Georgia


 * __ Georgia __**

__ Geography __

Georgiais the colony that was furthest south, located south of South Carolina. The Savannah River runs along the boarder between Georgia and South Carolina, and the Ocmulgee and theOconeeRiverswhich start near the middle of the state and flow Southeast out to theAtlantic Ocean. The Appalachian Mountains touch the Northwest corner of Georgia. Georgia is mostly low elevation with fertile soil which is ideal for farming. As a result, Georgia was used to produce cash crops, which are crops grown specifically to be sold such as rice and cotton.

James Oglethorpe

__ History __ Georgia was founded in 1733 by James Oglethorpe; the last of the 13 colonies to be established. The Spanish had claimed the territory for their own in the mid 1500s, and didn’t let the colonists take over without a fight, but they stopped revolts in the 1730s. Georgia was very diverse; there were English, Scottish, Welsh, German, Italian, and Swiss settlers. Also many Protestants who were escaping the repression in England came go Georgia via the Savannah River. Many of the settlers were very religious. In England there were strict and harsh punishments for criminals and debtors. James Oglethorpe had the idea that Georgia would be an escape for where these men could go and work as opposed to dealing with the unforgiving consequences. Many inmates did end up inhabiting the land and working it.

__Economics__ Georgia functioned off of cash crops. In Georgia rice was the main produce grown in addition to indigo, a dye. Men could work a small piece of land rent free for ten years; the downside is that they couldn’t be represented in government. Georgia used, sold around, and sold to England these products being a part of the mercantilism policy. Mercantilism is where the colonies send cheap raw materials to the Mother Country who manufactures them into finished products and sells them back for a high price. This benefits the Mother Country tremendously in terms of money and wealth. Originally Georgia prohibited slaves and the importation of alcohol. Eventually they got sick of these laws and in 1749 Parliament gave in to their demands and Georgia was allowed to have slaves, which was part of salutary neglect. Salutary Neglect is when England allowed its colonies freedom in doing what they wanted because they thought it was important to keep them happy as long as they were still benefiting England and were still loyal. Georgia were indirectly part of the triangle of trade where New England sent guns to Africa, which in turn sent slaves to the South Americas, who sent sugar and other goods back to North America. It was sent to New England, but Georgians’ traded with them to acquire goods.

__ Social __ Georgia was very rural and isolated. It composed of small farms with an occasional rich plantation. Settlers seldom saw each other; towns carried no importance and there weren’t schools. Even mail didn’t reach some parts of the colony. Women were expected to do the household work such as cooking, cleaning, and washing. Georgia wasn’t a huge part of the Great Awakening. The Great Awakening started in New England when Puritans felt that they needed to reconnect to their faith. It spread to everywhere in the colonies, but because Georgia’s so isolated it didn’t have such a strong impact

__ Political __ King George II had a different idea than James Oglethorpe. He thought that it would be a good idea to have land that protected South Carolina from the Spanish ruled Florida territory. That is the reason he made the Royal Charter for the area, and Georgia is named after King George II. Soon Georgia wanted to be represented in government. In 1752, Georgia became a Royal colony which meant that they elected an assembly and the king appointed a governor.

__ Revolution __ During the American Revolution, Georgia almost went through its own civil war. Half of the state supported its independence and the other half wanted to remain loyal to England.

Works Cited

Cayton, Andrew, et al. “Chapter 3: Growth of the American Colonies.” //America-// //Pathways to the Present//. Print.

“Georgia.” //USA// //History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2011. .

“Georgia; Brief History.” //The British Empire//. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2011. .

“Gerogia.” //ABC-CLIO American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. .

“Original 13 Colonies, Founding Dates, and Charters.” //ABC-CLIO American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011. .

“Population of American Colonies, 1630 to 1780.” //ABC-CLIO American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.

“Regional Development of the Colonies.” //ABC-CLIO American History//. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2011.