13 ENGLISH COLONIES
Mr. Betts
Trustee Georgia 1730-1761
James Oglethorpe Oglethorpe was a wealthy, intellectual member of England s Parliament. He felt strongly about the terrible conditions of those living in debtor s prisons in England. He became particularly interested in the cause when his friend, Robert Castell, died from smallpox in a debtor s prison. The idea of creating a new colony was appealing to him so that he could help Britain s poor, or worthy poor. Oglethorpe s importance to the colony is highlighted by the fact that he was the only trustee to travel to the new colony.
Trustees The appointed Trustees would serve for the next 21 years, after which it would change from a trustee colony to a royal colony. Trustees are not supposed to benefit personally from decisions they make. To assure that the trustees would not act out of self-interest, Georgia s charter prohibited several activities. Trustees could not receive a salary, own land in the colony, or hold public office.
Reasons for Settlement Philanthropy (Charity): Trustees would pay the way for debtors to settle in Georgia. Economics: Trustees believed the settlers could produce silk and wine, even though hard liquor was prohibited. They would plant Mulberry trees to attract silkworms. Defense: Georgia would serve as a buffer colony between the Spanish in Florida and the colony of South Carolina in order to protect the other colonies from Spanish invasion. Of the three, the only true success of the colony under the Trustees was the pursuit of defense.
The 3 Reasons for a new colony (in short) Philanthropy (Charitable) Economic Defensive
For these philanthropy (charitable), defensive, and economic reasons, James Oglethorpe and his associates received the Charter of 1732, which was the document that granted the territory to the trustees and set up rules under which the trust would work. Trustees are people who hold responsibility and act on behalf of others.
LEARNING TARGET As a part of today s learning target, explain the Charter of 1732 and why it was important. Also-explain the reasons for the founding of the Georgia colony as outlined in the Charter of 1732.
New Rules for a New Colony 1. Trustees could not own land - were not allowed to make a profit off the colony this would keep them honest 2. Everyone was given the same amount of land Did not want to create a class structure with lower class poorer people 3. No rum or hard liquor Believed it would interfere with working Felt it was harmful to the American Indians 4. No slavery Fear that the settlers would become lazy and the colony would not survive 5. Only male heirs could inherit land Wanted to make sure there were enough men in the colony to fight if needed
Sailing to Georgia Left England in 1732 The trip took 8 weeks Landed at Charles Town Sailed on The Ann Women and children stayed in Charles Town while the men went ahead to find a spot for the colony
Savannah Today My wife and I standing on the spot where James Oglethorpe landed.
Establishing the Colony Picked a spot beside the Savannah River called Yamacraw Bluff (Savannah) The settlers were helped by John and Mary Musgrove who served as a diplomat and translated for them with the American Indians, and it allowed Oglethorpe to make friends with Tomochichi the Chief of the Yamacraw Indians The settlers arrived in Feb. 1733 Treaty of Savannah 1. The Yamacraw Indians agree to give the colonists land to settle on and return runaway slaves to SC 2. The colonists agreed to trade fairly with the American Indians and not to expand past the land they were given
Oglethorpe Meeting with Tomochichi and Mary Musgrove Mary Musgrove
GEORGIA STORIES MARY MUSGROVE: A GEORGIA BIOGRAPHY http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/stories/ma ry_musgrove
LEARNING TARGET As a part of today s learning target, in your own words, explain the relationship between James Oglethorpe, Tomochichi, and Mary Musgrove in establishing the city of Savannah.
Philanthropy England s worthy poor were to be released from debtors jail to settle the new colony. Even though James Oglethorpe was motivated by the death of his friend, not one debtor was released from prison to live in the colony. Incentives to come to the colony included 50 acres of land (500 if they paid their own passage), one year s supply of food, and free seed and agricultural supplies for a year. Many people could never attain this in England and agreed to help settle the new colony. Most settlers were not wealthy, but were skilled tradesmen looking for a new start.
Colonists Funding to travel to the new colony was raised through advertising for donations in pamphlets, speeches, newspapers, etc. Deciding who would go was the next problem. Eventually, 35 families were selected. Instead, they selected craftsmen like carpenters, bakers, farmers, tailors, etc.
