1. James Oglethorpe and His Friends
The Founding of Georgia
As told by Mrs. Dressel

2. Once upon a time in 1732
There was this guy, James Oglethorpe, who lived in England.
He was a nice guy. He hated the way King George treated the poor people in England.
← James Oglethorpe
King George →

3. Reasons why James wanted to take the poor people from England….
Poor people in England had to go to prison.
People in England had to go to King George’s church –
the Church of England.

4. James had an idea…
James offered to take the poor people to the new country.
King George would get rid of the poor people.
All these people would quit complaining about the King and his rules.
And James said he’d name the new place after King George!
(George → Georgia!)

5. King George thought about this…
Hmmm….
I’m emptying my prisons…
I won’t have all these complainers making fun of my church and my rules…
And I get a place in the new country named after me…
Sounds great!
You’ve got a deal, Jimmy!
← James Oglethorpe
King George →

6. James offered these families some real promise…
They would not be jailed just because they were poor.
They would be given land to settle and farm.
They would have religious freedom to go to whatever church they wanted to go to…or not to go to.

7. Time to go…
James loaded up 35 families who were willing to pack up only what they could carry in one bag. They had to save room to pack up a few tools to use when they arrived in the new land, a lot of room for food on the trip, and then room for the people.

8. The trip…
The trip was long and hard. People didn’t realize just how hard the journey would be. There was not much to do on the ship, people had nowhere to go, and they had to just make it through.
What do you suppose they did to pass the time?
Maybe they told stories… Maybe they tried to imagine or pretend what the new world would be like… Maybe they played games

9. Finally, they arrived….
At last! They arrived in the new world…America!
They were free from the rule of crazy old King George!
They landed in South Carolina and soon met a friendly
half-Creek, half-European woman named Mary Musgrove.

10. A little about Mary
Now, Mary Musgrove was a helpful lady. She was born to a Creek family in the Creek capital of Coweta. This is in what would later be called Georgia. Her father was a trader from Europe who settled in South Carolina.
When Mary was ten, her father brought her to South Carolina to teach her to read and write. He also raised her to learn Christianity. She grew up to learn the ways of both the Creek and the settlers.

11. Some more about Mary…
Mary met her husband, Colonel (pronounced Ker-nel) John Musgrove when he came to make a treaty (an agreement) with the Creek Indians. They fell in love and got married. They started a business, a trading post, near the Creek town of Yamacraw Bluff.
Mary became well-known for her years of work helping during the settlement years as a translator for Oglethorpe.
Mary was important because she could translate for Oglethorpe. What does translate mean?
She grew up in the settler way of life as well as the Creek way of life.

12. James meets Tomochichi
Tomochichi was a Native American chief of a Creek tribe. His land was near a place called Yamacraw Bluff. A bluff is a high place of land that overlooks (looks down over) the Atlantic Ocean. Oglethorpe chose this place to build the first town in Georgia.
This place had a high view down onto the ocean.
It was a great place for them to begin building.

13. Like besties, even… James and Tomochichi
James and Tomochichi became friends. They were thoughtful and kind to each other. They showed the character trait of civility. Civility is showing kindness and thoughtfulness.
← B.F.F.!!→
Like besties, even…

14. The First City
Yamacraw Bluff was a good first place. It was high up and this made it easy to defend or protect from enemies. It would later be called Savannah.

15. The Royal Charter Had Some Rules
To live in Georgia, the people had to follow some rules. They couldn’t just come here to hang out and not do anything. The colony charter required the following things from the people who lived there:
People had to work – either by building, farming, or defending colony
People were not allowed to drink alcohol
People were not allowed to bring slaves to the colony – although this rule was later changed by lawmakers – NOT James.

16. Other Reasons for Settling Georgia
Sometimes, adults do things for more than one reason. James Oglethorpe was a compassionate person, meaning he cared about people. He wanted to help these people in debt to make a better life and get a fresh start. So Georgia was a ‘debtor’s colony.’ Debtors could work to repay their debts, or the money they owed.

17. Other Reasons for Settling Georgia
However, he also helped make the Georgia colony because it was in a place that helped protect the other colonies of America. The state of Florida was not a friendly place to Englanders so Georgia acted as a buffer, or a protective space between Florida and the other colonies.

