1. England Comes to North America
What were the reasons for the British settlement of Georgia?

2. Competition
If England was first to establish permanent colonies, they would win out over rival countries (Spain and France) for land in North America
Remember colony from unit 2? A group of people who settle in a new land but keep ties to their homeland (They may live in North America, but they are still citizens of Great Britain!)

3. Economic Gain England was too small to have enough natural resources
Mercantilism
Trade policy to make a nation self-sufficient and wealthy. Colonists were only allowed to trade with Great Britain or other British colonies.
Colonists were to provide raw materials to Great Britain who then turned the raw materials into manufactured goods to sell
James Town (remember this?)
1607 England’s 1st permanent settlement in the New World
Named for King James I (yes, the one from Bible fame)

4. Charity Need homes for the poor, unemployed, and homeless
Poverty problems in England
Need homes for the poor, unemployed, and homeless
Problem with begging and criminals because of poverty

5. Religious freedom Puritans Separatists
Wanted to change the Church of England because they disagreed with it
Separatists
Wanted to break away from the Church of England and start a new church.
Pilgrims
Group of separatists who sailed on the Mayflower (1617)
started the Massachusetts Bay Colony

6. So how did the Georgia colony start?

7. Why was the GA Colony created?
3 reasons…easy to remember!
“I C.E.D. (said) the reasons for the founding of the GA Colony are:
1.) C. - Charity – to offer a new start to the deserving poor/debtors living in England
2.) E. - Economics – to create a balanced trading policy where England could be more self-sufficient, make $ off of trade with Native Americans, and grow silk, indigo, wine, and other raw materials.
3.) D. – Defense – to provide a “buffer” between the prosperous South Carolina Colony and the Spanish in Florida.”

8. Why each of these reasons?
1.) C. - Charity – to offer a new start to the deserving poor/debtors living in England.
High number of men in debtors’ prison in England during 1600s-1700s.
Idea was to confine men and have them work inside prisons until debt paid off.
Many poor but worthy individuals thrown into debtors prison or prison for simply not having a job of for not owning land.
At this time in England, a land enclosure movement, was occurring where richer, upper classes (often nobility/the “faves” of the king) with the permission of the King of England seized (took) land from poor peasants and consolidated that land into larger, more prosperous farms for growing cash crops.
Idea is to make $$$ (not just live off the land) so that taxes an be paid so England could recover from war debts and increase its military strength and power in the world.

9. Why was the GA Colony created?
2.) E. - Economics – to create a balanced trading policy where England could be more self-sufficient, make $ off of trade with Native Americans, and grow silk, indigo, wine, and other raw materials.
What does “self-sufficiency” mean?
Why would it be good for England to be more self-sufficient given what was going on in the world (and with other countries) at that time?

10. $
Economics
Mercantilism (remember the film and England’s main reason for colonies?)
Great Britain wanted natural resources so they could make products to sell.
Colonies may trade with Great Britain or other British colonies – NO ONE ELSE!
Oglethorpe promised Great Britain raw materials such as silk, cotton dyes, wine, spices, and semitropical fruit.

11. Defense
England wanted a buffer colony to defend (protect) North and South Carolina from
the Spanish in Florida
the French in the Mississippi River valley
Indians everywhere
Attempt by John Barnwell (1721)
Built Fort King George
Abandoned because of climate, sickness, and insects

12. Why was the GA Colony created?
3.) D. – Defense – to provide a “buffer” between the prosperous South Carolina Colony and the Spanish in Florida.”
British Colonies
Spanish Florida

13. Charity Poverty problems in England
Simply letting the poor out of prison did not help them.
no jobs
could not pay debts (because of no job)
many were homeless and turned to begging or even criminal acts

14. James Oglethorpe A well-educated and wealthy member of Parliament
His lawyer friend Robert Castell had been jailed because of debt, contracted small pox and died.
Oglethorpe worked to get laws passed to improve prison conditions and to let many debtors go free.

