Georgia Colony Essay

• The original 13 colonies were divided into three geographic areas consisting of the New England, Middle and Southern colonies. The Georgia Colony was classified as one of the Southern Colonies.
• James Oglethorpe was a British general, Member of Parliament, philanthropist, humanitarian, was the founder of the colony of Georgia in America in 1733.
• He was a social reformer in England founding Georgia, after a grant from King George II, to resettle Britain's poor, especially those in debtors' prison.
• He established a small group on the Savanna River hoping to create a debtors colony that was free of vice.
• The establishment of the Georgia colony was based on three motives: philanthropic, commercial, and military.
• He was elected to the British Parliament in 1722 and served as a Tory member.
• His entry into politics led James Oglethorpe to take an interest in
They first arrived off the coast of Carolina, then negotiated permission to settle from Yamacraw Chief Tomochichi. Acting as interpreters were John Musgrove, who had a trading post in the area, and his wife Mary Musgrove, who was part Yamacraw. The settlers then entered the mouth of the Savannah River, finally disembarking at Yamacraw Bluff on February 12 - now known as Georgia Day. The settlement they founded was named Savannah. Note: despite Oglethorpe’s hopes to establish Georgia as a haven for debtors; reality prevented it (the settlers were chosen for their skills). None of the original settlers aboard the Anne were debtors, and few ever settled in Georgia. See This Day in Georgia History for February 1, 1733. o Soon after settlement, James Oglethorpe took Tomochichi on a visit to Charles Town, SC with him; his positive reception there helped lead Oglethorpe to make the decision to takeTomochichi and a group of Yamacraws to England the following