Georgia in the Colonial Period

Introduction

Georgia’s colonial history begins with James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe was a member of England’s Parliament and was aware that many English citizens were being thrown in jail due to debt. He felt there had to be a better way to treat these people and came up with the idea to reform the system. His plan was to send the poor and unemployed to the American colonies. In 1730, Oglethorpe asked King George II for a charter of land in America. He would name the land Georgia, in honor of the King. Georgia would also serve as a “buffer” colony to help protect the English colonies from Spanish invasion.

Georgia had a vast history as a trustee colony, but did not prosper as the trustees had hoped. In 1752 the colony surrendered control of the colony over the British government and became a royal colony. During this time period slave labor became a dominant force as Georgia’s economic structure became reliant on agricultural exports.

Module Lessons Preview

In this module, we will study the following topics:

The Thirteenth Colony and James Oglethorpe: Learn more about the man who settled Georgia and how it came to be.

Trustee Period in Colonial Georgia: This lesson discusses the plans to establish settlements in Georgia and what hopes the Trustees had for the colony. You'll also learn more about additional settlers - those already in the area before the British came AND those that came after.

Spanish Threat From Florida: Did you know that part of the reason Georgia was founded was in order to protect the valuable crops and settlements in other colonies? Learn how Georgia was also seen as a "buffer" state and about some major battles that occurred as a result.

Georgia as a Royal Colony: When Georgia did not prosper under the trustees it was taken on as a Royal Colony. New government meant new rules which lead to many changes in the colony - including the introduction of slavery. Learn about the changes, how the colony reacted to them and more in this lesson.

Key Terms

Parliament - assembly of elected representatives that make laws for a country.
Charter - an official paper in which certain rights are given by a government to a person or business to settle a new colony (usually a joint-stock company).
Proprietary - charter issued granting ownership to a person or group with full rights to govern (example Pennsylvania established as safe place for Quakers).
Royal - colony operated by English government through a royal governor appointed by the king (no colony in America started this way).
Indigo - a blue dye made from the indigo plant. This dye was popular in England during the colonial period.
Trustees - people who hold responsibility on behalf of others.

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