15. James Oglethorpe
Oglethorpe along with John Percival and 19 others requested land SW of South Carolina for poor but worthy people.
In 1732 King George II signed a charter (document granting rights and privileges) for the colony of Georgia.

16. Colonial Georgia

17. Charter of 1732

18. Read your copy of the original Georgia charter of 1732 (good luck!)
Complete the questions provided.

19. 1. Who granted the Charter of 1732 to the Trustees?
GEORGE the second, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, king, defender of the faith, and so forth. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting.
2. Why was Georgia founded?
Economic Reasons
…strengthen our colonies and increase the trade, navigation and wealth of these our realms.
Defense of South Carolina (notice only Native Americans are blamed)
…And whereas our provinces in North America, have been frequently ravaged by Indian enemies, more especially that of South-Carolina, which in the late War, by the neighboring savages, was laid waste with fire and sword and great numbers of English inhabitants, miserably massacred, and our loving subjects who now inhabit them, by reason of the smallness of their numbers, will in case of a new war…and whereas we think it highly becoming our crown and royal dignity, to protect all our loving subjects, be they ever so distant from us;

20. 3. Could the trustees receive any financial benefits?
Charity Reasons
to extend our fatherly compassion even to the meanest and most unfortunate of our people…and that it will be highly conducive for accomplishing those ends, that a regular colony of the said poor people be settled and established in the southern territories of Carolina.
3. Could the trustees receive any financial benefits?
…or under the common council of the said corporation-such member shall from the time of his having, holding, exercising, accepting possessing and enjoying such office, place and employment of profit, cease to be a member of the said corporation.
4. Could the trustees create rules and regulations?
…full power and authority to constitute, ordain and make, such and so many by-laws, constitutions, orders and ordinances, as to them, or the greater part of them, at their general meeting for that purpose, shall seem necessary and convenient for the well ordaining and governing of the said corporation.

21. 5. What was the land area given to the Colony of Georgia
5. What was the land area given to the Colony of Georgia? Make sure to draw the borders on the map below
…the whole in eight equal parts to be divided, of all those lands, countrys and territories, situate, lying and being in that part of South-Carolina, in America, which lies from the most northern part of a stream or river there, commonly called the Savannah, all along the sea coast to the southward, unto the most southern stream of a certain other great water or river called the Alatamaha, and westerly from the heads of the said rivers respectively, in direct lines to the south seas; and all that share, circuit and precinct of land, within the said boundaries, with the islands on the sea, lying opposite to the eastern coast of the said lands.

23. 6. How long was the trustees’ term of office?
…that for and during the term of twenty-one years…
7. What were some of the incentives that colonist received from Great Britain?
…with sufficient shipping, armour, weapons, powder, shot, ordnance, munition, victuals, merchandise and wares, as are esteemed by the wild people; clothing, implements, furniture, cattle, horses, mares, and all other-things necessary for the said colony, and for the use and defence and trade with the people there, and in passing and returning to and from the same.
8. What was the largest amount of land that a Georgia colonist could receive?
…provided also, that no greater quantity of lands be granted, either entirely or in parcels, to or for the use, or in trust for any one person, than five hundred acres.

24. Georgia’s Charter
Georgia’s charter specified the colony’s boundaries, its form of government, the powers of its officials, and the rights of its settlers.
It had three main purposes:
Charity – Georgia was to be a colony for England’s “worthy poor,” who crowded the streets of London.
Economics – Georgia would be a good member of England’s mercantile system, producing and selling more than it bought.
Defense – Georgia would serve as a barrier between Spanish Florida and the British colony of Carolina.

25. Other purposes
While the Charter of 1732 didn’t explain these purposes in detail, they were underlying reasons for the creation of Georgia.
Religion – England was having problems with different religious groups, so it wished to create a colony that allowed settlers the opportunity to practice any religion they wished. (The trouble-makers could leave England!) However, Catholics were specifically prohibited.
Why do you think they prohibited Catholics?

26. The last reason involved economics, religion, and defense:
Runaway slaves from the plantations of South Carolina were fleeing to Spanish Florida. Why?
Spanish Florida promised freedom to any runaway slave who became Catholic.
Additionally, many of these runaway slaves joined Spanish military units.

