1. Unit 3: Exploration & Colonization of Georgia
Georgia Performance Standards:
SS8H1b: Evaluate the impact of European contact on Native American culture; include Spanish missions along the barrier islands and the explorations of Hernando DeSoto.

2. Unit 3 Vocabulary Terms Part I
1. Renaissance: the European civilization form the 1300s to 1600 characterized by an increased interest in art and learning 2. Charter: A written contract issued by a government that grants special rights and privileges. 3. Colony: A group of people who leave their native country to form in a new land a settlement subject to, or connected with, the parent nation. 4. Conquistador: A Spanish explorer and conqueror who sought to destroy and take over existing cultures in the Americas in the 1500s. 5. Azilia: A proposed colony on the land between Spanish Florida and English Carolina. 6. Mission: A group of people sent to a foreign country to conduct negotiations, establish relationships, provide scientific and technical assistance.

3. Reasons for Exploration
The Renaissance (“rebirth”; time of new ideas in Europe) brought about changes in learning, religion, and trade.
Spices were in great demand by Europeans because meat and fish spoiled too quickly. There were no refrigerators!
People used spices such as salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to help preserve food and to help improve its flavor.

4. Reasons for Exploration
Customers wanted exotic spices and fabrics from Asia, but transporting spices across great distances by land cost too much money.
Business owners wanted to make bigger profits. Therefore, a shortcut was needed to get merchandise from Asia to Europe (Supply & Demand).

5. Reasons for Exploration
The 3 main reasons that kings and queens (monarchs) financed expeditions (trips) to the New World:
God: To spread Christianity to more people.
Gold: To find riches (Gold, silver, precious stones, & exotic trinkets).
Glory: To become historically famous and to add more territory to their kingdom. (

6. Spanish/Portuguese Explorers Chart Refer to pages 40-44
Name________________
Date_________________
Class _________________
Name of Explorer
Area Explored
End Results
Vasco da Gama
Christopher Columbus
Juan Ponce de León
Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón
Hernando De Soto
Pedro Menéndez de Avilés

7. Portuguese Explorers
Portuguese explorers continued to travel farther down the coast of Africa.
1488-Bartolomeu Dias traveled around the southern tip of Africa. The Portuguese named the tip the Cape of Good Hope.
1497-Vasco da Gama and his sailors were the 1st Europeans to discover a sea route to Asia.
Portugal became the leader of exploration.

9. European Exploration
Spain and England wanted to compete with Portugal to discover new sea routes, too!
Rule #1-If you controlled the seas, then you controlled trade with Asia= Power & Wealth

10. Spanish Conquistadors
Conquistador- a Spanish explorer and conqueror who sought to destroy and take over existing cultures in the Americas in the 1500s.
As they explored the Americas, they used guns and swords to defeat Native Americans. The Native Americans used bows and arrows,
and stone tools.
Without knowing it, the explorers carried diseases with them (smallpox, malaria, and measles). These diseases killed many of the natives in the Americas.

11. Christopher Columbus
August 1492-Italian Christopher Columbus and his group of ships (Santa Maria, Pinta, & Niña) left Spain to find spices and gold for King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella.
October 12, He found islands which he thought were part of the Caribbean (A.K.A. West Indies). 
He brought back Native Americans (mistakenly calling them “Indians”). 
He did not find much gold.
The King and Queen of Spain named him, Admiral of the Ocean Sea.

13. Exploration by Spain
Due to Christopher Columbus’s success in the New World, Spain began to finance more voyages to the Americas.
Spain began to claim more territory and riches than England and France.
Juan Ponce de León was determined to find the “Fountain of Youth” in Florida (claimed for Spain). He came to Florida as early as 1513.
Ponce de León discovered a powerful ocean current called the Gulf Stream.
This ocean current flows from the Gulf of Mexico north along the eastern coast before turning east toward Europe…This helped explorers get back home to Europe quicker!

15. Exploration by Spain
Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón tried to create the first Spanish settlement along the east coast.
1521-He settled in present day North Carolina and then moved on to South Carolina.
1526-He started a colony named San Miguel de Gauldape off the coast of present day Georgia, but it lasted for only one year.
Many of the settlers and Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón died at the San Miguel de Gauldape colony.

16. Hernando DeSoto
1540-Hernando De Soto and his army (about 600 men) were the 1st Europeans to enter what is now known as Georgia.
They were also the 1st Europeans to cross the Appalachian Mountains.
The Spaniards marched through Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, but never found the gold they sought.
They brutally killed many Native Americans.
Four years later, De Soto died after sustaining injuries during battle and his men never found cities of gold. Half of his army died during the expedition.

