1. From Trustee Colony to Royal Colony
Trustee period:
Referred to as Trustee Georgia because during that time a Board of Trustees ruled the colony
The seal adopted by the Georgia Trustees features a silkworm, mulberry leaf, and cocoon, representing their hopes that the colonists would establish a thriving silk industry. The Latin motto Non sibi sed aliis translates as "Not for self, but for others."
Courtesy of Georgia Historical Society

2. MALCONTENTS
“Whereas many of Georgia's original settlers came with monetary aid from the Trustees, most of the Malcontents arrived without assistance and thus did not have the same loyalty to the colony's founders. In particular, the Malcontents objected to the Trustees' limits on land ownership and prohibitions on slavery and rum. Since the Malcontents could afford to purchase slaves and vast tracts of land, they felt the policies of the Trustees prevented them from realizing their economic potential.”
- New Georgia Encyclopedia

3. PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENT
“During the 1730s, Scottish settler Patrick Tailfer led a group of colonists, knowns as the Malcontents, in protest of various laws and policies enforced by the Georgia Trustees. “
- New Georgia Encyclopedia

4. COMPARING TWO COLONIES
GEORGIA
SOUTH CAROLINA
TRUSTEE COLONY
NO SLAVERY
NO RUM
LAND LIMITS 500 acres
FEMALE COULD NOT INHERIT LAND
FORCED TO GROW MULBERRY TREES, GRAPES, AND INDIGO PLANTS
STRUGGLED TO MAKE
MONEY
ROYAL COLONY
SLAVERY WAS ALLOWED
TRADE RUM WITH INDIANS
NO LAND LIMITS
FEMALES COULD INHERIT LAND
COULD GROW COTTON, RICE, AND TOBACCO
VERY PROFITABLE

5. ROYAL GEORGIA
GEORGIA’S PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES INCREASE SOUTH TO ST. MARY’S RIVER EXTENDING WEST TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

6. Ending the Trustee Period
During the 20 years of the Trustee period, many accomplishments were made:
5500 people had settled in Georgia, building homes and starting new lives
Settlers escaping religious persecution were able to worship freely
Treaties with the Native Americans, as well as the elimination of the Spanish threat of invasion (Battle of Bloody Marsh), had ended the need for British protection
Court system still functioned: by 1750, colonists had gained outright ownership of land, and women were able to inherit property
Bethesda Orphans Home in Ebenezer became Bethesda House (school)
Provided basic education to many future Georgia leaders
Bethesda Home for Boys, 1740
1361 PH Georgia Historical Society Photograph Collection, Box 7, Folder 12, Item 1303

7. Georgia as a Royal Colony
When the original charter ended in 1752, Georgia became a British royal colony (this lasted until the end of the American Revolution—1783)
Royal colony: one directly governed by the king through a Royal Governor
1752: Puritans from SC started moving into present-day Liberty County, bringing their slaves with them. They began growing rice and indigo (why?) and built a port at Sunbury so that planters could ship their crops

8. John Reynolds (1st royal Governor:1754-1757)
Arrived in Georgia on October 1, 1754—colonists cheered at his arrival
Introduced the idea of self-government: wanted the colonists to help run the government
Set up a court system: Court of Conscience

9. Government in the Royal Colony
Bicameral (two chamber) legislature was set up to represent the 8 parishes of the colony
Parish: a British government district
Lower house: Commons House of Assembly
Those wishing to join the Assembly had to own at least 500 acres of land
Upper house: Governor’s Council
King of England appointed members of the Governor’s Council
New government met for the 1st time in 1755 in Savannah
reorganized state militia
passed bills to build/repair roads
drew up codes to restrict the rights of slaves

10. Court system in the Royal Colony
Court of Conscience: presided over by a local justice of the peace
When colonists had complaints, they would go before this court
Cases that could not be settled went to the Governor’s Council

11. Reynolds’ downfall
Reynolds dissolved the legislature when he felt threatened that they would undermine his authority
Without the legislature, Reynolds attempted to run the government himself, making the colonists angry
Angry colonists (including a large land-holder) wrote to King George complaining about Reynolds actions. He relinquished control of Georgia to Henry Ellis in 1757
King George II—in a Royal Colony, the King has ultimate control

12. Henry Ellis (1757-1760 Took control after Reynolds
Learned quickly from Reynolds’ mistakes
Brought people together from many different political groups
Population almost doubled under his term: 1759—population was about 10,000 including 3,600 slaves
Colony made several economic gains
profitable farms
more merchants with a greater variety of goods
This allowed colonists to buy things they could not grow or manufacture (cloth, sugar, farming tools, seeds for planting)
Left office after becoming ill in 1760
Carte de la Caroline and Georgia Pour Servir a l'Histoire Generale des Voyages, drawn by M. B. Ing of the French Navy, 1757
(Map of Carolina and Georgia to Serve the General History of Travels)
Georgia Historical Society Map Collection, #298 SS

13. James Wright (1760-1781) 3rd Royal governor
Born in S.C. (was the previous S.C. Attorney General
Loyal to the King, but wanted the colonies to prosper
Believed that Georgia would continue to grow if:
large farms were bigger
trading expanded
western lands of the colony were opened to settlers
At first, he believed in Reynolds’ concept of self-government, and colonists were pleased with him in the beginning
Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library,
University of Georgia Libraries

