Georgia
Anna Mitchell
History
The Spanish arrived in Georgia in 1540. In the late 17th century, the Spanish and English fought for control of the colony. The English eventually gained the upper hand and won a new colony for the British, naming it Georgia after the English king, King George II. In 1776, the colonies rebelled and fought British rule, they signed The Declaration of Independence and became independent from English rule.
Important Events
In 1540 the Spanish arrived in Georgia. In the late 17th century, the English gained control of the colony. James Oglethorpe and the first colonists arrived in 1773 and founded Savannah. In 1776, Georgia signed the Declaration of Independence, and finally in 1781, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the Constitution.
Why Settle in Georgia?
Because of Georgia's geographic position and resources, it developed into a regional center of commerce, leading to expansion and population increase. Indian controlled lands were almost diminished my the early 1820's. After Eli Whitney's invention of the cotton gin, cotton easily became one of Georgia's leading agricultural commodities.