17. Spanish Missions in Georgia
Spain built missions, churches, with small communities around them.
They were built along the Atlantic coast in an attempt to bring Christianity to the Indians.
Also, the missions helped to keep French explorers and army off the coast.
1566-Pedro Menéndez de Avilés started a mission on St. Catherine’s Island called the Guale Mission.
Spain controlled the coast and southern part of Georgia for 100+ years with missions and military posts.
By 1700, Spain controlled much of the Americas (South America, Central America, and Mexico).

18. Pedro Menéndez de Avilés created this mission

19. Comprehension Check Questions
What are the 3 Gs of Exploration and what was the purpose for each “G”?
(2) What was Hernando De Soto searching for in the southeastern area of North America?
(3) De Soto’s army became famous for being the 1st Europeans to cross the _____________ in North America.
(4) What was the purpose of Spanish missions?

20. French Explorations in
North America
Georgia Performance Standards:
SS8H1c: Explain reasons for European exploration and settlement of North America, with emphasis on the interests of the French, Spanish, and the British in the southeastern area.

21. French Explorers Explorer Area Explored End Results Jean Ribault
René de Laudonniére

22. Exploration by France
France wanted to create a colony in North America to: (1) find riches, (2) have religious freedom, (3) gain more land, and (4)attack Spanish ships filled with treasures.
The official religion of France was Catholicism, but the Huguenots wanted the freedom to worship religion in their own way.
In 1562, Jean Ribault brought French Protestants (Christians who are not Catholic) called Huguenots to settle in present day South Carolina and created Fort Charlesfort.
The French Huguenots and the Spanish Catholics constantly fought in South Carolina over religious differences.
Three years later, the Huguenots went back to France.

23. Exploration by France
In 1564, René de Laudonniére took more Huguenots back to North America. They settled in Florida (present day Jacksonville) and created Fort Caroline.
The Huguenots ran out of supplies and Jean Ribault was sent to Florida to bring more supplies and soldiers.
The Huguenots and the Spanish settlers of St. Augustine, Florida fought each other over territory.
Spanish conquistador, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés and his men, fought/conquered Ribault and the Huguenots.

24. French Land in North America
By the 1600s, French explorers had claimed: A. Ohio River Valley
B. Mississippi River Valley
C. the entire Great Lakes region
D. Louisiana Territory
By 1760, the French colony of New France had 80,000 people

25. Map of New France in 1750

26. Homework Questions The student will answer the following questions:
What were the reasons why the French created a colony in North America?
Who were the Huguenots?
Who was Jean Ribault?
Who was Rene de Laudonnière?
Why were the French colonies of North America unsuccessful?

27. English Explorations in
North America
Georgia Performance Standards:
SS8H1c: Explain reasons for European exploration and settlement of North America, with emphasis on the interests of the French, Spanish, and the British in the southeastern area.

28. Unit 3 Vocabulary Terms Part II
6. Malcontent: Not satisfied or content with current conditions or circumstances.
7. Mercantilism: An economic theory in which government controls trade and attempts to transfer wealth from colonies to the home country.
8. Indentured Servant: A person who sold his or her labor to a person in return for passage to the New World.
9. Monopoly: A company that eliminates it competition and controls an industry.
10. Trustee: A person who is appointed to take care of business or property for the benefit of someone else.

29. Exploration by England
People from England wanted to find a new home in America because of:
Population= Overcrowded cities
Food Shortage = The English countryside could not produce enough food for all the people.
Religious Freedom = Some people did want to practice the religion of the Church of England.
Mercantilism = Wanted new economic opportunities (more chances to sell and buy things)

30. Exploration by England
Spain and England were enemies and competitors.
Spain’s official religion was Catholicism and England’s was Protestant.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, their navies fought a major battle at sea and England won…ENGLAND BECOMES THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD! Remember: If you control the sea, you have the most power!
Now, England wanted to create its own colonies in North America.

31. Failed Exploration by England
1585-Queen Elizabeth I gave Sir Walter Raleigh permission to start a colony in Virginia, at Roanoke Island.
This colony was not successful, because the settlers ran out of food and supplies.
The colonist disappeared without a trace; therefore, it is known as the “Lost Colony.”

32. English Colonies in North America
1607-King James I granted two charters with businesses to create colonies.
Charter: A written contract issued by a government that grants special rights and privileges.
The colony named Jamestown was started in Virginia with 100 people.
John Smith was the leader of Jamestown.
1612-A new type of tobacco was developed at Jamestown and became popular in England.
Indentured servants came to Jamestown for a better life. An indentured servant is a person who agree to be someone’s servant so they will pay for them to go to the New World.
1619-The 1st African slaves were brought to Jamestown.
This was England’s 1st succes sful colony!

