GEORGIA BECOMES A COLONY

Competition for the new world

James Oglethorpe

***Born in England, 1696

***Attended college; brief time as soldier

***Entered politics at age 25, successfully running for seat in Parliament (House of Commons) that had been held by his father

*** Friend, Robert Castell, dies in debtors prison; inspires Oglethorpe to work on prison reform and ultimately the idea of GEORGIA

JAMES OGLETHORPE

***Born in E____, 16___

***Attended c_____, brief time as s_______

***Entered politics at age 25, successfully running for seat in P______t (House of Commons) that had been held by his father

*** Friend, Robert C______, dies in d_____ prison; inspires Oglethorpe to work on prison re_____ and ultimately the idea of GEORGIA

JAMES OGLETHORPE

***Oglethorpe, along with Sir John Percival, asks King George II for colony to meet three purposes:

1. Charity—an opportunity for Britain’s worthy poor to find work.

2. Economics—to increase Britain’s trade and wealth. GA to provide agriculture products and serve as market for British goods.

3. Defense—GA to provide buffer against Nat. Amer. attacks (charter does not mention threat of Spanish or French, but GA considered a buffer against them as well).

(4. The unwritten purpose—provide a safe haven for persecuted Protestants.) What is a

Protestant?

Georgia Charter of 1732

***O_______ along with Sir John P_______ asks King G____ __for colony to meet three purposes:

1. C_______—an opportunity for Britain’s worthy poor to find work.

2. E_______—to increase Britain’s tr____ (m____ism) and wealth. GA to provide agriculture products and

serve as market for British goods. 3. D________—GA to provide buffer against N___ Amer.

attacks (charter does not mention threat of S__ or F____, but GA considered

a buffer against them as well). (4. The un_____ purpose—provide a safe h____ for

persecuted P________.)

Georgia Charter of 1732

THE TRUSTEES21 men (including Oglethorpe) who were entrusted with establishing & maintaining the GA colony

Their Motto: “Not for ourselves, but for others”; as stated in the charter, trustees could not own property in GA.

THE T___________ men (including O_____) who were entrusted with establishing & maintaining the _____colony

Their M_______: “Not for ourselves, but for o_____”; as stated in the c_______, t______ could not own p_______ in GA.

***Chief of Yamacraw Creeks ***Makes agreement w/ Oglethorpe allowing

settlement on Yamacraw Bluff which becomes GA’s first city: Savannah.

Tomochichi

***Chief of Y_____ Cr______ ***Makes agreement w/ O_______ allowing

settlement on Y______ Bl______which becomes GA’s first city: S_________.

T_______

*** Daughter of Creek mother and white trader

***She and her husband acted as interpreters for Oglethorpe

and Tomochichi

Mary Musgrove

Fort Frederica

Home of Mary Musgrove

Fort Fredrica

*** Daughter of C____ mother and w____ trader

***She and her husband acted as i______ for O______ and

T____

M____ M_____

***Georgians arrive—Yamacraw Bluff (Savannah), 1733.

***As Savannah is built, Oglethorpe insists on living in tent until everyone else’s house completed

***Highly regarded by the colonists: “He is extremely well beloved by all his people;

the general title they give him is Father. If any of them is sick, he immediately visits them. If any difference arises, he is the person that decides it…”[from a letter in the South Carolina Gazette, March 22, 1733]

Oglethorpe as leader of the GA colony

Yamacraw Bluff in 1734

***Georgians arrive—Y______ Bluff (Savannah), 17___.

***As Savannah is built, Oglethorpe insists on living in t_____ until everyone else’s

h_____ completed ***Highly regarded by the colonists: “He is

extremely well beloved by all his people; the general title they give him is Father. If any of them is sick, he immediately visits them. If any difference arises, he is the person that decides it…”[from a letter in the South Carolina Gazette, March 22, 1733]

Oglethorpe as leader of the GA colony

***Leads defense against Spanish threat. Spanish sent troops north from Florida; as Spanish neared Ft. Frederica, fighting broke out. Oglethorpe’s troops defeated Spanish in

Battle of Bloody Marsh (1742).

***1743—Oglethorpe returns to Great Britain to defend himself against charges that were later dismissed. Oglethorpe never returned to GA.

