US History

Overview of the Georgia Colony

  • Established by trustees under James Oglethorpe

    • Control from 1732 to 1753

    • Transitioned to royal colony after trusteeship ended

    • Initial aims for the colony included creating a prosperous outpost for Britain

Founding of Georgia

  • Early Settlements

    • Oglethorpe arrived in Charlestown to establish a location for settlement

    • Initial consideration of Altamaha River was rejected

    • Final selection: site on Savannah River (Yamacraw Bluff)

Negotiations with the Yamacraws

  • The Yamacraws were indigenous people in the region

  • Key leader: Tomochichi

    • Negotiated for permission to occupy Yamacraw Bluff

    • Resulted in settlement at Yamacraw Bluff, later named Savannah in 1733

Savannah Town Layout

  • Features of Savannah as a planned community

    • Grid pattern streets with central squares

    • Residential lot size: approximately 60 by 90 feet

    • Additional land allotment:

    • 5 acres on the outskirts for tree clearing

    • 45 acres for agricultural use

    • Total land allocation: 50 acres + town lot

Governance Structure

  • Oglethorpe's Leadership

    • Served as the de facto leader; official title and pay were limited

    • Devised strategies for colony’s defense against Spanish threats

Military Preparations

  • Initial population of the colony approximately 125

  • Oglethorpe took trips for reinforcements, including:

    • 1734: brought back Tomochichi to England

    • Established military presence by 1736 with troops

  • Fortifications built to secure against Spanish threats

    • Notable fort on Cumberland Island and St. John's River

Tensions with Spain

  • Spanish-British relations strained over territorial disputes

    • Establishment of forts led to Treaty of 1736

    • Oglethorpe negotiated to ease tensions

    • Agreement included:

      • Abandonment of fort on St. John's River

      • Acknowledgment that border disputes to be resolve by home governments

Prelude to Conflict: The War of Jenkins' Ear

  • Conflict between British and Spanish colonial powers

    • Triggered by incident involving sailor Robert Jenkins

    • Jenkins had his ear severed by a Spanish official

    • War spanned from 1739 to 1748

Georgia's Position during the War

  • Georgia remained loyal to Britain, contrasting with other colonies

  • By 1750s, Georgia was financially unstable, relying on parliamentary support

Transition to Royal Colony

  • Trusteeship ended in 1752, transitioned to a royal colony response to inefficacy

    • Resulted in the appointment of a royal governor

Loyalty of Georgia during Revolutionary Sentiment

  • Maintained affiliation with Britain through the early revolutionary period

    • Eventually joined the revolution much later than other colonies

Colonial Expansion in British America

  • Growth necessitated by an increase in population (1630-1640)

  • Expansion driven by two distinct regional strategies: New England vs. Southern Colonies

New England vs. Southern Colonies Expansion Methods

New England Expansion

  • Community-based settlements to ensure safety and agricultural viability

    • Response to overcrowded conditions; groups migrated together for defense

Southern Colonies Expansion

  • Individual-based settlement methodology through the headright system

    • Each settler received 50 acres of land for paying their passage

    • Families received additional acreage based on ticket numbers

Indentured Servitude

  • Developed alongside the headright system for labor

    • Colonists could contractually bind themselves temporarily in exchange for passage.

Virginia’s Settlement Structure

  • Divided into two main areas:

    • Tidewater region (fertile lands)

    • Piedmont region (frontier)

    • Separation marked by the fall line (geological fault line)

Bacon’s Rebellion

  • Tension in Virginia leading to conflict in the mid-1670s due to:

    • Land pressure resulting from overflow from Tidewater to Piedmont

    • Economic distress due to low tobacco prices

  • Led by Nathaniel Bacon against Governor William Berkeley

    • Began as local defense against Native American groups but evolved into a class struggle

  • Outcomes:

    • Jamestown was burned, causing a shift in governance and political landscape of Virginia

Aftermath of Bacon's Rebellion

  • Collapse of Bacon's Rebellion followed the death of Nathaniel Bacon from fever

  • Resulted in punitive measures against his followers and shifts in colonial policy towards land and natives.