1. How did the Georgia colony start?

2. Why was the GA Colony created?
3 reasons…easy to remember!
“I C.E.D. (said) the reasons for the founding of the GA Colony are:
1.) C. - Charity – to offer a new start to the deserving poor/debtors living in England
2.) E. - Economics – to create a balanced trading policy where England could be more self-sufficient, make $ off of trade with Native Americans, and grow silk, indigo, wine, and other raw materials. (mercantilism)
3.) D. – Defense – to provide a “buffer” between the prosperous South Carolina Colony and the Spanish in Florida.”

3. Why each of these reasons?
1.) C. - Charity – to offer a new start to the deserving poor/debtors living in England.
High number of men in debtors’ prison in England during 1600s-1700s.
Idea was to confine men and have them work inside prisons until debt paid off.
Many poor but worthy individuals thrown into debtors prison or prison for simply not having a job of for not owning land.
At this time in England, a land enclosure movement, was occurring where richer, upper classes (often nobility/the “faves” of the king) with the permission of the King of England seized (took) land from poor peasants and consolidated that land into larger, more prosperous farms for growing cash crops.
Idea is to make $$$ (not just live off the land) so that taxes an be paid so England could recover from war debts and increase its military strength and power in the world.

4. Charity Poverty problems in England
Simply letting the poor out of prison did not help them.
no jobs
could not pay debts (because of no job)
many were homeless and turned to begging or even criminal acts

5. Why was the GA Colony created?
2.) E. - Economics – to create a balanced trading policy where England could be more self-sufficient, make $ off of trade with Native Americans, and grow silk, indigo, wine, and other raw materials.
What does “self-sufficiency” mean?
Why would it be good for England to be more self-sufficient given what was going on in the world (and with other countries) at that time?

6. Economic Gain England was too small to have enough natural resources
Mercantilism
Trade policy to make a nation self-sufficient and wealthy. Colonists were only allowed to trade with Great Britain or other British colonies.
Colonists were to provide raw materials to Great Britain who then turned the raw materials into manufactured goods to sell
Oglethorpe promised Great Britain raw materials such as silk, cotton dyes, wine, spices, and semitropical fruit.

7. Defense
England wanted a buffer colony to defend (protect) North and South Carolina from
the Spanish in Florida
the French in the Mississippi River valley
Indians everywhere
Attempt by John Barnwell (1721)
Built Fort King George
Abandoned because of climate, sickness, and insects

8. Why was the GA Colony created?
3.) D. – Defense – to provide a “buffer” between the prosperous South Carolina Colony and the Spanish in Florida.”
British Colonies
Spanish Florida