Prior to Sir James Oglethorpe, England, desperate for a buffer to protect wealthy South Carolina from the Spanish in La Florida, attempted to establish a colony in Georgia. • In 1721, Fort King George was built at the mouth of Georgia’s Altamaha River, to provide protection from Spanish attack. Sickness, climate, and insects caused the Fort to be abandoned in 1727.

The father of our state is Sir James Oglethorpe.

Sir James Oglethorpe, a member of the English government, was committed to the idea of prison reform. He believed that many good, but “poor unfortunates,” were imprisoned because of the corruption in society.

Conditions of Debtor’s Prison Often both men and women, were locked up together in a single, large cell until their families paid their debt. Debt prisoners often died of diseases contracted from other debt prisoners. Conditions included starvation and abuse from other prisoners. If the father of a family was imprisoned for debt, the family business often suffered while the mother and children fell into poverty. Unable to pay the debt, the father often remained in debtors' prison for many years. Some debt prisoners were released to become serfs or indentured servants (debt bondage) until they paid off their debt in labor.

In 1732, King George II granted Oglethorpe and 20 fellow trustees a charter giving them the right to establish the new colony, called “Georgia,” and govern it for 20 years.

The Charter of 1732 According to the charter, the colony of Georgia was to extend from the Savannah River in the north to the St. Mary’s River in the South, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.

CHARTER OF 1732 WHO: King George II, James Oglethorpe, 20 trustees, total of 115 colonists WHAT: Document to start a colony in Georgia WHEN: 1732 WHERE: All land between Altamaha and Savannah Rivers to the south seas, Town of Savannah on Yamacraw Bluff WHY: 1) protection from Spanish, French, and Native Americans, 2) provide resources for Britain, 3) populate the colony with “worthy poor”

The Charter of 1732 - According to the charter, the colony of Georgia was to serve three particular purposes (C, E, D): 1. Charity – Georgia would be a place for the poor and unfortunate to live and prosper. 2. Economics – Georgia would be a colony that would grow crops to be sent back to England for profit. 3. Defense – Georgia would be a buffer colony to protect South Carolina against the Spanish, hostile Natives, or pirates.

The Charter of 1732 Because the colony of Georgia was to be a place where people could escape the corruptions of society, those who applied to come had to follow certain prohibitions: 1. No rum. 2. No slaves. 3. No lawyers. 4. No land ownership.

Colonist’s had to agree to… Defend the colony against all new enemies. Land given to colonists couldn’t be sold. Land couldn’t be borrowed against, and had to handed down to the male heir. Colonists got seeds and tools and must grow food for the colony. They had to grow mulberry trees to attract silk worms to produce silk. They had to obey all rules set up by trustees.

Trustee-Colonist Agreement Trustee Promises Colonist Promises 1. Transport colonists to the new colony 2. Provide fifty acres of land (If colonists paid their own way they got up to 500 Acres of land) 3. Provide tools 4. Provide enough food for one year 5. If they could pay their own way, colonists would get five hundred acres of land and permission to take ten indentured servants. 1. Defend the new colony against enemies 2. Not sell or borrow money on land given to them, but could pass on land to heirs 3. Receive seeds and agricultural tools and use them in cultivating the lands of the new settlement 4. Use a portion of their land to grow mulberry trees so that silkworms would eat the leaves and eventually produce silk 5. Obey all regulations established by the trustees

After months at sea, the Anne reached North America After months at sea, the Anne reached North America. Oglethorpe selected a high bluff overlooking the Savannah River as his potential settlement. The bluff was called Yamacraw Bluff after the local Creek Indian tribe the lived there.

Fortunately, Oglethorpe met Mary Musgrove, a woman who was half-English and half-Yamacraw Indian. She agreed to serve as Oglethorpe’s interpreter, and she remained with him until 1743.

Who’s Who of Colonial Georgia Tomochichi Mary Musgrove James Oglethorpe Chief of the Yamacraw Indians. Became friends with Oglethorpe and allowed colonists to settle on Yamacraw Bluff near Savannah River in order to trade with the English. Traveled to England and convinced his own people the English had good intentions of colonizing the land in Georgia. Signed Treaty of Savannah. Daughter of an English trader and Creek Indian mother. She served as a translator for Tomochichi and Oglethorpe and helped the peaceful relationship between Indians and colonists by operating a trading post in Savannah. Englishman who founded the colony of Georgia and built the city of Savannah. Served in British military and Parliament and convinced King George II to grant him a charter to colonize Georgia with English citizens who were in debt. Resident Trustee.

The Yamacraw Chief, Tomochichi, became a close, personal friend of Oglethorpe. He agreed to grant them Yamacraw bluff as the site of their new settlement, called Savannah.

Tomochichi goes to England! Tomochichi traveled to England, led his people in converting to Christianity, and taught his people to speak and read English. English became the official language of the Creek Nation.

Tomochichi was buried in Savannah, at his request, among his English friends. He was given full military honors at his funeral.

On February 12, 1733 – “Georgia Day” – the Georgia colonists arrived at Yamacraw Bluff to begin building Savannah. Surveyed and designed by Noble Jones, Savannah became the first planned city in American history.

Georgia’ s was supposed to be a “worker’s paradise.” Unfortunately, things did not go as planned: 1. Though the colony was supposed to serve debtors and other unfortunates, all of Georgia’s first 114 settlers were accomplished craftsmen, artisans, or businessmen. 2. The hot, humid climate proved unbearable for many of the first colonists. 3. Of the twenty-one trustees, only James Oglethorpe ever visited Georgia. The others remained in London