The Founding of Georgia

►Early 1700’s in England Debtors were sent to prison James Oglethorpe worked for prison

reform Many debtors were released but still had

no jobs Why not start a new colony to give the

unfortunates a chance at a new life?

Georgia Is Created

►June 20, 1732 Georgia received its official charter Charity: to help relieve poverty and

unemployment in Britain Economics: to increase Britain’s trade &

wealth Defense: to provide South Carolina with

a buffer against Indian attacks (religion was also a reason, Protestants

were being persecuted )

Florida vs. South Carolina

►Florida was held by Spanish Catholics

►South Carolina slaves could flee to Florida and receive their freedom if they became Catholic

►Spain was not happy about England settling Georgia

Georgia’s Boundaries►Savannah River was Georgia’s

northern boundary►Altamaha River would be its southern

border►West border to the Pacific Ocean

This area was what was originally designated for Georgia.

Video on the founding of Georgia colony. http://app.discoveryeducation.com/search?Ntt=colony+of+georgia

Take notes on the major facts presented in the video.

1. What was the purpose of Fort Frederica?2. Why were troops withdrawn from the fort? 3. What type of charter was given to establish the Georgia

colony? 4. To whom was it given?5. What was the purpose of the Georgia colony? 6. Founding date of GA? 7. What was NOT allowed in the Georgia colony?

8. War with Spain: (Why? Where?)

9. Battle of Bloody Marsh: (fact)

10. Was the colony of Georgia successful during the first 10 years?

Trustee Colony

► First 20 years Georgia was a trustee colony

► Trustees received no pay, could own no land, could not profit from the colony or hold office

► Motto, “Not for ourselves but others.”

First 35 Families

►Farmers, carpenters, tailors, bakers, merchants, and those with other skills and trades

►Families received: weapons, tools for building and farming, seed, and food to support them until harvest

►Families had to clear lands, raise crops, build houses & follow trustee rules

Yamacraw Bluff

►Oglethorpe found a site to settle at the Creek Indian’s Yamacraw Bluff

►Chief Tomochichi gave Oglethorpe permission to settle there

►On February 12, 1733 the colonists arrived at Yamacraw Bluff which they named Savannah

Settlement of Savannah

►Cut down trees to clear land for houses

►Laid town out in squares►In April the only doctor died, colonists

came down with dysentery and other diseases

►Within 10 months 1 in 4 colonists died►Problem was solved once a well was

dug

Tomochichi

►Tomochichi was around 83 years old when he first met Oglethorpe►Became friends with Oglethorpe►Went to England►Helped set up a meeting between

Oglethorpe and major Native American chiefs

►At 89 Tomochichi was given a military funeral

Life as a Colonist

►Summer was hot and had heavy rains►Trustee regulations:

Land ownership & inheritance Ban on slavery No rum or hard liquors Each male on charity received 50 acres Colonists not on charity received 50 acres

and 50 more acres for each servant they brought

Building Forts

►Due to tension between Georgia and the Spanish & French in Florida, Georgia needed forts for protection

►Trustees sent 150 Scottish Highlanders to Georgia’s southern boundary

►1st fort at Darien, north of the mouth of the Altamaha River

Frederica

►Oglethorpe had orders to build a 2nd fort

►South of the Altamaha River’s mouth

►Spain was upset about the forts

War With Spain

►King George II made Oglethorpe a colonel in 1737

►Oglethorpe could raise an army of 600 for Georgia

►Most went to Fort Frederica►1739 Britain declared war on Spain

Spring 1740 Oglethorpe leads invasion south into Florida

Came upon two Spanish forts

England captured the first one (Fort Diego)

Fort Mose’s defenders fled to St. Augustine

Oglethorpe marched on St. Augustine to begin a siege

Part of his force stayed behind at Fort Mose

Spanish sneak 300 out of St. Augustine and return to

attack Fort Mose (68 of Oglethorpe’s men were killed and 34 taken prisoner)

Oglethorpe and his force return to Fort Frederica

July 7, 1742

►Spanish forces get within a mile of Fort Frederica

►Oglethorpe’s rangers fired upon the Spanish from the woods

►Oglethorpe laid an ambush for the Spanish and fired upon the Spanish again

►The Spanish turned back when they attempted to take Fort Frederica by sea

Oglethorpe Returns to England

►In recognition of the victory Oglethorpe was promoted to general

►1743 General Oglethorpe returned to England

►Parliament repaid him the personal funds he had used on the colony

►Oglethorpe met and married Elizabeth Wright

The Colony Declines

►After Oglethorpe left many colonists gave up and returned to England

►Colony not producing much – exports were slow

►Crop failures and discontent among colonists

Trustees Relax Restrictions

►Trustees began to relax their restrictions on land ownership and inheritance

►In 1750 they dropped the prohibition on slavery

►Colonists could elect delegates to advise them on colonial affairs

►1751 Georgia’s first representative assembly met in Savannah

Georgia Becomes a Royal Colony

►In 1752 Georgia became a royal colony

►In 1754 Captain John Reynolds sailed from England to become Georgia’s first governor

►Georgia would have its own legislature Appointed upper house to advise

Governor Elected lower house to give colonists a

voice Only white males w/500 acres could be

elected

Reynolds Doesn’t Last Long (1754-1757)

Reynolds wasn’t popular or effective and was replaced after two years

Religion and Boundaries

►In 1758 royal assembly declares Anglican Church official church of Georgia

►Georgia divided into 8 religious districts known as parishes

►Parishes served to help the poor and served political functions

Henry Ellis (1757-1760)

►Committed to strengthening Georgia’s defenses, increasing population, and improving its economy

►Not happy with summer weather in Georgia

►Granted permission to return to England

James Wright (1760-1776, 1779-1782)

►Genuinely concerned about the colonists

►Served over twenty years

French & Indian War

►Named due to fact many Indians fought with France

►Began in 1754►Started in America and spread to

Europe►Spain joined France late in the conflict

1763 Treaty of Paris

►Britain demanded Spain and France give up large amounts of land in America

►France gave up claims in Canada►Spain gave up claims in Florida►Britain gave up all claims west of the

Mississippi

Proclamation of 1763

►What to do with all that land? Indian uprisings Expensive war

►In the Proclamation of 1763 Quebec Grenada East Florida West Florida

Georgia’s New Boundary

►Treaty of Paris moved the western boundary to the Mississippi River

►Proclamation of 1763 moved the southern boundary to the St. Marys River

►1764 boundaries changed to include more of Florida

Colony Prospers

►After the end of the French and Indian Wars the Creeks ceded (gave up) more than 2 million acres of land to Georgia

►Headright system Head of each family given 100 acres, plus

an additional 50 acres for each additional family member, indentured servant or slave