33. Other English Colonies
1620- English pilgrims landed at Plymouth.
1663- Carolina became a colony.
1670- English settlers created Charlestown (name was changed to Charleston).
1685- The English settlers of Charlestown allows the French Huguenots to move in (wanted religious freedom).
1700s- The English and Spanish fought over land from South Carolina to Georgia.

34. English Colonies in North America
By the 1700’s, the French and Spanish had lost power in Georgia.
The English controlled all guns and products to the Native Americans. (Monopoly- a company that eliminates it competition and controls an industry)
English traders began to cheat and mistreat the Native Americans because the English had all the power. That is the problem with a monopoly!
1715- The Yamasee tribe (Creek Indians) led an attack against the English traders of Carolina. The English settlers were able to beat the Yamasees and force them to move to the area known as Alabama.

35. New World-Old World Exchanges
Both the New World (North and South America) and the Old World (Europe) benefited from exploration.
Old World Benefits
New World Benefits
Agricultural Products – Rye, radishes, beets, sugar cane, rice, peaches, and wheat all came from Europe to the New World.
Animals – Horses, chickens, pigs, oxen, sheep, goats, and cattle all came from Europe to the New World. Many of these animals destroyed the land and led to the extinction of some native animals.
Agricultural Products – Corn, white potatoes, yams (sweet potatoes), peanuts, and pumpkins all came from the New World and were taken to Europe.
Animals – Turkeys were brought from the New World and taken to Europe.

36. The Creation of Georgia
SS8H2: The student will analyze the colonial period of Georgia History.
Explain the importance of James Oglethorpe, the Charter of 1732, reasons settlement (charity, economics, and defense), Tomochichi, Mary Musgrove, and the city of Savannah.

37. The Creation of Georgia
England wanted a barrier between the Spanish colonies in Florida and the English colonists in Carolina.
1717- Sir Robert Montgomery proposed (thought of) a new colony built in the area now known as Georgia. This proposed colony was called Azilia.
Due to fears of attacks from the Native Americans and the Spanish in Florida, Azilia was never created.

38. James Oglethorpe James Oglethorpe was born in England in 1696.
He was elected into Parliament at 25 years old. He wanted reform (change) in the Jail System in England.
One of Oglethorpe’s friends was put in debtor prison (a person who owes someone money that they can not pay back). His friend died in prison.
James Oglethorpe is considered the founder and father of Georgia.

39. The Creation of Georgia
At this time, people in England could go to prison for being in debt (owing money).
James Oglethorpe asked King George II for permission to create a colony between South Carolina and Florida to send debtors instead of prison.
Also, this proposed colony would ease:
Overcrowding population in England
Solve the homeless problem in England
Provide work opportunities for the unemployed people of England.

40. The Creation of Georgia
1730- James Oglethorpe and 20 other important men became trustees of Georgia (named in honor of King George II).
1732- The trustees decided to only allow “worthy poor” people with good character to move to Georgia.
James Edward Oglethorpe
King George II

41. Why Georgia?
1. Charity – relief for debtors and the “worthy” poor (humanitarian effort)
2. Economics (money) – a self-supporting colony that would provide cheap natural resources for Britain
3. Defense - protection between FL and Charleston; easy to defend because of geography – think regions!

42. Charter of 1732
In 1732, King George II created a charter allowing 21 Trustees to create a Georgia colony and oversee it (take care of it) for 21 years.
It included the land between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers and extended west to the Pacific Ocean.

45. Charter of 1732- Primary Document

46. The Creation of Georgia
Georgia’s 21 trustees created the following rules:
The trustee could not own land in Georgia
Only men could inherit land
No liquor
No Catholics
No slavery
No lawyers
No gambling
115 settlers and James Oglethorpe traveled 2 months to Georgia.

47. Who is allowed to go?
Those who were selected were hardworking people, just down on their luck.
35 Families were selected
No debtors were selected!!
Those chosen were promised 50 acres of land, tools, and enough food for one year.
They needed skilled colonists:
Farmers, Carpenters, Tailors, Bakers, & Merchants

48. The Creation of Georgia
The 21 Trustees reached Yamacraw Bluff (modern day Savannah) and met John & Mary Musgrove, Yamacraw Indians (Creek Indians), and Chief Tomochichi.
Oglethorpe formed a treaty with Chief Tomochichi in order to settle at Yamacraw Bluff. This area had an excellent view and it was close to the trading post store (owned by John & Mary Musgrove).
Oglethorpe and others went back to Charlestown to bring the colonists to Georgia.
February 12, 1733-They arrive at Yamacraw Bluff (colonists named it Savannah).
Treaty of Savannah was signed by Oglethorpe and group of Creek Chiefs…The Creek Indians gave the colonists the land and the colonists agreed to trade with the Creeks at set prices.