***1785—having lived long enough to see GA and the other 12 colonies form a new nation, Oglethorpe passes away.

***Leads defense against S______ threat. Spanish sent troops north from F_____; as Spanish neared Ft. Fr____, fighting broke out. Oglethorpe’s troops defeated Spanish in

Battle of B_____ M_____ (17__).

***1743—Oglethorpe returns to Great Britain to d_____ himself against charges that were later d_________. Oglethorpe never r________ to GA.

***1785—having lived long enough to see GA and the other 12 colonies form a new nation, Oglethorpe passes away.

*** To prevent rich upper class, trustees limit land ownership—those who came to GA on charity—50 acres; those who paid own way—50 acres + 50 more for each servant they brought. Maximum ownership allowed—500 acres.

***Restrictions: No slavery No hard liquor No Catholics

Georgia as a Trustee Colony

*** To prevent rich upper class, trustees limit land ownership—those who came to GA on c_______—___ acres; those who paid own way—____ acres + ____ more for each servant they brought. Ma______ ownership allowed—5___acres.

***Restrictions: No s______ No hard l_____ No C_______

Georgia as a Trustee Colony

Salzburgers: group of persecuted Protestants from Austria; after they fled to G. Britain, Trustees sent

them to GA, 1734. Established the community of Ebenezer. When it failed, resettled in a place they called New Ebenezer under leadership of John Martin Boltzius.

oldest colonial bldg in GA

Malcontents: wanted slaves and opportunity to own more land; saidcould not compete economically with colonies like S. Carolina that allowed slavery and did not have the land ownership restrictions found in GA; eventually the Trustees gave in to the demand for slaves in 1750.

Also upset over prohibition of women inheriting land & restriction on hard liquor.

S _____: group of persecuted Protestants from Austria; after they fled to G. Br_____, Trustees sent them to

GA, 17____. Established the community of _______ When it failed, resettled in a place they called New E_____ under leadership of John Martin B__________.

oldest colonial bldg in GA

M__________: wanted slaves and opportunity to own more land; said

could not compete economically with colonies like S. Carolina that allowed s_______ and did not have the land ownership r_______ found in GA; eventually the Trustees gave in to the demand for slaves in 17___. Also upset over prohibition of w___ inheriting land, & restriction on h_____ l______.

***Eventually the trustees turned GA over to the British gov’t making GA a royal (or crown) colony (1752). Royal colonies were run by the

British gov’t.

***From 1754 to 1776, Georgia will be ruled by 3 royal governors: John Reynolds, Henry Ellis, James

Wright (the most successful of the three and most respected). The colonists were allowed a legislature called the Commons House of Assembly. The governor had veto power over the Assembly. To vote you had to own 50 acres, to serve in Assembly, 500 acres. Under Ellis, the Assembly created eight religious districts called parishes; these districts acted much like counties would later do.

***After the French and Indian War (1754-1763), GA’s western boundary became the Mississippi River.

Georgia as a royal colony

***Eventually the t_________ turned GA over to the British gov’t making GA a r_______ or c_____ colony (17__). R________colonies were run by the

British gov’t.

***From 1754 to 1776, Georgia will be ruled by 3 royal governors: John R_______, Henry E_____, James

W_______ (the most successful of the three and most respected). The colonists were allowed a legislature called the C________ House of A________. The governor had v____ power over the Assembly. To vote you had to own ___acres, to serve in Assembly, 5____ acres. Under Ellis, the Assembly created eight religious districts called p_____; these districts acted much like c______ would later do.

***After the French and Indian War (1754-1763), GA’s western boundary became the Mississippi River.

Georgia as a royal colony

***GA encourages people to move to the colony through the headright system— “head” of each family had “right” to 100 acres, plus 50 for each additional family member, indentured servant, or slave. {Compare & Contrast this system with

the original land arrangement for the colony under the Trustees.}

Georgia as royal colony cont’d.

***GA encourages people to move to the colony through the h______ system— “head” of each family had “right” to 100 acres, plus ___ for each additional family member, indentured servant, or slave. {Compare & Contrast this system with

the original land arrangement for the colony under the Trustees.}

Georgia as royal colony cont’d.