GSESS8H2 | Colonial Period
Analyze the colonial period of Georgia’s history.
a. Explain the importance of the Charter of 1732, including the reasons for settlement (philanthropy, economics, and defense).
b. Analyze the relationship between James Oglethorpe, Tomochichi, and Mary Musgrove in establishing the city of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff.
c. Evaluate the role of diverse groups (Jews, Salzburgers, Highland Scots, and Malcontents) in settling Georgia during the Trustee Period.
d. Explain the transition of Georgia into a royal colony with regard to land ownership, slavery, alcohol, and government.
e. Give examples of the kinds of goods and services produced and traded in colonial Georgia.
b. Analyze the relationship between James Oglethorpe, Tomochichi, and Mary Musgrove in establishing the city of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff.
c. Evaluate the role of diverse groups (Jews, Salzburgers, Highland Scots, and Malcontents) in settling Georgia during the Trustee Period.
d. Explain the transition of Georgia into a royal colony with regard to land ownership, slavery, alcohol, and government.
e. Give examples of the kinds of goods and services produced and traded in colonial Georgia.
- How was the Charter of 1732 important and what were the reasons for its creation?
- How did Oglethorpe, Tomochichi and Mary Musgrove's relationship assist establishing Savannah?
- How did each of the groups (Jews, Salzburgers, Highland Scots, and Malcontents improve, worsen, and overall change Georgia?
- What are some examples of how Georgia transitioned from a Trustee Period to a Royal Colony?
- What were the goods and services produced and traded?
The Lessons
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STANDARD & ELEMENTS VERSION
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STORY BOOK FORM VERSION
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VIDEOS IN THE LESSON
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H2.a - Charter of 1732 & Reasons for Settlement
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H2.b - Oglethorpe, Tomochichi, Musgrove & Savannah
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H2.c - Diverse Groups during the Trustee Period
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H2.d - Trustee to Royal Colony Transition
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H2.e - Goods & Services | Produced & Traded
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The Story | GeorgiaStandards.org
The colony of Georgia was officially founded on February 12, 1733. Historical research has concluded that, contrary to popular belief, Georgia was not a debtor’s colony and not a single debtor was released from prison to settle the 13th colony. In addition, James Oglethorpe was not the primary “founder” of Georgia nor was he the colony’s official “governor.” He was one of 21 trustees who was responsible for governing the colony.
Nevertheless, the story of Georgia’s founding is still unique in comparison to the establishment of the other 12 colonies. The intent of this standard is for students to gain a better understanding of the events that led to the founding of Georgia and the people and circumstances that created Georgia’s colonial history. Additionally, understanding the differences between the Trustee and the Royal Periods of the colony will help students identify how these changes shaped the future state of Georgia economically, politically, and socially.
GSESS8H2.a
Georgia’s Charter of 1732 outlined in detail the reasons for Georgia’s settlement and is a remarkable document based on its provisions for the colonists. Georgia was founded for three primary reasons: philanthropy, economics, and defense. Of the three, the only true success the colony had under the Trustees was Georgia’s defense of South Carolina against Spanish invasion.
Philanthropy. Moved to action by his concern for the treatment of prison conditions for indebted people, James Oglethorpe was hopeful to create a colony for debtors and the “worthy poor.” His dream, however, never became a reality as no debtor was ever released from prison to live in the colony. Philanthropic work in the colony was guided by the details of the Charter of 1732. The charter provided the guidelines for the colonists of the new colony. While most of Georgia’s first settlers were not wealthy, many were skilled craftsmen who were looking for a “new start” in the new colony. Incentives, including 50 acres of land (500 acres if the colonists paid their own passage), one year’s supply of food, and free seed and agricultural supplies for a year, were too enticing for many people to disregard and was more than they could expect to have if they remained in England. This philanthropic gesture caused many to try their luck in the new colony.
Economics. Mercantilism was a guiding factor in the establishment of the colony of Georgia. The Trustees hoped that the colonists of Georgia would be able to produce four agricultural products that could not be grown successfully in England. Rice, indigo, wine, and, most importantly, silk were the crops that were desired in England. In fact, silk was so important to the trustees that all colonists were required to set aside land on which to grow mulberry trees. The mulberry leaves were the food of choice for silkworms. Tobacco, as in other southern colonies, was grown by some Georgia colonists but this crop was not an important crop until the late colonial period and early statehood period.
None of these products reached the level of success desired by the Trustees. During the colonial period, Georgia’s wine industry never produced sufficient quantities for successful export and the silk industry did not return the profits that were desired. Rice, indigo, and tobacco were more successful during the Royal period and early statehood period. A helpful mnemonic for these crops is the W.R.I.S.T. crops (wine, rice, indigo, silk, and tobacco).
Defense. The most important reason for Georgia’s founding was defense, primarily against the Spanish in Florida. In the 1730’s, South Carolina was a profitable British colony that was threatened by Spanish military outposts in Florida. The Georgia colony’s role was to serve as a military “buffer” between the two. Evidence of the buffer zone includes the forts that Oglethorpe constructed between Spanish Florida and Georgia and his bringing the highly-skilled Highland Scots to reoccupy the abandoned Fort King George (near modern-day Darien) in 1736.
The War of Jenkins’ Ear was important to the survival of the colony of Georgia and helped Georgia serve its function as a buffer for South Carolina from the Spanish in Florida. The war was named after a British captain, Robert Jenkins, whose ear was cut off by the Spanish after he attempted to raid one of their ships. Jenkins, who survived the attack, brought his ear to the English Parliament which in turn caused the English public to demand retribution against the Spanish.
