Colonial Georgia

Colonial Georgia Oglethorpe, the Charter of 1732, reasons for settlement (charity, economics, and defense), Tomochichi, Mary Musgrove, and the city of Savannah Trustee Period of Georgia's colonial history, Salzburgers, Highland Scots, malcontents, and the Spanish threat from Florida Royal colony with regard to land ownership, slavery, government, and the impact of the royal governors

James Oglethorpe: Member for Parliament, Jails Committee, wanted reform in the Jail System in England. • Considered the founder and Father of Georgia. James Oglethorpe

James Oglethorpe Petitioned the King for a colony between South Carolina and Florida. • He proposed this Colony be named Georgia, after King George II. Colony of Georgia

Defense – Buffer Colony Defend southern Carolinas from Spanish attack from Florida. Reasons for Establishing the GA Colony

Economy – Mercantilism England could make money trading with Indians who lived between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River. Colonies could supply raw materials to England. New market for English manufactured goods. Reasons for Establishing the GA Colony

Reasons for establishing the GA Colony Religious freedom to Protestants being mistreated by Catholics. More land and greater power for the King of England.

Issued by King George II in 1732. • Oglethorpe & settlers arrived in South Carolina in February of 1733. • They quickly negotiated land from Native Americans and began the colony. Charter of 1732

Tomochichi Mary Musgrove • Tomochichi was the leader of the Yamacraw Creeks. • Negotiated with Oglethorpe to allow settlers to land at future site of Savannah on the Savannah River. • Ran a trading post with her husband. • Was half English half Yamacraw. • Served as an interpreter for Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. Tomochichi & Mary Musgrove

Colony set up by 21 Trustees, including James Oglethorpe for 21 years. • Land given to colonists could not be sold & no money could be borrowed on it – land could only be passed down to a male heir. Trustee Period

Each colonist was to receive seeds and agricultural tools • Colonists were to use a portion of the land to grow mulberry trees (hoped for silk production) Trustee Period

Built along Yamacraw bluff on the Savannah River. • First planned city in the New World. • First year 25% of the settlers died due to contaminated drinking water. They died of dysentery. City of Savannah

Special Plan for Savannah Open spaces, called squares, were the main feature. Each public square was to be a neighborhood center. Facing each square were four special lots set aside for public buildings. The squares that Oglethorpe designed are still a major part of downtown Savannah.

The Spanish settlement in Florida was the greatest threat to the GA colony. • The Spanish continued to attack GA until the Battle of Bloody Marsh. Spanish Threat in FLA

Battle of Bloody Marsh • War broke out between England and Spain in 1739. • Oglethorpe took action in the colonies against Spain by invading Florida. • Fighting between England and Spain had been going on for over 2 years when the “Battle of Bloody Marsh” occurred.

Battle of Bloody Marsh Battle happened in July of 1742 Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island Result of Battle: Oglethorpe and forces were successful and pushed the Spanish back to Florida. The last time the Spanish attempt to invade GA. Highland Scots settled & built Fort Darien. Served in defending GA against the Spanish in Florida.

Tomochichi’s Role in the War with Spain Tomochichi set up meetings with Oglethorpe and other chiefs. Tomochichi’s nephew served with Oglethorpe in the Battle of Bloody Marsh. After the WAR, Oglethorpe was promoted to General. When Tomochichi died, Oglethorpe gave him a full military funeral. He is buried in Courthouse Square in Savannah.

Failures Gains • Few debtors ever reached colony’s shores. • Colony was an economic failure. • Many colonists moved elsewhere. • Rum and slavery were eventually introduced after all. • Lack of leadership after Oglethorpe left (Colony had 4 different leaders before it became a Royal Colony.) • 5,500 people settled in Georgia and built new homes to start their lives. • Protestants were able to practice their religion freely. • Georgia was safe from Spanish invasion and had worked out treaties with Indians. • Colonists gained ownership of land and women could inherit property. • Colony survived despite hardships of the first 20 years. Failures & Gains of Colony

Georgia became a Royal colony in 1754. • Three Royal Governors in Georgia after the Trustee Period was over. • John Reynolds, Henry Ellis and Sir James Wright. • Sir James Wright was the best of the Royal Governors. Royal Colony

Land: Restrictions were relaxed, and colonists were allowed slavery. • Boundaries: Border for GA was changed to the Mississippi River. • Religion: Anglican Church is the official church of the colony. • Government: Royal Governors and a legislative body of white, male, land owners created. • Slavery: Allowed Royal Rule Changes GA

Great Britain and Colonies V/S French & their Indian Allies. • Spain joins France against Great Britain. • France & Spain LOST to Great Britain and the Colonies. • The Treaty of Paris of 1763 required the losing countries of Spain and France to give up portions of their land in North America. The French & Indian War: 1754 - 1763

Cruelties of War Most of the fighting in the French & Indian War occurred on the Frontier. Women and children were often the target of French & Indian attacks. Cruelties such as scalping were common.

Created four new American Colonies: Quebec (Canada); Grenada (Caribbean); East and West Florida. • Extended GA’s Southern Boundary to the St. Mary’s River • Reserved all land west of the Appalachian Mountains for the Native Americans – for their help in the French & Indian War The Proclamation of 1763

The Spanish and the French were no longer a threat to GA. • After the war, the Creeks ceded (gave up) 2 million acres of land to GA. • The GA Colony began to survey the new territory to give the land away The Colony Prospers

A plan for distributing Indian land ceded to Georgia • The head of each family had a right to 100 acres of land, plus additional land for each family member. • As a result, GA’s population more than doubled, while the slave population more than tripled. The Headright System & Population Growth

Lutheran Salzburgers • Ebenezer, located 25 miles upriver Savannah. • Seeking religious persecution • Residents worked to support the church; it’s school, and orphanage. Salzburgers & Ebenezer

Strict Rules • After disease killed many adults, they began to produce & sell lumber, rice, beef, and pork. • Led all communities in production of silk, and eventually cotton. • John Adam Treutlen: ‘Governor’ of Georgia. Salzburgers & Religion

A group of Savannah Colonists that petitioned the Trustees to allow slavery. • Thought it was not fair that South Carolina was able to have slavery. • Blamed lack of economic success on lack of slaves. Malcontents

Malcontents & Slavery Salzburgers Against Slavery • Claimed that they could never raise enough products to export without help from slaves. • Claimed that the GA climate was too hot for white workers • Only blacks could raise rice. • Having slaves would take away the whites will to work. • Slavery was wrong. • Idea that whites could not raise rice was ridiculous; the Salzburgers had already been raising rice for years. Slavery Debate in GA

Triangular Trade

Goods GA Was Supposed to Produce for England. Goods GA Actually Produced • Silkworms • Grapes for Wine • Rice • Indigo – Blue Dye • Rice • Cotton Production Eventually Products of Colonial Georgia

Colonial Georgia