14. EQ: What impact did the Royal Governors have on the colony of Georgia?
John Reynolds Henry Ellis James Wright
1st Royal Governor of Georgia
Brought self-government
Set up court systems
Colony was poor
Unpopular and ineffective
Poor relations with Indians
Removed from office
2nd Royal Governor
Restored the colony
Reformed the government
Divided GA into parishes
Helped the Creek Indians
Well liked and respected
3rd (last) Royal Governor
Very popular
Increased the size of GA
Economy improved
Population increased

15. Changes in Georgia (1760-1781) Completed defenses around Savannah
surrounded with palisades (strong wooden wall for defense)
area forts made stronger
Sunbury: became the colony’s official port of entry for ships from other colonies and countries
Economy was growing
both legislative houses worked together to build the economy (rice, indigo, silk)
farmers were allowed to borrow more money and buy land
More schools/books (mostly for upper class)
Georgia Gazette: 1st newspaper in the colony
Mothers dying in childbirth
Schools were mostly for upper-class
So-called “undesirable people”: settlers from Virginia and the Carolinas who settled in the middle and western parts of the colony
Came to be known as ‘crackers’
meant to be an insult for the lower classes
thought of as people who did not obey the law and were not welcome in the colony
No colony defense plan
Lower class wanted a voice in government
Independence Movement:
economic and political freedom

16. Slavery in the Royal Georgia Colony
1750: Trustee’s law banning slavery lifted
Between , the number of Africans living in slavery in Georgia increased from ,000
Slaves had no legal rights to private lives
could not legally marry or live where they wanted
usually were not taught to read
rebellion against slave owners was nearly impossible
punishment included separation from family, beatings, death
By the mid-1750’s, previous debates against slavery were non-existent:
Almost every white person in the Georgia low-country believed that having slaves was essential to their economic prosperity
Africans captured to be sold into slavery crossed the Atlantic Ocean lying pressed together in crowded ships' holds. The city of Savannah served as a major port for the Atlantic slave trade from 1750, when the Georgia colony repealed its ban on slavery, until 1798, when the state outlawed the importation of slaves.
--From “The New Georgia Encyclopedia”

17. Enslaved People in Georgia
Indentured servants from Europe had been part of trustee Georgia, but they became less desirable in the royal period.
Planters who grew rice and indigo relied on the labor of slaves:
Slaves were of African heritage.
Until the 1770s, most slaves lived in the coastal areas and were on plantations rather than on farms.

18. The Work of Slaves
Georgia saw the growth of slavery to work rice and indigo plantations:
The work was dangerous due to infected waters, alligators, poisonous snakes, and mosquitoes.
Most rice plantation slaves worked under the “task system” – assigned a certain number of tasks per day.
The enslaved men and women received some food or clothing from their masters.
Slaves were not required to work on Sundays.
Some slaves learned special skills (e.g., carpentry) and could be hired out to make extra money for the owner.

19. Slave Codes In 1755, Georgia passed a Slave Code:
Laws governed what slaves and masters could or could not do.
Laws were based on South Carolina’s laws regarding slavery.
The code had restrictions, such as slaves could not be forced to work more than 16 hours daily, which were placed on slave owners.
Much of the code dealt with what slaves could and could not do.

20. Religion
As Georgia increased in population and stability under the royal government, organized religion also grew:
The Church of England was Georgia’s “official” church.
Lutherans practiced worship without much interference.
Puritan Congregationalists made their own decisions; did not have to answer to church leaders from somewhere else.
Presbyterians lived and worshiped in various places.
Jewish numbers were few; met for the Jewish Sabbath in members’ homes.
Baptists gained converts in the backcountry; independent.
Many churches served both blacks and whites.

21. Education
Getting an education in colonial Georgia remained limited but did improve during the royal period:
School masters sometimes taught for a fee.
Many ministers, merchants and planters were learned men.
The most effective schools included:
Bethesda (founded by George Whitefield – burned down in 1773 – not rebuilt for many years)
Ebenezer (maintained by the Lutherans for their children)
Merchants and planters sometimes sent their sons to other colonies or England for an education.

22. Social Life
Georgians occasionally enjoyed or shared special events and times for coming together:
celebrations in honor of king’s birthday
days honoring England’s and Scotland’s patron saints
parades of government officials, flag raisings, cannons and guns firing, and bonfires
weddings and funerals
Clubs and organizations began to emerge in more urban areas, especially Savannah.
By the end of the royal period, although not as strong or prosperous as the older colonies, Georgia had become more like the others.
Idealism of the trustees was replaced by the reality of slavery and inequality of social classes among the free inhabitants.

23. ROYAL COLONY colonists allowed to own and sell more land
LAND OWNERSHIP
colonists allowed to own and sell more land
large plantations farms with slave labor
social classes developed
border of Georgia increased south to St. Mary’s River and west to Mississippi River
SLAVERY
only wealthy could own slaves
worked on rice plantations
planters bought more and more land
changed the economy of Georgia – grew rich
slaves were property and had no rights
GOVERNMENT
Royal governors appointed by King
Trustee laws repealed
bi-cameral legislature
white males with property could vote
colonists had more freedom: self-government
court system to settle disputes