Once war was declared, James Oglethorpe made a failed attempt to capture St. Augustine. After the British retreated, Spain decided to attack and destroy the young Georgia colony. The Spanish attacked St. Simon’s Island but were soundly defeated by the colonists and their Indian allies during the Battle of Bloody Marsh. After this battle, the Spanish never overtly threatened the colony again. In 1748 both sides agreed that the border between English Georgia and Spanish Florida would be the St. Johns River.
The Charter of 1732 created strict guidelines for Georgia colonists. To ensure an unbiased role in the colony, Trustees were not paid, could not own land, or hold office in the colony. The Trustees genuinely believed the guidelines of the charter to be beneficial to the colonists. Because the colony was to support the “worthy poor,” the Trustees initially forbade rum (hard alcohol) as they feared hard liquor would cause the colonists to become idle and avoid hard work. Slavery was also forbidden as the Trustees hoped to avoid what had happened in South Carolina: the creation of large plantations versus the small farmers who struggled (the wealthy v. the poor). The Trustees also barred liquor dealers and Catholics from the colony. Some historians indicate that lawyers may have been banned as well. Defending the colony against Spanish, French or American Indian attack was a requirement of the colonists, a major provision of the Charter of 1732. The production of silk forced the colonists to grow mulberry trees. Colonists could not sell their land and their land must be passed down to male heirs, and they had to obey all Trustee rules. The original Charter also included a prohibition of Jews settling in the colony. However, when the colonists were besieged with medical concerns, a group of Portuguese Jews arrived with a doctor. Oglethorpe, violating Trustee rules, allowed the Jews to settle in Savannah and Dr. Samuel Nunes was credited with “saving the colony.”
The provisions detailed in the Charter of 1732 eventually caused discontent among the colonists. Believing that the provisions were causing few opportunities for economic success, some colonists petitioned for changes in the charter.
GSESS8H2.b
The positive relationship between Oglethorpe, Tomochichi and Musgrove was essential to the development of the city of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff. Without Tomochichi’s generous gift of land to Oglethorpe, the colony’s initial location would have been elsewhere. The relationship was mutually beneficial to all three. Oglethorpe provided protection to the Yamacraw and trade opportunities to both Tomochichi and Musgrove. Musgrove used her language skills to bring the British Oglethorpe and Yamacraw Tomochichi to a land agreement as well as a lifelong friendship. Musgrove benefitted by expanding her trade opportunities with both the British colonists and the Yamacraw. Her assistance was rewarded with land grants from Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. The establishment of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff was dependent on the genuine friendship forged between Oglethorpe, Tomochichi and Musgrove.
James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785) is often credited as the “founder” and “first governor” of Georgia. He is portrayed as a man who was so upset about the treatment of Britain’s debtors that he established a colony for the “worthy poor;” helping those released from debtors’ prison start a new life in Georgia. While this myth is historically inaccurate, it should be understood that Oglethorpe did play an important role in the establishment of Georgia and served as its unofficial leader during the colony’s early years.
Oglethorpe, a member of the British Parliament, was instrumental in the push for British prison reform after his friend, Robert Castell, died from small pox. Castell was sent to prison due to his inability to pay his debts and ultimately suffered from a disease acquired from his cellmate. Oglethorpe campaigned to reform Britain’s prisons and considered the possibility of creating a colony for those in debtor’s prison as well as Britain’s “worthy poor.” Unfortunately, Oglethorpe’s dreams of a colony created to help debtors pay off their debts never came to pass.
Still, Oglethorpe lobbied to create a new colony and eventually he, along with 20 other Trustees, was granted a charter to establish Georgia. Oglethorpe’s role in the creation of Georgia is heightened due to the fact that he was the only trustee to travel to the new colony. Oglethorpe took on the roles of both military and de facto civilian leader of the colony, and in many cases acted against the policies of the trustees. During his time in Georgia, Oglethorpe befriended Tomochichi, Mary Musgrove, and American Indians, allowed groups of Jewish, Scottish, and German immigrants to settle in the colony, created the towns of Savannah and Fredericka (on St. Simons Island), and fought the Spanish on three separate occasions. Oglethorpe left Georgia in 1743, never to return. Nonetheless, Oglethorpe was alive to witness the colony he helped realize break away from England and become part of the United States of America.
Tomochichi was the chief the Yamacraw Indians. Having created this tribe in 1728 with members of the Creek and Yamasee Indians, Tomochichi’s people (around 200) believed that future opportunities would come from an alliance with the British instead of the Spanish. Tomochichi allowed Oglethorpe to settle on Yamacraw Bluff (the future home of Savannah) in hopes that the British would serve as allies and trading partners.
Oglethorpe and Tomochichi developed a strong and long lasting friendship. Through the help of Mary Musgrove, who served as a translator, Tomochichi advised Oglethorpe on matters of Indian affairs and relations with the Spanish. He traveled with Oglethorpe to England and helped establish English speaking schools for American Indians in Georgia. When Tomochichi died in 1739, he was said to be in his 90’s. Based on his achievements and service to the colony, he was buried in Savannah with full British military honors.
Mary Musgrove is best known for her service as the translator for James Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. Born to a Creek Indian mother and British father, Musgrove spoke both languages and understood the norms of both cultures. In 1717, Mary married fur trader John Musgrove, and they set up a trading post near the Savannah River. Mary’s fluency in both Creek and English served her well in her role as a trader and business woman.
Musgrove became involved in the affairs of the colony of Georgia after her husband accompanied Oglethorpe on a trip to England. After this voyage, the Trustees gave John land near Yamacraw Bluff. The Musgroves moved their trading post to this area and Mary continued to manage the successful business after John died in 1735. In addition to her business, Musgrove served as Oglethorpe’s personal interpreter from 1733-1743.