27. Charter of 1732 6000 words Trustees responsibilities
Could not own land
Could not hold political office
Could not get paid
Must only pass laws approved by the King
Used regulations instead of laws
No governor in Georgia

28. Who was excluded? Slaves Lawyers
Trustees thought slavery was immoral and would make colonists lazy.
Lawyers
Colonists were expected to resolve disputes or turn them over to the trustees. Oglethorpe was to handle all problems. No courts.

29. Who was excluded? Alcohol distributors Catholics (Papists)
Florida was Catholic and the Spanish were a threat.
Spain offered freedom to all slaves who could escape to FL and convert to Catholicism.
Alcohol distributors
They wanted colonists to work, not drink
Rum and hard liquor were illegal
Many traders were cheating Indians and/or supplying them with rum especially in the backcountry (upcountry) – unsettled land far inland from the coast

30. Who was excluded? Debtors Criminals
Trustees were afraid that they were not hard workers.
Criminals
Trustees did not want any problems – especially crime

31. Model Society
The goal of the trustees was to create a “model” society.
Strict rules on land and work
Carefully selected colonists
Trustees raised the money
Motto: “Not for ourselves but for others”
What do you think this means?

32. Problems for the Colonists
Growing Pains
(“Why did I ever leave Europe?”)
Problems for the Colonists
Drinking water from the river made them sick with dysentery, etc.
Lack of fresh vegetables
Poor sanitation
Hard physical labor
1 out of 4 died including their doctor

33. Solution
Dig a well
New colonists arrive – Jews, Italians, Salzburgers (German) from Austria (built Ebenezer), Highland Scots (built Darien)
One of the Jews (Samuel Nunes) was a doctor!

34. Environment Need for money/protection Heavy rains Heat Fierce insects
Humidity
Need for money/protection
They needed protection against the French, Spanish, and Indians
Solution: Fort Frederica was built on St. Simon’s Island

35. Trustee Restrictions
Anger about no slavery and no rum: The malcontents insisted on slavery, and some even rented them from SC. (Salzburgers and Highland Scots opposed slavery and were very successful farmers (silk, rice) without slaves!)
Limits on land ownership – to prevent a rich upper class
Charity – town lot plus 50 acres (45 in country, 5 at edge of town
Paid – same as charity plus 50 acres for every servant brought (up to 500 acres)

36. Colonist Responsibilities Add more from your charter of 1732 notes!
Defend colony against enemies
Clear land
Raise crops/mulberry trees (silk)
Build houses/public structures
Follow trustees’ rules
Colonist
Benefits
Free passage on ship – Ann
Land – 50 acres (could not be sold)
Weapons
Seeds and tools for building and farming
Food until 1st harvest
Add more from your charter of 1732 notes!

37. Georgia as a “Trustee Colony”
Georgia was not established as a corporate colony, even though the charter refers to Oglethorpe and 20 other men as a “corporation.”
It was not a proprietary colony, because the 21 men did not own the colony.
It was not established as a royal colony either.
Georgia was established as a “Trustee Colony.”

38. What is a “Trustee Colony?”
A trustee is someone who looks after someone else.
The Charter of 1732 stated that James Oglethorpe and 20 other men were to manage Georgia for 21 years.
As trustees, they were not to profit from their positions,
They could not receive salaries
Not Own land
Or not hold public office.

39. What do you think?
Do you think that it is a good idea to help people who can’t provide for themselves by moving them to a new land and giving them a place to live?
Who did the charter say had to pay for the families to move? How do you think they would pay for it?
What are some problems that faced the trustees even before the first colonist stepped on a boat?

40. Potential Problems
In order to meet the design of the charter and have a chance of success, the trustees had to choose families that had the skills to start a new colony, and be poor.
To help raise money for the trip to America and supplies, advertisements were made, donations were accepted and, basically, a “fund raiser” was held.
Eventually, 35 families were chosen. None of them were debtors who had been released from English prisons, as Oglethorpe had hoped.