Establishing Savannah 1733 more colonists arrived Many died due to bad water and disease 1736 a group of Highland Scots settled along with the Moravians, Salzburgers and Jews also joined the colony The Jews were only allowed to stay because one of them was a Dr. and the only Dr. in the colony had died Several ministers came to the colony to establish churches
Jewish Settlers Settlers faced growing medical problems like scurvy, dysentery, and fever, falsely believed to be caused by the drinking of rum. Yellow Fever was the largest culprit and cause for many deaths. The spread of disease was most likely due to a lack of fresh vegetables, changes in climate, poor sanitation, and hard physical labor. In July 1733, when illness was at its peak and the colonist only doctor had died from disease himself, a ship carrying 42 Jews landed in Savannah s harbor. The passengers asked to join the settlement. Banned originally-jews were allowed to join the Georgia colony because they had a doctor on board that the colony desperately needed.
Salzburgers The Salzburgers were Protestants who were expelled for religious reasons from Salzburg, in present-day Austria. King George II, a Protestant, offered them the chance to settle in Georgia. Salzburgers eventually established a new city and church in Georgia called New Ebenezer. ( in Effingham County above Savannah. They are credited with being the first Georgians to create a water-powered grist mill, a Sunday school, and an orphanage. Salzburgers were the only settlers who were successful at harvesting silk on a large scale from the silk worms attracted to their Mulberry trees. They were fiercely anti-slavery and were loyal to the Trustees. Georgia s first Patriot governor, John Adams Treutlen, was a Salzburger. Much of New Ebenezer was destroyed in the Revolutionary and Civil War, but the church built in 1763 still stands.
Silkworms in a Mulberry tree Emigration of Salzburgers Map of Ebenezer
GEORGIA STORIES EBENEZER: THE STONE OF HELP http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/story/ston e_of_help
Highland Scots The Highland Scots traveled from Scotland to settle in Georgia. Highland Scots came with a reputation of being fierce fighters. The Scots were given land near the abandoned Fort King George, and started a new city called Darien in Georgia. They kept many of their traditions, like wearing kilts rather than pants. When they found that the soil was not good for agriculture, they changed to raising cattle and harvesting timber. They also created the first successful Presbyterian church in Georgia. When the Spanish decided to invade Georgia, the Highland Scots were crucial to the success of the Georgians. They fought fiercely at the Battle of Bloody Marsh.
GEORGIA STORIES THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDERS http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/story/scott ish_highlanders
Another Town for GA June of 1736 it was approved to build a way station at Augusta (named after Princess Augusta of Wales) half way between Charles Town and Savannah This would act as a connection between the two cities for trade and protection.
Fort Augusta. In 1748, "Oglethorpe's Own," a company of the Forty-Second British Regiment of Foot, garrisoned the fort under the command of Captain George Cadogan and Lieutenant Richard Kent. Oglethorpe ordered the fort built in 1736, and it was completed in 1738 under the direction of Roger Lacy and Richard Kent. Commanders of the fort were responsible for controlling the Indian trade as far as the Mississippi River.
The seal used by the Trustees represented the colony's role within the British Empire, as well as its emphasis on the production of silk. The seal, seen in the above sketch, incorporated a black mulberry leaf with a silkworm and cocoon (mulberry leaves were used to feed the silkworms in sericulture, the cultivation of silk). The motto inscribed was "Non sibi sed aliis," Latin for "Not for themselves but for others." The seal and motto are a symbol of Georgia's role as a mercantile colony established to be the source of silk, not for their own benefit, but for England's.
Discontent Among the Colonists A group of colonist known as the malcontents started complaining in Georgia. They believed they shouldn t follow the Charter of 1732 since they paid their own way. Malcontent means not satisfied or content with current circumstances. COMPLAINED ABOUT? Land-wanted to be able to sell or buy more land -Much of the land given to settlers was not good for farming. If a man died the land went back to the Trustees not his family Slaves- claimed they needed workers to make farms profitable Rum-Was an item that could be used to trade successfully with the Indians
Defense In 1739, war broke out between the English and Spanish. It was called the War of Jenkins Ear. This war was important to the survival of the colony, and it helped Georgia fulfill its duty as a buffer colony. A British captain, Robert Jenkins, was attacked during a ship raid, during which his ear was cut off by a Spaniard. Jenkins survived, brought his severed ear with him, and pleaded to the English Parliament to get revenge on the Spanish. During the war, Oglethorpe led a failed attempt to capture St. Augustine in Florida.