Musgrove continued to move up the ranks of colonial society, especially after her third and final marriage to the Reverend Thomas Bosomworth. She offered many years of service as the colony’s primary Indian liaison. However, she became a thorn in the side of the colony’s leadership after the Trustee period. Throughout her life, she received land grants from Tomochichi and other Creek chiefs. Nonetheless, British and Georgia officials refused to recognize her claims. Taking matters into her own hands, Musgrove lead a group of 200 Creek Indians to Savannah to argue for her land rights. She also took her land claim fight to the British courts.
In 1760, after several years of struggle, Musgrove and Georgia Royal Governor Henry Ellis compromised, and Musgrove received St. Catherine’s Island and a large sum of money. In turn, Musgrove gave up her other land claims. Musgrove died on St. Catherine’s Island sometime after 1763.
The city of Savannah was the first step in realizing the colony of Georgia. Due to the cordial relationship between Oglethorpe and Tomochichi, aided by the translating skills of Musgrove, the city began its life on February 12, 1733 when the settlers arrived at Yamacraw Bluff. Chief Tomochichi agreed to move his people upstream from the bluff so that Oglethorpe could establish his inaugural town at that location. Located on the Savannah River about 15 miles inland, the forty-foot-high bluff was the last colonial capital to be developed by the British in America. Construction of the city was based on European design influences of the day with which Oglethorpe was well acquainted. The city, designed by Oglethorpe, was laid out in a series of grids that allowed for wide streets intertwined with tree-covered squares and parks. Colonists located businesses on the squares and built places for public town meetings. As the city grew, the design was repeated. Of the original 24 squares, 22 still exist today. Savannah is recognized as one of the most outstanding examples of eighteenth century town planning.
GSESS8H2.c
The Trustee Period in Georgia’s history was a unique though unsuccessful social and economic experiment. The Trustees, who were for the most part religious men and social reformers, wanted to start a colony of selfsufficient yeomen farmers who were not influenced by alcohol and not dependent on slavery. In turn, the British government hoped that the colony that would produce agricultural products that Britain had been forced to import from other countries. These goods, including silk and wine, proved to be lackluster in terms of generating profit. Nonetheless, as a buffer colony, Georgia did prove its worth by successfully defending both South Carolina and itself from the Spanish threat in Florida. In the end, due to the permanent departure of James Oglethorpe in 1743 and the complaints made by the Malcontents concerning the selling of rum and their desire to institute slavery in Georgia, the Trustee period ended one year before the Charter of 1732 was set to expire. The lofty goals of the Trustees never came to pass.
Jews first arrived in the Georgia colony five months after Oglethorpe landed at Yamacraw Bluff. Though originally banned from the colony by the Charter of 1732, Oglethorpe made an exception to the Trustee’s provisions because one of the 42 Jews was a doctor. Having lost the colony’s only doctor and at least 20 colonists to fever, Oglethorpe was pleased to have medical assistance to slow the yellow fever from spreading. Dr. Samuel Nunes offered his services to the colonists and those who followed his prescription of cold baths and cool drinks survived. Another Jew, Abraham de Lyon, was experienced in viticulture (wine making). Oglethorpe hoped he would be able to assist the colonists in wine production. Fourteen of the Jews were offered land by Oglethorpe and the group remained in the colony, even though they suffered from language, cultural, and religious differences. The Jews eventually established Congregation Mickve Israel, which is the oldest Jewish congregation in the South and the third oldest in the United States.
The Salzburgers were a group of peaceful, hard-working German-speaking Protestant refugees from present day Austria. Persecuted by the Catholic monarch of their province who had issued the Edict of Expulsion, giving the Salzburgers three months to leave their native land, King George II, who was himself a German Protestant, offered the Salzburgers the opportunity to settle in the colony of Georgia.
Upon arriving in Georgia, the Salzburgers settled a town they named Ebenezer, meaning “Stone of Help.” However, this settlement was too far inland and located in an area that was too swampy with poor water. Many Salzburgers died during their first two years in Georgia. Eventually, the Salzburgers were given permission to relocate to a better location which they named “New Ebenezer.” Once they settled in this new town, they became some of the most successful and industrious colonists in Georgia. They are given credit for being the first group of Georgians to develop a water powered grist mill, a Sunday school, and an orphanage. They were also the only group to have any large-scale success with silk production.
The Salzburgers remained strictly anti-slavery during the later colonial years and were extremely loyal to the Trustees. This was due to the help the Trustees gave the Salzburgers during their immigration to the colony. It should also be noted that Georgia’s first Patriot governor, John Adam Treutlen, was a Salzburger.
The town of New Ebenezer was damaged during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. However, the church they built in 1763 still stands today. It’s home to the longest existing Lutheran Congregation in the United States. Many of the Salzburgers’ descendants still live in the area in which they settled over 250 years ago.
Though the Highland Scots (Scottish Highlanders) shared the Salzburgers’ anti-slavery beliefs and valued the importance of hard work and religion, they were quite different in many aspects. The Highland Scots were brought to Georgia by James Oglethorpe based on their reputation for being some of the best soldiers in the world. The group was given land near the abandoned Fort King George, which they named Darien. With the promise of owning their own land, the Highland Scots fought in the Battle of Bloody Marsh and in two failed campaigns to capture St. Augustine, Florida. Many of the Highland Scots’ ancestors played important roles in Georgia’s history. Today, McIntosh County is named in honor of one of these important families.
