🍑Georgia History Unit 3 – Colonial Georgia and the Trustee Period

Key Players and Founders

• James Oglethorpe led the group of Trustees who established the colony of Georgia
• The Trustees were a group of philanthropic noblemen who wanted to create a colony for the "worthy poor"
• Tomochichi was a key Native American leader who helped the early settlers and maintained peaceful relations
  • He was the chief of the Yamacraw tribe
  • Assisted Oglethorpe in selecting the site for Savannah
• John and Charles Wesley were ministers who came to Georgia to spread Christianity to the Native Americans and colonists
  • John Wesley faced challenges and returned to England after two years
  • Charles Wesley served as Oglethorpe's secretary and also had difficulties in the colony
• George Whitefield was an influential minister who established Bethesda Orphanage near Savannah
• Mary Musgrove served as an important translator and facilitator between the colonists and Native Americans
  • She was of mixed Creek and English heritage
  • Operated a trading post near Savannah

Motivations for Establishing Georgia

• The Trustees wanted to create a colony that would serve as a buffer zone between the English colonies and Spanish Florida
• Georgia was intended to be a place where the "worthy poor" could get a fresh start and become productive citizens
  • The Trustees hoped to alleviate poverty in England by sending the poor to the new colony
  • Debtors were also seen as potential colonists who could benefit from a new beginning
• The Trustees aimed to establish a colony based on agrarian equality, prohibiting slavery and large landholdings
• Producing silk was seen as a potential industry for the colony to generate revenue
• The Trustees wanted to limit the power of the colonies and maintain tight control over Georgia's development
• Religious tolerance was promoted in the colony, with the exception of Catholicism
• The Trustees hoped to establish a model society based on their ideals of social and economic reform

Charter and Trustee System

• King George II granted the Charter of 1732, establishing the Trustee system for governing the colony
• The Charter defined Georgia's boundaries from the Savannah River to the Altamaha River and westward to the "South Sea" (Pacific Ocean)
• The Trustee system was unique among the English colonies, as it placed control in the hands of a board of Trustees rather than a single proprietor or royal governor
  • The Trustees had complete authority over the colony for a period of 21 years
  • After 21 years, the colony would revert to the Crown's control
• The Trustees were responsible for recruiting colonists, establishing laws, and managing the colony's affairs
• The Charter prohibited slavery and the importation of rum in the colony
• The Trustees implemented strict regulations on land ownership, limiting each male colonist to 50 acres of land
  • Land could only be inherited by male heirs
  • Colonists were not allowed to sell or mortgage their land

Early Settlement and Challenges

• The first group of settlers, led by James Oglethorpe, arrived in Georgia in February 1733
  • They established the city of Savannah on a bluff overlooking the Savannah River
  • The settlement was laid out in a grid pattern with squares, streets, and lots for homes and gardens
• The early years of the colony were marked by hardships and challenges
  • Many colonists were ill-prepared for the harsh conditions and struggled to adapt to the climate and environment
  • Diseases such as malaria and dysentery were common, leading to high mortality rates
• Food shortages were a persistent problem, as the colonists struggled to cultivate crops in the unfamiliar soil and climate
  • The Trustees' restrictions on land ownership and the prohibition of slavery made it difficult for colonists to establish profitable plantations
• The colonists faced ongoing threats from the Spanish in Florida, who viewed Georgia as an encroachment on their territory
  • Oglethorpe led military expeditions to protect the colony and engaged in diplomatic negotiations with the Spanish
• Despite the challenges, the colonists persevered and gradually established a foothold in the region
  • Savannah grew as more settlers arrived, and new towns such as Augusta and Darien were founded

Colonial Policies and Restrictions

• The Trustees implemented various policies and restrictions designed to shape the development of the colony
• The ban on slavery was a key feature of the Trustees' vision for Georgia
  • They believed that a colony of free, white settlers would be more industrious and self-sufficient
  • However, many colonists viewed the ban on slavery as a hindrance to economic growth and pushed for its repeal
• The Trustees limited land ownership to 50 acres per male colonist, with the intention of promoting an egalitarian society of small farmers
  • This policy discouraged the development of large plantations and hindered economic growth
  • Colonists were not allowed to sell or mortgage their land, which limited their ability to raise capital for investments
• The importation and sale of rum were prohibited in the colony
  • The Trustees believed that alcohol consumption would lead to idleness and moral decay
  • However, the ban on rum was widely unpopular among the colonists and was often circumvented through smuggling
• The Trustees encouraged the production of silk as a key industry for the colony
  • Mulberry trees were planted, and colonists were instructed in the art of silk cultivation
  • However, the silk industry ultimately failed to take root due to the lack of expertise and the labor-intensive nature of silk production
• Religious tolerance was promoted in the colony, with the exception of Catholicism
  • The Trustees sought to attract Protestant settlers from various denominations
  • However, Jews and Catholics were initially banned from the colony, although these restrictions were later relaxed

