› 2. No slavery
› 3. No rum or liquors
› 4. No Catholics
Colonists had to agree to defend the colony, not to sell the land
given, use seed and tools given to cultivate the lands, use part of
their land to grow mulberry trees (so silkworms would eat the
leaves and make cocoons for the production of silk), and agree
to follow all regulations established by the trustees.
 On November 17th, 1732 the ship the Ann left England with
colonists to start the voyage to settle Georgia.
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Before the Ann could set anchor, Oglethorpe
had to make friends with the Yamacraw
Indians through their chief, Tomochichi. He
was able to do this through Mary Musgrove
who served as their interpreter. With Mary’s
help, they established a close friendship that
lasted until the chief’s death.
On February 12, 1733, Chief Tomochichi
allowed the passengers of the Ann to land
safely and establish the 13th English colony in
the New World at the mouth of the Savannah
River.
Oglethorpe had no official title, but he was
accepted as the leader of the colony. He
made treaties and got grants of land, and
formed a militia (citizen army).
 He also worked closely to design the city of
Savannah with a plan that came from his
late friend Robert Castell. Savannah would
be set up in 4 squares.
 Today, the city of Savannah is still set up the
same way!
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In 1734, a new group of settlers arrived called the
Salzburgers, who were a group of German
Protestants. They were carried to a place 25 miles
outside of Savannah and started a town there called
Ebenezer (which means “the Rock of Help”).
This land was marshy with poor soil for crops, so in
1736, they moved to Red Bluff on the Savannah River
where they built another town called New Ebenezer.
More regulations put on the colonists, including a ban
on slavery, caused discontentment. By 1750, slavery
was allowed.
A war broke out between Great Britain and Spain.
Oglethorpe’s forces, assisted by the Highland Scotts,
won the Battle of Bloody Marsh in 1742, which helped
secure the frontier boundaries against the future
Spanish invasions. Georgia was now a safe haven on
the southern frontier.
Although the original ideals for the colony
were never fulfilled, the colony made
progress and survived.
 Perhaps the greatest accomplishment of
the trustees was the ability to enable the
Georgia colony to survive the many
hardships encountered during the first 20
years.
 The survival set the stage for GA to become
a successful and profitable royal colony.
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In 1752, Georgia becomes a royal colony under the
direct control of the British government.
In 1754, John Reynolds became Georgia’s first royal
governor. He was neither popular nor effective and
was replaced after two years by Henry Ellis.
Ellis was committed to strengthening GA’s defenses,
increasing its population, and improving its economy.
Ellis was not happy in GA and hated the heat, so
after 3 years in office, he was replaced by James
Wright.
Sir James Wright was GA’s third and final royal
governor. He was genuinely concerned about the
colonists and served the people well for almost 2
decades.
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The trustees intended that there be no slavery in GA
and many groups, including the settlers at Darien
and the Salzburgers, opposed slavery.
However, a group called the “malcontents”
petitioned the trustees to allow slaves in GA. They
argued that they could never raise enough products
for export without help and they could not complete
with the Carolinas who had slave labor.
The trustees rejected the petition, but slaves were
bought in anyway. Finally, in 1750, the trustees gave
in.
Eventually even those who opposed slavery had
slaves. By 1773, the GA colony has about 15,000
slaves, almost as many people as the 18,000 colonists.
Although tobacco was important in
other southern colonies, rice and indigo
(a pea-like plant that produces a deep
blue dye for coloring cotton and wool)
were the main crops grown in GA.
 For the most part, Georgia settlers
developed an agrarian culture, which
was centered around farming.
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