The provisions created by the Charter of 1732 eventually caused discontent among the colonists. Dissenters, known as the Malcontents, argued that they were not financially obligated to Oglethorpe and the Trustees as they had paid their own way to the colony. They complained that the limitations placed on land ownership and the ban on slavery stifled their economic opportunities. They resented the restriction on purchasing rum. The ban on rum was lifted in 1732. Having petitioned the Trustees to allow slavery and being declined on multiple occasions, many Malcontent leaders moved from the Georgia colony. However, through written pamphlets demanding change, the Malcontents eventually made their voices known in Georgia and Great Britain. In response to these vocal and written demands, by 1750, the Trustees had passed a law that allowed slavery. The Trustee period would end by 1751, one year before the end of the Charter of 1732 was designed to end.
GSESS8H2.d
Rules concerning land ownership, the sale of rum, and slavery were relaxed or ended during the twilight of the Trustee period and the colony of Georgia profoundly changed during the Royal period. The Trustees, frustrated with the lack of economic and social success of the colony, officially surrendered Georgia’s charter to the British government, one year before the expiration of the Charter of 1732.
Land ownership rules were relaxed in the royal colony. More land could be purchased as slavery was creating the need for more fertile land. Women were allowed to own land. Georgia’s population grew due to improved land policies, land gains from American Indians and the Spanish, and the surge of settlers and slaves that land availability brought to the colony. Some new settlers were considered undesirable by established Georgia colonists and were given the derogatory name “crackers.” This group laid claims to the western frontier of the colony. More settlers improved Georgia’s economy and this eventually led to increases in the colony’s borders.
Slavery was desired by many of the Georgia colonists as they believed that they would more effectively compete with other colonies, specifically South Carolina. In 1749, just prior to the royal period, slavery was allowed in Georgia. Between 1750 and 1775, the number of slaves increased from 500 to 18,000. Slaves had no rights, were not allowed to marry, and were not allowed to live where they wanted. Slaves who broke these rules were punished. Slavery was a boon to the colony’s economy as agricultural production began to explode, particularly on rice plantations.
Alcohol was transported into the Georgia colony by way of South Carolina, causing disputes between the colonies. By 1742, the prohibition against rum was no longer enforced in the Georgia colony, and by 1749, the Rum Act was repealed by Parliament. During the Royal Period, rum production increased in the colony.
Teacher Note: Information about the royal governors is provided as background for understanding the difference between the Trustee Colony and Royal Colony. It is not necessary for students to know the details of the royal governors but, instead, should know of the changes that occurred as the Trustee Colony transitioned to the Royal Colony.
As a royal colony, governance of the colony was returned to the king. He utilized royal governors to administer the colony. Trustee laws were repealed. In 1754, John Reynolds was appointed to be Georgia’s first royal governor. During his tenure, Georgia’s bi-cameral General Assembly, comprised of an elected Commons House of Assembly and an appointed Upper House of Assembly, met to determine laws for the colony. A first act was to require all males between 16 and 60 to be organized into militias; another act required all males to work on building roads at least 12 days per year. White males who owned property could vote and a court system was established to settle disputes. Reynolds often found himself at odds with the General Assembly and many colonists were not fond of him. Complaints about him found their way to the British government and, in 1756, he was recalled to Britain to address the complaints but he did not relinquish his position.
Appointed to govern in Reynolds’s place was Henry Ellis, who would become a more popular governor than Reynolds. It was under his leadership that eight parishes were established along Georgia’s coast and a workable friendship was established with the leaders of the Creek nation, who were long irritated by the land claims of Mary Musgrove. His ability to manage trade agreements between the Creek and local traders encouraged stability in the colony. His poor health, due to Georgia’s heat, forced him to take on other responsibilities, including a governorship in Nova Scotia, though he never fulfilled the appointment. He was, instead, called to Britain, where he influenced American colonial affairs as an advisor to the Prime Minister.
The most able of the royal governors was James Wright, a practicing attorney and plantation owner in South Carolina (his father was South Carolina’s chief justice). His appointment as Ellis’s replacement happened as Georgia was experiencing westward growth. He encouraged neighboring American Indians to cede land to the colony. As revolutionary feelings ignited, Wright was determined to maintain his loyalties to Britain and he enforced the Stamp Act. In fact, Georgia was the only colony in which stamps were actually sold. Though he was popular and thought to be an efficient leader, Wright was powerless to stop the advancing revolutionary spirit in the Georgia colony. Placed under house arrest in 1776, he fled captivity and made his way to London where he encouraged a full-scale British attack on the Georgia colony in 1778. Under British control again, Wright’s return to Georgia did not generate the support he once enjoyed in the colony. Revolutionary radicals were increasing in numbers and they did not support Wright’s efforts to govern. Wright sailed for London when the British evacuated Savannah in July 1782. He never returned to the Georgia colony and died in England in 1785.
GSESS8H2.e
Colonial Georgia had the shortest colonial experience when compared to other British colonies. It had the smallest population and was the least developed. With the removal of economic restrictions, Georgia’s economy was almost immediately improved. During Georgia’s colonial period, colonists were determined to find economic success through agriculture.
Silk production, encouraged by the Trustees, was an effort to compete with the successful silk industries of France and Italy. Colonists planted mulberry trees in an effort to provide sustenance for silk worms. As many Georgia colonists were untrained in silk production, skilled Italian silk makers were brought to the colony, and within a year, silk was exported to Britain. The Salzburgers attempted to establish a silk industry, but seasonal temperatures were harmful to the sensitive silkworms. Georgia’s silk industry, though hopeful at first, never became the lucrative industry the colonists desired. Eventually, the hardier crop of cotton replaced the silk industry.
Rice, Georgia’s first staple crop, became a profitable agricultural commodity along the coast and encouraged the rise in great wealth for producers of the grain. As Georgia’s ban on slavery ended in 1750, conditions became favorable for the establishment of large rice plantations to be harvested by slave labor. Rice was initially grown in inland freshwater swamps in coastal Georgia and along Georgia’s principal tidal rivers. The rice rivers (the Savannah, the Ogeechee, the Altamaha, and the Satilla) eventually saw the rise of production increase to 40,000 acres.