49. Tomochichi and Mary Musgrove
Oglethorpe became friends with Tomochichi, chief of the Yamacraw Indians (Creek Indians).
The Yamacraw Indians were struggling to survive. Tomochichi believed that Oglethorpe would benefit his people and form a new trading partnership.
Mary Musgrove and her husband John created a trading post (a place to trade goods) near the Yamacraw Bluff (Savannah) where they would trade British goods with the Native Americans.
Tomochichi spoke very little English so Mary Musgrove served as the interpreter between Oglethorpe and Tomochichi.

51. City of Savannah Built along Yamacraw bluff on the Savannah River.
1st planned city in the New World.
First year 25% of the settlers died due to contaminated drinking water. They died of dysentery.

52. The Salzburgers Arrive in GA
Forty original settlers died in the first year (including the doctor), so new people were brought from Europe.
Salzburgers – In 1733, a group of German protestants from Salzburg, Germany arrived. They came to America for religious freedom. They created a town near Savannah called Ebenezer.
In 1733, Dr. Samuel Nunes, a Jewish doctor, was allowed to live and work in Georgia.
Oglethorpe and Chief Tomochichi returned from a trip to England in 1736 with 300 more settlers, including religious leaders John and Charles Wesley. They created the Methodist religion in Savannah, GA.

53. The Highland Scots and the Malcontents
The Highland Scots (from Scotland) arrived and settled in Darien, GA in 1735.
Some of the Highland Scots became unhappy with the Trustees and the colony rules. They became known as the Malcontents.
Malcontents wanted to purchase additional land and enslave Native Americans to help them achieve greater wealth.

54. Spanish Threat from Florida
After the explorations of Hernando DeSoto and other Spanish conquistadors, Florida was colonized by Spain.
The Spanish were interested in the land north of their colony that later became Georgia.
The British built Fort Frederica in Georgia in an effort to protect the colony.
Georgian soldiers led an attack on St. Augustine, Florida in Two years later the Spanish attacked Fort Frederica.

55. Battle of Bloody Marsh
The Battle of Bloody Marsh was the main battle between British Georgia and Spanish Florida.
Oglethorpe led the Georgia soldiers to victory (though he did not capture St. Augustine) and Spain never again attacked a British colony on the eastern coast.
Georgia had 650 troops & Spanish Florida had 2,000 troops.
Oglethorpe placed soldiers on the left and right sides of the road.
While the Spanish were marching through, Oglethorpe’s soldiers attacked and won the battle.

56. Marshes

57. End of the Trustee Period
In 1743, Oglethorpe was called to Great Britain facing charges that he had not acted correctly when he failed to capture St. Augustine.
Many changes happened in Georgia at this time:
People were also allowed to begin buying and selling rum (alcohol) in 1742.
People wanted to own more land and slaves. By 1750, land laws (each person could only own 500 acres of land) and anti-slavery laws were repealed (gotten rid of). People were now able to own as much land and as many slaves as they could afford.
In 1752, one year before the end of the Charter of 1732, the trustees returned Georgia to King George II and Georgia became a Royal Colony.

58. Georgia’s Change in Government
Georgia became a Royal Colony when the Trustee Period ended in 1752.
Royal Colony – Colony overseen (taken care of) by the king/queen of England.

59. Three Royal Governors: John Reynolds
John Reynolds – Georgia’s first royal governor
Governor from 1754 to 1757
Governor Reynolds created a bicameral (two houses) legislature and the creation of a court system.
Due to a disagreement between Governor Reynolds and the legislature, the legislature was sent home. Reynolds tried and failed to rule Georgia himself.
The British Parliament fired Reynolds in 1757 and said that he was not good at his job.

60. Three Royal Governors: Henry Ellis
Henry Ellis – Georgia’s second royal governor
Governed from
Governor Ellis tried to learn from the mistakes of John Reynolds. Ellis set up a budget and kept track of trade with the Native Americans.
During this time, the size of the colony of Georgia. By 1759, the colony had increased to over 10,000 people, including 3,600 slaves.
In 1759, Henry Ellis became ill and returned to Great Britain. He was replaced as the governor of Georgia in 1760.

61. Three Royal Governors: James Wright
James Wright – Georgia’s third (and last) royal governor
Governed from
After the French and Indian War ended in 1763, Georgia gained a large amount of land.
James Wright was the Royal Governor of Georgia until the Revolutionary War.

62. Failures & Gains of Colony
Few debtors ever reached colony’s shores.
Colony was an economic failure (did not make money).
Many colonists moved elsewhere.
Rum and slavery were eventually introduced after all.
Lack of leadership after Oglethorpe left. The 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 and Carolina were 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.