At the right, Jenkins is presenting his pickled, severed ear to the English Parliament in order to receive permission to retaliate against the Spanish.
Defense The Spanish launched an attack on St. Simon s Island, but were defeated by the colonists and their American Indian allies. This attack was named the Battle of Bloody Marsh. --Lasted less than 1 hour After this, Spain was no longer a threat to GA. or SC settlements there was now a clear border between English colonies and the Spanish Both sides agreed in 1748 that the St. John s River would serve as the border between English Georgia and Spanish Florida.
Battlefield at Bloody Marsh: Saint Simons Highland Scots at the Battle of Bloody Marsh
Because Oglethorpe was never able to lead a successful invasion into Fla. he was called back to England on military charges He was cleared of any wrongdoing but never returned to the colony July 11, 1743 William Stephens became the president of the colony He set up a legislative assembly The assembly elected Henry Parker as president of the colony on April 8, 1751
Changing the Rules The colonists blamed the trustees rules for many of the problems in the colony In an attempt to keep peace the trustees began making changes in the rules 1. Land By the mid 1740 s the limit on how much land a settler could own was raised to 2000 acres and women could now inherit land 2. Slavery Became legal on Jan. 1, 1751 The Scots Highlanders and Salzburgers opposed slavery 3. Rum The sale of rum was made legal in 1742 It was used in trading with the American Indians
LEARNING TARGET As a part of today s learning target, in your own words, explain the roles of the Jews, Salzburgers, Highland Scots, and malcontents in establishing Georgia.
Becoming a Royal Colony The Trustees gave up their charter in 1752 and Georgia began a two-year transition to the status of royal colony. During this time, a new seal was adopted for the colony which showed King George II extending his hand to a kneeling allegorical female figure offering a skein of silk to the king, with a sailing ship in the background. The symbolism of the seal was that the British government expected the royal colony of Georgia to be an important source of silk and other good and resources needed by Great Britain.
Becoming a Royal Colony The trustees were running out of money to support the colony and were becoming tired of dealing with the complaints of the settlers so 1 year before the charter was up, the trustees turned the colony over to the King John Reynolds-was named as the 1st Royal governor The new government was made up of a governor, a council and a legislature The council was made up of 12 men chosen by the governor called the Upper House of Assembly The governing body was a legislature that was called the Common House of Assembly and was made up of 19 men elected by the colonists
The 1st assembly met on July 7, 1755 Organized a militia Provided funding for roads and bridges Created paper bills of credit (money) Listed 10 crimes punishable by death The colonists did not like Reynolds and he also caused the Creek and Cherokee to hate Georgia. He was removed and replaced by Henry Ellis in May 1758 The colony was without money and in disorder Ellis restored order, reformed the government, divided the colony into parishes, settled land claims, and kept peace with the Indians during the 3 years of his term James Wright became the last royal governor in May 1761. He was popular for a while. The governor s popularity helped him to stand against the wave of revolutions long after other colonies had rebelled.
Royal Governor Sir James Wright
A Voice in Government As a royal colony the settlers now had a way to express their concerns and wishes to those in charge In 1758 the colony was divided into 8 parishes which we mostly for religious and military organization For the next 100 years England pretty much let the colonists run their own affairs and interfered very little
COLONIAL GOODS AND SERVICES
GOODS AND SERVICES Georgia was founded on the economic policy of mercantilism, which involves sending goods and products home to the mother country. Trustees hoped goods would be produced in the colony that could not be produced in England. These were the WRIST crops (Wine, Rice, Indigo, Silk, Tobacco). Pigs were also part of Georgia s colonial economy. Silk was so important that all colonists were required to set aside land to grow Mulberry trees to attract silkworms. Georgia s wine and silk industries were never truly successful. Rice, indigo, and tobacco became successful when Georgia was a royal colony..
Indigofera is the plant species that most colonial indigo dye was derived from. Now, nearly all indigo dye is synthetic.
LEARNING TARGET 1) As a part of today s learning target, in your own words, explain the transition of Georgia into a royal colony. Also, describe the goods and services produced there. Which products were and were not successful?. 2) Based on our proficiency scale on the board, put a number at the bottom of your ticket out the door as to where you feel you are concerning the founding of Georgia. Could you teach a lesson on Georgia s beginning?
GEORGIA STORIES DAILY LIFE IN GEORGIA http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/stories/dai ly_life_in_georgia