Indigo, the plant that produced a bluish-purple dye, was highly desired by British textile producers. The British government offered a bounty (a bonus) of six pence per pound to ensure the production of large quantities of indigo. By 1755, Georgia was in the very early stages of indigo production, exporting 4,500 pounds that year. The exportation of indigo peaked in 1770, with more than 22,000 pounds. It’s interesting to note that long-term exposure to noxious vapors produced by indigo production and the disease-carrying insects the plants gave support to may have reduced the length of the lives of slaves involved in indigo processing by five to seven years.
Other products produced in colonial Georgia included timber products, tobacco, and furs. Trades included blacksmiths, silversmiths, tailors, and potters, but most were involved in small scale farming.
Trade partners included American Indians (furs), nearby South Carolina, and Britain and other European nations.
Nevertheless, the story of Georgia’s founding is still unique in comparison to the establishment of the other 12 colonies. The intent of this standard is for students to gain a better understanding of the events that led to the founding of Georgia and the people and circumstances that created Georgia’s colonial history. Additionally, understanding the differences between the Trustee and the Royal Periods of the colony will help students identify how these changes shaped the future state of Georgia economically, politically, and socially.
GSESS8H2.a
Georgia’s Charter of 1732 outlined in detail the reasons for Georgia’s settlement and is a remarkable document based on its provisions for the colonists. Georgia was founded for three primary reasons: philanthropy, economics, and defense. Of the three, the only true success the colony had under the Trustees was Georgia’s defense of South Carolina against Spanish invasion.
Philanthropy. Moved to action by his concern for the treatment of prison conditions for indebted people, James Oglethorpe was hopeful to create a colony for debtors and the “worthy poor.” His dream, however, never became a reality as no debtor was ever released from prison to live in the colony. Philanthropic work in the colony was guided by the details of the Charter of 1732. The charter provided the guidelines for the colonists of the new colony. While most of Georgia’s first settlers were not wealthy, many were skilled craftsmen who were looking for a “new start” in the new colony. Incentives, including 50 acres of land (500 acres if the colonists paid their own passage), one year’s supply of food, and free seed and agricultural supplies for a year, were too enticing for many people to disregard and was more than they could expect to have if they remained in England. This philanthropic gesture caused many to try their luck in the new colony.
Economics. Mercantilism was a guiding factor in the establishment of the colony of Georgia. The Trustees hoped that the colonists of Georgia would be able to produce four agricultural products that could not be grown successfully in England. Rice, indigo, wine, and, most importantly, silk were the crops that were desired in England. In fact, silk was so important to the trustees that all colonists were required to set aside land on which to grow mulberry trees. The mulberry leaves were the food of choice for silkworms. Tobacco, as in other southern colonies, was grown by some Georgia colonists but this crop was not an important crop until the late colonial period and early statehood period.
None of these products reached the level of success desired by the Trustees. During the colonial period, Georgia’s wine industry never produced sufficient quantities for successful export and the silk industry did not return the profits that were desired. Rice, indigo, and tobacco were more successful during the Royal period and early statehood period. A helpful mnemonic for these crops is the W.R.I.S.T. crops (wine, rice, indigo, silk, and tobacco).
Defense. The most important reason for Georgia’s founding was defense, primarily against the Spanish in Florida. In the 1730’s, South Carolina was a profitable British colony that was threatened by Spanish military outposts in Florida. The Georgia colony’s role was to serve as a military “buffer” between the two. Evidence of the buffer zone includes the forts that Oglethorpe constructed between Spanish Florida and Georgia and his bringing the highly-skilled Highland Scots to reoccupy the abandoned Fort King George (near modern-day Darien) in 1736.
The War of Jenkins’ Ear was important to the survival of the colony of Georgia and helped Georgia serve its function as a buffer for South Carolina from the Spanish in Florida. The war was named after a British captain, Robert Jenkins, whose ear was cut off by the Spanish after he attempted to raid one of their ships. Jenkins, who survived the attack, brought his ear to the English Parliament which in turn caused the English public to demand retribution against the Spanish.
Once war was declared, James Oglethorpe made a failed attempt to capture St. Augustine. After the British retreated, Spain decided to attack and destroy the young Georgia colony. The Spanish attacked St. Simon’s Island but were soundly defeated by the colonists and their Indian allies during the Battle of Bloody Marsh. After this battle, the Spanish never overtly threatened the colony again. In 1748 both sides agreed that the border between English Georgia and Spanish Florida would be the St. Johns River.
The Charter of 1732 created strict guidelines for Georgia colonists. To ensure an unbiased role in the colony, Trustees were not paid, could not own land, or hold office in the colony. The Trustees genuinely believed the guidelines of the charter to be beneficial to the colonists. Because the colony was to support the “worthy poor,” the Trustees initially forbade rum (hard alcohol) as they feared hard liquor would cause the colonists to become idle and avoid hard work. Slavery was also forbidden as the Trustees hoped to avoid what had happened in South Carolina: the creation of large plantations versus the small farmers who struggled (the wealthy v. the poor). The Trustees also barred liquor dealers and Catholics from the colony. Some historians indicate that lawyers may have been banned as well. Defending the colony against Spanish, French or American Indian attack was a requirement of the colonists, a major provision of the Charter of 1732. The production of silk forced the colonists to grow mulberry trees. Colonists could not sell their land and their land must be passed down to male heirs, and they had to obey all Trustee rules. The original Charter also included a prohibition of Jews settling in the colony. However, when the colonists were besieged with medical concerns, a group of Portuguese Jews arrived with a doctor. Oglethorpe, violating Trustee rules, allowed the Jews to settle in Savannah and Dr. Samuel Nunes was credited with “saving the colony.”