18. Other Reasons for Settling Georgia
And it was settled to help make more income for England by setting up more places for trading goods. King George could have the colony send him whatever resources were found in this area and he could sell them himself. So this made more money for King George.

19. Now, that you’re here…
Remember how we said they could only bring what they could carry?
They brought a coat, a gun, some food, and some tools.
Think about what they didn’t have, that they might have needed…
What they brought:
*Why did they bring these things?
*Why a hammer, hatchet,
saws, shovels, and knives?

20. In the beginning
The first year or so, the settlers had it really rough. They didn’t understand the climate and the soil conditions here. It was different from where they had farmed before, and they learned by making many mistakes along the way. Land in the Coastal Plain was different from land. in England.

21. In the beginning
They had to hunt and grow their food, they had to live in tents until they made their houses, and had to make clothes until stores and trading posts could be built.

22. In the beginning
Settlers struggled with life in the new region. Some didn’t like the farming life, and some died. Fresh water was necessary but not always easy to get.
It was a struggle, but the colony survived with help from the colony of South Carolina, Mary Musgrove, and Tomochichi. Savannah was beginning to grow!

23. Oglethorpe’s Work is Not Done
Oglethorpe stayed busy. He was a trustee of the town of Savannah. He also traveled west and south of Savannah to make sure it stayed safe.
Why do you think he only had to travel west and south?
He built four forts surrounding Savannah to protect the colony from the Spanish, the French, and hostile Indians. What does hostile mean?

24. Oglethorpe – Still Working
Oglethorpe went to see King George to tell him all about Georgia. He took Tomochichi with him to meet the King and visit other English people. He liked the English people and decided he could trust them. Tomochichi remained friends with Oglethorpe and helped negotiate, or work out peace treaties with other tribes. Without Tomochichi’s help, Oglethorpe might have had a lot more difficulty in settling Georgia or in getting the peace treaties settled.
How do you think Georgia might have been different if Tomochichi had not helped Oglethorpe?

25. Georgia Grows Up
In the time since Oglethorpe brought the families over here, Georgia has been a growing colony now for nearly twenty years. In 1752 it was granted a Royal Colony charter status.
Oglethorpe was not only compassionate (do you remember what that means?), he was also dependable. What does dependable mean?
DEPEND (rely upon) – ABLE (able to): able to rely upon that person
He helped settlers find new homes and the settlers depended on him.

26. Contributions of Historical Figures
Oglethorpe is best remembered for founding, or establishing and settling, the colony of Georgia. Georgia would later become a state.
Mary Musgrove is best remembered for her help in communicating for Oglethorpe and Tomochichi. Without her help, Oglethorpe and Tomochichi might not have ever become friends or made treaties.
Tomochichi is best remembered for his help in granting land to settle Savannah and making peace treaties with Oglethorpe to settle Georgia.

27. Fill in the blanks Word Bank: Tomochichi Savannah difficult grew
Mary Musgrove James Oglethorpe
Georgia was founded by _________________________ with the help of ________________________ and ________________________. The first year was _______________________ but the new colony ______________. _____________________ was the first city in Georgia.
Marsh, 2007

28. Review James took the poor people from England
Started Georgia colony to give poor people a fresh start
People had to work in the colony
Mary Musgrove interpreted between Oglethorpe and Tomochichi
Tomochichi and Oglethorpe made peace treaties
Settlers struggled but made a success eventually
Savannah grew and Georgia was a royal colony

29. Georgia’s Beginnings
Georgia’s past has been filled with many people. Some of these people you will learn about in school, but many of them you may never know unless you choose to find them. Take the time to learn about the state in which you live.

30. Comparisons
How would you compare James Oglethorpe to yourself? What would you put in your side of the chart? What about in the middle? What else would you put on Oglethorpe’s side?
James Oglethorpe
Settler
England
Trustee for Savannah
You!

31. References
Royal Georgia. Georgia Encyclopedia Website. Retrieved on 11/16/2015 from:
Marsh, Carole. (2007). 2nd Grade Social Studies: Georgia, My State. Gallopaede International: Peachtree City, GA.
*Fair Use disclaimer: Images used in this presentation are free use clipart images, and this presentation is to be used for educational purposes only.
Created by: Alecia Dressel, M.E. Freeman Elementary School, Warrenton, GA