COLONIZATION!
SSH82: Analyze the importance of Georgia's colonial period
Why do we need to know about this?
Before we get started, let's set the record straight.
2. Georgia WAS NOT a debtor's colony
3. James Oglethorpe WAS NOT the primary founder or the governor
4. There were 21 trustees responsible for the colony
5. Georgia was the 13th colony
What are the 3 types of colonies?
Corporate
- Charter granted by English monarch
- Essentially governed by monarch, but a colonial governor was sent to govern the colony
- Had its own legislature and assembly
Proprietary
- Charter was granted to an individual or group of people by the British crown
- Had full rights to self-govern
Royal
- Charter granted by British crown
- Ruled by officials appointed by the crown of England
What did James Oglethorpe have to do with the colonization of Georgia?
2. Wanted to create a colony in the New World to help debtors pay off their debt (NOT the reason GA was created)
3. Lobbied to create a new colony, along with 20 other trustees (people who hold responsibility on others behalf)
4. granted a charter by King George II (Charter of 1732)
5. Was the resident trustee (none of the other trustees ever set foot on GA)
6. Served as military & civilian leader of the colony
7. Befriended Native Americans
8. Allowed immigrants to settle the colony
9. Created Savannah (used a modern grid system)
10. Enforced very strict ruled on early colonists (banned slavery & alcohol, limited amount of acreage colonists could have)
11. Eventually forced to leave GA when his rules were challenged (King appointed a royal governor to rule when he left)
12. Was alive to witness GA break from England and become part of the United States of America
What was the Charter of 1732?
What? Document which allowed for the colony of Georgia to be created
When? 1732
Why? 3 reasons: 1) charity 2) economics 3) defense
Where? between the Savannah & Altamaha Rivers
This document detailed very strict rules on the colonists and was designed differently than the other 12 colonies.
What kind of rules did the colonists have to follow under the Charter of 1732?
- No alcohol
- No slavery
- No liquor dealers, lawyers or Catholics
- Colonists were required to grow mulberry trees, indigo & grapes
- Could not sell their land
- Could not pass on land to female heirs
- Had to obey ALL trustee rules
- Prohibited Jews in original charter but was later lifted when a Portuguese Jew (doctor) came to GA (credited for saving the colony when disease had spread throughout the colony (original colony doctor died in outbreak)
Reasons for settlement
Charity
- Give England's worthy poor a second chance in order to populate the colony
- Were given 50 acres & 1 years supply of food
Economics
- MERCANTILISM: the colony would provide raw materials to England where they would be manufactured and exported all over the world, even back to the colonies
Defense
- This was the MAIN reason Georgia was established
- To protect the other 12 colonies from Spanish invasion
- Spain was a major threat to British dominance in England and the New World
- Forts were to be built to provide protection
- War of Jenkins' Ear: battle over control of the east coast of N. America
- Colonist defeated Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh to secure them from further Spanish threat
Tomochichi
- Chief of Yamacraw Indians
- Signed Treaty of Savannah which allowed colonists to settle at Yamacraw Bluff (later became colonial capital city of Savannah)
- Treaty helped to develop a peaceful relationship between the colonist and the Creek
- Gained wealth from trade and protection from the Spanish
- Oglethorpe and Tomochichi had a strong and lasting friendship
- Died in 1739, buried in Savannah with full English military honors
Mary Musgrove
- Daughter of Creek Indian and Englishman
- Served as translator between English colonists and Indians
- Married to fur trader, John Musgrove
- Was instrumental in bridging the gap between the Indians and English and further helping the relationship remain peaceful