The provisions detailed in the Charter of 1732 eventually caused discontent among the colonists. Believing that the provisions were causing few opportunities for economic success, some colonists petitioned for changes in the charter.
GSESS8H2.b
The positive relationship between Oglethorpe, Tomochichi and Musgrove was essential to the development of the city of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff. Without Tomochichi’s generous gift of land to Oglethorpe, the colony’s initial location would have been elsewhere. The relationship was mutually beneficial to all three. Oglethorpe provided protection to the Yamacraw and trade opportunities to both Tomochichi and Musgrove. Musgrove used her language skills to bring the British Oglethorpe and Yamacraw Tomochichi to a land agreement as well as a lifelong friendship. Musgrove benefitted by expanding her trade opportunities with both the British colonists and the Yamacraw. Her assistance was rewarded with land grants from Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. The establishment of Savannah at Yamacraw Bluff was dependent on the genuine friendship forged between Oglethorpe, Tomochichi and Musgrove.
James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785) is often credited as the “founder” and “first governor” of Georgia. He is portrayed as a man who was so upset about the treatment of Britain’s debtors that he established a colony for the “worthy poor;” helping those released from debtors’ prison start a new life in Georgia. While this myth is historically inaccurate, it should be understood that Oglethorpe did play an important role in the establishment of Georgia and served as its unofficial leader during the colony’s early years.
Oglethorpe, a member of the British Parliament, was instrumental in the push for British prison reform after his friend, Robert Castell, died from small pox. Castell was sent to prison due to his inability to pay his debts and ultimately suffered from a disease acquired from his cellmate. Oglethorpe campaigned to reform Britain’s prisons and considered the possibility of creating a colony for those in debtor’s prison as well as Britain’s “worthy poor.” Unfortunately, Oglethorpe’s dreams of a colony created to help debtors pay off their debts never came to pass.
Still, Oglethorpe lobbied to create a new colony and eventually he, along with 20 other Trustees, was granted a charter to establish Georgia. Oglethorpe’s role in the creation of Georgia is heightened due to the fact that he was the only trustee to travel to the new colony. Oglethorpe took on the roles of both military and de facto civilian leader of the colony, and in many cases acted against the policies of the trustees. During his time in Georgia, Oglethorpe befriended Tomochichi, Mary Musgrove, and American Indians, allowed groups of Jewish, Scottish, and German immigrants to settle in the colony, created the towns of Savannah and Fredericka (on St. Simons Island), and fought the Spanish on three separate occasions. Oglethorpe left Georgia in 1743, never to return. Nonetheless, Oglethorpe was alive to witness the colony he helped realize break away from England and become part of the United States of America.
Tomochichi was the chief the Yamacraw Indians. Having created this tribe in 1728 with members of the Creek and Yamasee Indians, Tomochichi’s people (around 200) believed that future opportunities would come from an alliance with the British instead of the Spanish. Tomochichi allowed Oglethorpe to settle on Yamacraw Bluff (the future home of Savannah) in hopes that the British would serve as allies and trading partners.
Oglethorpe and Tomochichi developed a strong and long lasting friendship. Through the help of Mary Musgrove, who served as a translator, Tomochichi advised Oglethorpe on matters of Indian affairs and relations with the Spanish. He traveled with Oglethorpe to England and helped establish English speaking schools for American Indians in Georgia. When Tomochichi died in 1739, he was said to be in his 90’s. Based on his achievements and service to the colony, he was buried in Savannah with full British military honors.
Mary Musgrove is best known for her service as the translator for James Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. Born to a Creek Indian mother and British father, Musgrove spoke both languages and understood the norms of both cultures. In 1717, Mary married fur trader John Musgrove, and they set up a trading post near the Savannah River. Mary’s fluency in both Creek and English served her well in her role as a trader and business woman.
Musgrove became involved in the affairs of the colony of Georgia after her husband accompanied Oglethorpe on a trip to England. After this voyage, the Trustees gave John land near Yamacraw Bluff. The Musgroves moved their trading post to this area and Mary continued to manage the successful business after John died in 1735. In addition to her business, Musgrove served as Oglethorpe’s personal interpreter from 1733-1743.
Musgrove continued to move up the ranks of colonial society, especially after her third and final marriage to the Reverend Thomas Bosomworth. She offered many years of service as the colony’s primary Indian liaison. However, she became a thorn in the side of the colony’s leadership after the Trustee period. Throughout her life, she received land grants from Tomochichi and other Creek chiefs. Nonetheless, British and Georgia officials refused to recognize her claims. Taking matters into her own hands, Musgrove lead a group of 200 Creek Indians to Savannah to argue for her land rights. She also took her land claim fight to the British courts.
In 1760, after several years of struggle, Musgrove and Georgia Royal Governor Henry Ellis compromised, and Musgrove received St. Catherine’s Island and a large sum of money. In turn, Musgrove gave up her other land claims. Musgrove died on St. Catherine’s Island sometime after 1763.
The city of Savannah was the first step in realizing the colony of Georgia. Due to the cordial relationship between Oglethorpe and Tomochichi, aided by the translating skills of Musgrove, the city began its life on February 12, 1733 when the settlers arrived at Yamacraw Bluff. Chief Tomochichi agreed to move his people upstream from the bluff so that Oglethorpe could establish his inaugural town at that location. Located on the Savannah River about 15 miles inland, the forty-foot-high bluff was the last colonial capital to be developed by the British in America. Construction of the city was based on European design influences of the day with which Oglethorpe was well acquainted. The city, designed by Oglethorpe, was laid out in a series of grids that allowed for wide streets intertwined with tree-covered squares and parks. Colonists located businesses on the squares and built places for public town meetings. As the city grew, the design was repeated. Of the original 24 squares, 22 still exist today. Savannah is recognized as one of the most outstanding examples of eighteenth century town planning.
