Colonial Georgia

Trustee Georgia andRoyal Georgia

1730-1761

What was happening in England to create the need for a

colony…• England has agricultural/land problems• England needs raw materials, resources• People moving to the cities and out of the

farms• Not enough food produced• Not enough work, homelessness in the

cities• Prison for those who couldn’t pay debts

James Edward Oglethorpe

James Edward Oglethorpe

• British Parliament 1722• Wanted prison reform• Origin of debtors’ colony idea, help people

who could not support themselves,work in the colony to send back raw materials

• Compassionate attitude, against slavery• As a former soldier, knew the defensive

value for Carolinas

Creation of Georgia• Group of 21 Trustees created the plan and

presented to the king • Trustee -person whom you have trusted with

something of importance• Named Georgia for King George II• Land between Altamaha and Savannah

Rivers• 1732, the charter signed by king• $- from parliament, most from private sources

Reasons for the Colony of GA

• Charitable: to provide relief for debtors or “worthy poor”

• Economics: a self-supporting colony that would provide natural resources for Britain, raw goods

• Defensive: a protective barrier between Florida and South Carolina

The Debtors’ colony

• changed to become the colony for the “worthy poor”

• Great promotional campaign to encourage settlers

• So many applicants that they screened for good character and work ability

• Most had a trade (a job): carpenters, wood workers, small business owners

• Some came for religious reasons

What were the colonists promised?

• Free boat ride to the new colony• 50 acres of land• 1 year’s supply of food & supplies for each

family• Those who paid to go were given 500

acres of land & could bring 10 indentured servants to help you

• LIFE IN COLONIAL GEORGIA http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1670053922

RULES and REQUIREMENTS

• Trustees - not own land or make a profit• No rum or hard liquor allowed in GA• No slaves allowed • Only men could own or inherit land• No attorneys• No Catholics• Make silk and wine for England• EQUALITY and GOOD OF THE COLONY

Establishing the Colony• November 17, 1732 114 people sailed on

the Anne, landed in the New World winter of 1733 Landed in Charles Town, SC

• Landed in Jan of 1733• Colonists stayed behind while Oglethorpe

and 2 colonels with Georgia Guard to look for a site to settle

• What things did Oglethorpe and his men look for in deciding where to settle???

Savannah

• Oglethorpe met with Creek Chief- Tomochichi• Establish peace and friendship• Helped by Mary Musgrove, operated a trading

post and interpreted• Creek agree give land at Yamacraw Bluff • English agree to trade at set prices and not to

move into other Creek lands• February 1, 1733 colonists arrived in Savannah

ready to settle

Important People• John and Mary Musgrove – Ran a trading post

near the Yamacraw Village and helped to interpret for Oglethorpe. Coosaponakeesa

• Chief Tomochichi – Leader of the Yamacraw tribe; gave land overlooking the Savannah River (Yamacraw Bluff) to Oglethorpe,

• James Oglethorpe – Leader of the trustees; established the GA colony

Savannah• Tythings, wards, public

squares & house lots.• Contaminated water &

disease-carrying insects.

• Forts built for protection

• Colonel Bull• Many died in the first

year

Established in 1733

Squares in Savannah

More settlements in Georgia

• Oglethorpe returns to England in 1734 for more military support, takes Tomochichi and Toonahowi

• Returns in Feb of 1736 –Landing at Frederica• Scottish Highlanders went to Darien• Over a hundred at Frederica, built a large fort to

protect southern border• Sends men to start a settlement in up country,

Augusta

The “Others”

• Highland Scots settled in Darien, GA• http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1672070905

• Salzburgers settled in New Ebenezer from Austria/Germany http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid10172900001?bctid=1697222349

• Moravians from Czech Rep. (then to PA)• Jews settled in GA, NO Catholics

Economic Plans and Problems

• Wine and Silk• PLAN: Georgia colonists were to• plant Mulberry Trees- silkworms would

eat the leaves and spin silk and plant Grapes for wine

• PROBLEMS: The colonists didn’t know how to take care of silkworms, mulberries wouldn’t grow, wrong climate

• No profit was made from these.

Complaints and Petitions- the

“MALCONTENTS”

• Land Problems – poor soil, too many restrictions on selling, leasing and inheriting land, & difficulty growing what England wanted

• Slavery – Many of the crops were labor-intensive. They wanted slaves like S.C.

• Rum – Rum was cheap to buy and could be traded as well. They wanted to be able to drink.

• Provisions and Food- not enough supplies, starving

• Government- no say in what to do, no control

Military and Defense in Georgia- (Oglethorpe in charge of southern

part of the colony)• Fort King George- Darien, Highland Scots, 1735

• Fort Frederica- northern SSI

• Fort St Simons- southern SSI, village area

• Fort St. Andrew’s- northern Cumberland

• Fort William- south end of Cumberland,

Fighting Again• Attack on St Augustine, Brits lost

• 2 years later- Spanish move into GA area:– Oglethorpe, the Brits, the Scots Highlanders &

the Native American allies set up an ambush near Ft Frederica. This attack was the Battle of Bloody Marsh (1742)

Battle of Bloody Marsh

• 1742, only Spanish attack in GA area• Oglethorpe outnumbered- 650 to 2000• 2 small units ambush Spanish on their way to

Ft Frederica• 50 dead, mostly Spanish• Spanish retreat 3 days later• Battle over before Oglethorpe gets there• Results in Georgia being England’s as

undisputed

Changing Rules• Women could inherit land & people could

own up to 2,000 acres of land.

• Allowed the drinking & sale of rum, 1742

• Allowed slavery, but the Scots Highlanders of Darien and the Salzburgers were still opposed to it.

Royal Colony- Changing Gov’t• Due to constant complaining, the Trustees turned

the colony over to King George III• 1752, 1 year before the charter expired• Commons House of Assembly, voice in gov’t• John Reynolds - first appointed governor of GA.

(Reynolds Street?), disliked• Henry Ellis – 2nd governor. (Ellis Street!)• James Wright - third governor.

• Parishes- 1758- divided GA into 8, like counties, centers for gov’t

The Royal Governors• John Reynolds: Under his rule, a

Commons House of Assembly was established (legislative branch). They did 4 things for the colony:

1. Reorganized the militia (volunteer army)

2. Provided funding for roads and bridges

3. Created paper bills of credit

4. Approved a slave code

Governor #2

• Henry Ellis: Was a well respected governor till the day he retired

1. Restored the colony to good order

2. Reformed the government

3. Divided GA into parishes

4. Settled land claims

5. Kept the Creek Indians neutral during the French and Indian War

Governor # 3

• Sir James Wright

• Most popular and effective

• Governor for almost 20 years

• Attracted more settlers

• Expanded GA’s land

• Tried to keep GA as a Royal Colony when Rev War issues began

• Left after Patriots took over Sav.