Georgia Colony Founded

Oglethorpe with Natives

Georgia, was the 13th and last colony to be established. James Edward Oglethorpe was the moving force behind the founding of the colony. Oglethorpe was a wealthy Londoner who spent his life working with the poor. He believed that the colony would be a better place to send poor people, many of whom were in debtor's prisons. Founding a new colony to the south of South Carolina also served the strategic purposes of England, creating a barrier against the Spanish in Florida.

In June 1732, King George issued a charter for the settlement of Georgia. By the next year, the first 114 settlers arrived at the Savannah to found a new settlement. Very few of the settlers actually came from the debtor prisons. The new colony grew slowly. Many of the early settlers objected to a number of rules that were imposed. They included the outlawing of alcohol and the outlawing of slavery in the colony. Those rules were eventually relaxed and Georgia grew steadily.

To Learn more:
Biography of James Oglethorpe

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