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The Trustee Period in Georgia’s history was a unique though unsuccessful social and economic experiment. The Trustees, who were for the most part religious men and social reformers, wanted to start a colony of selfsufficient yeomen farmers who were not influenced by alcohol and not dependent on slavery. In turn, the British government hoped that the colony that would produce agricultural products that Britain had been forced to import from other countries. These goods, including silk and wine, proved to be lackluster in terms of generating profit. Nonetheless, as a buffer colony, Georgia did prove its worth by successfully defending both South Carolina and itself from the Spanish threat in Florida. In the end, due to the permanent departure of James Oglethorpe in 1743 and the complaints made by the Malcontents concerning the selling of rum and their desire to institute slavery in Georgia, the Trustee period ended one year before the Charter of 1732 was set to expire. The lofty goals of the Trustees never came to pass.
Jews first arrived in the Georgia colony five months after Oglethorpe landed at Yamacraw Bluff. Though originally banned from the colony by the Charter of 1732, Oglethorpe made an exception to the Trustee’s provisions because one of the 42 Jews was a doctor. Having lost the colony’s only doctor and at least 20 colonists to fever, Oglethorpe was pleased to have medical assistance to slow the yellow fever from spreading. Dr. Samuel Nunes offered his services to the colonists and those who followed his prescription of cold baths and cool drinks survived. Another Jew, Abraham de Lyon, was experienced in viticulture (wine making). Oglethorpe hoped he would be able to assist the colonists in wine production. Fourteen of the Jews were offered land by Oglethorpe and the group remained in the colony, even though they suffered from language, cultural, and religious differences. The Jews eventually established Congregation Mickve Israel, which is the oldest Jewish congregation in the South and the third oldest in the United States.
The Salzburgers were a group of peaceful, hard-working German-speaking Protestant refugees from present day Austria. Persecuted by the Catholic monarch of their province who had issued the Edict of Expulsion, giving the Salzburgers three months to leave their native land, King George II, who was himself a German Protestant, offered the Salzburgers the opportunity to settle in the colony of Georgia.
Upon arriving in Georgia, the Salzburgers settled a town they named Ebenezer, meaning “Stone of Help.” However, this settlement was too far inland and located in an area that was too swampy with poor water. Many Salzburgers died during their first two years in Georgia. Eventually, the Salzburgers were given permission to relocate to a better location which they named “New Ebenezer.” Once they settled in this new town, they became some of the most successful and industrious colonists in Georgia. They are given credit for being the first group of Georgians to develop a water powered grist mill, a Sunday school, and an orphanage. They were also the only group to have any large-scale success with silk production.
The Salzburgers remained strictly anti-slavery during the later colonial years and were extremely loyal to the Trustees. This was due to the help the Trustees gave the Salzburgers during their immigration to the colony. It should also be noted that Georgia’s first Patriot governor, John Adam Treutlen, was a Salzburger.
The town of New Ebenezer was damaged during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. However, the church they built in 1763 still stands today. It’s home to the longest existing Lutheran Congregation in the United States. Many of the Salzburgers’ descendants still live in the area in which they settled over 250 years ago.
Though the Highland Scots (Scottish Highlanders) shared the Salzburgers’ anti-slavery beliefs and valued the importance of hard work and religion, they were quite different in many aspects. The Highland Scots were brought to Georgia by James Oglethorpe based on their reputation for being some of the best soldiers in the world. The group was given land near the abandoned Fort King George, which they named Darien. With the promise of owning their own land, the Highland Scots fought in the Battle of Bloody Marsh and in two failed campaigns to capture St. Augustine, Florida. Many of the Highland Scots’ ancestors played important roles in Georgia’s history. Today, McIntosh County is named in honor of one of these important families.
The provisions created by the Charter of 1732 eventually caused discontent among the colonists. Dissenters, known as the Malcontents, argued that they were not financially obligated to Oglethorpe and the Trustees as they had paid their own way to the colony. They complained that the limitations placed on land ownership and the ban on slavery stifled their economic opportunities. They resented the restriction on purchasing rum. The ban on rum was lifted in 1732. Having petitioned the Trustees to allow slavery and being declined on multiple occasions, many Malcontent leaders moved from the Georgia colony. However, through written pamphlets demanding change, the Malcontents eventually made their voices known in Georgia and Great Britain. In response to these vocal and written demands, by 1750, the Trustees had passed a law that allowed slavery. The Trustee period would end by 1751, one year before the end of the Charter of 1732 was designed to end.
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Rules concerning land ownership, the sale of rum, and slavery were relaxed or ended during the twilight of the Trustee period and the colony of Georgia profoundly changed during the Royal period. The Trustees, frustrated with the lack of economic and social success of the colony, officially surrendered Georgia’s charter to the British government, one year before the expiration of the Charter of 1732.
Land ownership rules were relaxed in the royal colony. More land could be purchased as slavery was creating the need for more fertile land. Women were allowed to own land. Georgia’s population grew due to improved land policies, land gains from American Indians and the Spanish, and the surge of settlers and slaves that land availability brought to the colony. Some new settlers were considered undesirable by established Georgia colonists and were given the derogatory name “crackers.” This group laid claims to the western frontier of the colony. More settlers improved Georgia’s economy and this eventually led to increases in the colony’s borders.