Relations with Native Americans

• The Trustees recognized the importance of maintaining peaceful relations with the Native American tribes in the region
• James Oglethorpe established friendly relations with the Yamacraw chief Tomochichi and other Native American leaders
  • Oglethorpe and Tomochichi signed a treaty of friendship and alliance in 1733
  • The treaty allowed the English to settle on Yamacraw lands and established trade relations between the two groups
• Mary Musgrove, who was of mixed Creek and English heritage, served as an important translator and facilitator between the colonists and Native Americans
  • She helped to negotiate treaties and maintain peaceful relations between the two groups
• The Trustees attempted to limit the sale of alcohol and firearms to Native Americans, believing that these items could lead to conflicts and social problems
• Despite the initial peaceful relations, tensions between the colonists and Native Americans grew over time
  • As the colony expanded and more land was taken for settlement, Native American tribes were displaced and their traditional hunting grounds were encroached upon
  • The Creek and Cherokee nations, in particular, became increasingly hostile towards the English settlers
• The Trustees' policy of prohibiting slavery in the colony also strained relations with Native Americans
  • Many Native American tribes, particularly the Creek, had adopted the practice of enslaving captured enemies and viewed the English ban on slavery as a threat to their way of life
• As the Trustee period drew to a close, relations between the colonists and Native Americans had deteriorated, setting the stage for future conflicts and tensions in the region

Economic Development and Industries

• Agriculture was the primary focus of the colony's economic development during the Trustee period
• The Trustees encouraged the cultivation of various crops, including corn, rice, and indigo
  • Corn was a staple crop and was used for both human consumption and livestock feed
  • Rice cultivation was introduced in the 1740s and became an important export crop
  • Indigo, a plant used to produce blue dye, was also grown in the colony and exported to England
• The Trustees promoted the production of silk as a key industry for the colony
  • Mulberry trees were planted to provide food for silkworms, and colonists were instructed in the art of silk cultivation
  • However, the silk industry ultimately failed to take root due to the lack of expertise, the labor-intensive nature of silk production, and competition from other regions
• Timber and naval stores (such as pitch, tar, and turpentine) were also important industries in the colony
  • The abundant pine forests provided raw materials for shipbuilding and other construction purposes
  • Naval stores were in high demand by the British Royal Navy and were exported to England
• The Trustees' ban on slavery and restrictions on land ownership hindered the development of large-scale plantations
  • Many colonists argued that slave labor was necessary for the colony to compete economically with neighboring colonies like South Carolina
• Trade with Native Americans was an important aspect of the colony's economy
  • Colonists traded European goods such as tools, weapons, and textiles for Native American products like deerskins and furs
• As the Trustee period drew to a close, there was growing pressure from colonists to lift the ban on slavery and allow the development of large plantations
  • Many colonists believed that these changes were necessary for the colony to prosper and grow economically

Transition to Royal Colony

• As the 21-year Trustee period neared its end, there was growing discontent among the colonists regarding the Trustees' policies
• Many colonists petitioned the Trustees and the British government to lift the ban on slavery, arguing that it was necessary for the colony's economic growth
  • They pointed to the success of neighboring colonies like South Carolina, which relied heavily on slave labor for their plantation economies
• Colonists also sought greater political autonomy and representation in the colonial government
  • The Trustee system, with its strict regulations and absentee governance, was seen as increasingly ineffective and unresponsive to the needs of the growing colony
• In 1752, the Trustees surrendered their charter to the British Crown, and Georgia became a royal colony
  • The transition to royal governance brought significant changes to the colony's political and economic structure
  • The ban on slavery was lifted, and colonists were allowed to purchase and own slaves
  • Restrictions on land ownership were relaxed, enabling the development of larger plantations and estates
• With the introduction of slave labor and the expansion of plantation agriculture, Georgia's economy began to grow more rapidly
  • Rice, indigo, and later cotton became major export crops, and the colony's economic ties with other British colonies and England strengthened
• The transition to royal governance also brought a new political structure to the colony
  • A royal governor, appointed by the Crown, assumed executive authority
  • A colonial assembly, elected by property-owning male colonists, was established to pass laws and represent the interests of the colonists
• Although the transition to royal governance brought greater economic opportunities and political representation, it also marked a significant departure from the original vision of the Trustees
  • The ideals of an egalitarian society based on free labor and small landholdings gave way to a plantation economy reliant on slave labor, setting the stage for Georgia's development as a southern slave state in the years leading up to the American Revolution