Slavery was desired by many of the Georgia colonists as they believed that they would more effectively compete with other colonies, specifically South Carolina. In 1749, just prior to the royal period, slavery was allowed in Georgia. Between 1750 and 1775, the number of slaves increased from 500 to 18,000. Slaves had no rights, were not allowed to marry, and were not allowed to live where they wanted. Slaves who broke these rules were punished. Slavery was a boon to the colony’s economy as agricultural production began to explode, particularly on rice plantations.
Alcohol was transported into the Georgia colony by way of South Carolina, causing disputes between the colonies. By 1742, the prohibition against rum was no longer enforced in the Georgia colony, and by 1749, the Rum Act was repealed by Parliament. During the Royal Period, rum production increased in the colony.
Teacher Note: Information about the royal governors is provided as background for understanding the difference between the Trustee Colony and Royal Colony. It is not necessary for students to know the details of the royal governors but, instead, should know of the changes that occurred as the Trustee Colony transitioned to the Royal Colony.
As a royal colony, governance of the colony was returned to the king. He utilized royal governors to administer the colony. Trustee laws were repealed. In 1754, John Reynolds was appointed to be Georgia’s first royal governor. During his tenure, Georgia’s bi-cameral General Assembly, comprised of an elected Commons House of Assembly and an appointed Upper House of Assembly, met to determine laws for the colony. A first act was to require all males between 16 and 60 to be organized into militias; another act required all males to work on building roads at least 12 days per year. White males who owned property could vote and a court system was established to settle disputes. Reynolds often found himself at odds with the General Assembly and many colonists were not fond of him. Complaints about him found their way to the British government and, in 1756, he was recalled to Britain to address the complaints but he did not relinquish his position.
Appointed to govern in Reynolds’s place was Henry Ellis, who would become a more popular governor than Reynolds. It was under his leadership that eight parishes were established along Georgia’s coast and a workable friendship was established with the leaders of the Creek nation, who were long irritated by the land claims of Mary Musgrove. His ability to manage trade agreements between the Creek and local traders encouraged stability in the colony. His poor health, due to Georgia’s heat, forced him to take on other responsibilities, including a governorship in Nova Scotia, though he never fulfilled the appointment. He was, instead, called to Britain, where he influenced American colonial affairs as an advisor to the Prime Minister.
The most able of the royal governors was James Wright, a practicing attorney and plantation owner in South Carolina (his father was South Carolina’s chief justice). His appointment as Ellis’s replacement happened as Georgia was experiencing westward growth. He encouraged neighboring American Indians to cede land to the colony. As revolutionary feelings ignited, Wright was determined to maintain his loyalties to Britain and he enforced the Stamp Act. In fact, Georgia was the only colony in which stamps were actually sold. Though he was popular and thought to be an efficient leader, Wright was powerless to stop the advancing revolutionary spirit in the Georgia colony. Placed under house arrest in 1776, he fled captivity and made his way to London where he encouraged a full-scale British attack on the Georgia colony in 1778. Under British control again, Wright’s return to Georgia did not generate the support he once enjoyed in the colony. Revolutionary radicals were increasing in numbers and they did not support Wright’s efforts to govern. Wright sailed for London when the British evacuated Savannah in July 1782. He never returned to the Georgia colony and died in England in 1785.
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Colonial Georgia had the shortest colonial experience when compared to other British colonies. It had the smallest population and was the least developed. With the removal of economic restrictions, Georgia’s economy was almost immediately improved. During Georgia’s colonial period, colonists were determined to find economic success through agriculture.
Silk production, encouraged by the Trustees, was an effort to compete with the successful silk industries of France and Italy. Colonists planted mulberry trees in an effort to provide sustenance for silk worms. As many Georgia colonists were untrained in silk production, skilled Italian silk makers were brought to the colony, and within a year, silk was exported to Britain. The Salzburgers attempted to establish a silk industry, but seasonal temperatures were harmful to the sensitive silkworms. Georgia’s silk industry, though hopeful at first, never became the lucrative industry the colonists desired. Eventually, the hardier crop of cotton replaced the silk industry.
Rice, Georgia’s first staple crop, became a profitable agricultural commodity along the coast and encouraged the rise in great wealth for producers of the grain. As Georgia’s ban on slavery ended in 1750, conditions became favorable for the establishment of large rice plantations to be harvested by slave labor. Rice was initially grown in inland freshwater swamps in coastal Georgia and along Georgia’s principal tidal rivers. The rice rivers (the Savannah, the Ogeechee, the Altamaha, and the Satilla) eventually saw the rise of production increase to 40,000 acres.
Indigo, the plant that produced a bluish-purple dye, was highly desired by British textile producers. The British government offered a bounty (a bonus) of six pence per pound to ensure the production of large quantities of indigo. By 1755, Georgia was in the very early stages of indigo production, exporting 4,500 pounds that year. The exportation of indigo peaked in 1770, with more than 22,000 pounds. It’s interesting to note that long-term exposure to noxious vapors produced by indigo production and the disease-carrying insects the plants gave support to may have reduced the length of the lives of slaves involved in indigo processing by five to seven years.
Other products produced in colonial Georgia included timber products, tobacco, and furs. Trades included blacksmiths, silversmiths, tailors, and potters, but most were involved in small scale farming.
Trade partners included American Indians (furs), nearby South Carolina, and Britain and other European nations.
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Chad J. DeWolf is an educator and coach at Madison County Middle School (Comer, GA) in the Madison County School District (Danielsville, GA). This website is NOT affiliated with MCMS or MCSD. ETS is used as an educational tool for anyone interested & should be viewed as a resource for an awesome online learning experience. Tell your friends.You know you want to. |
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