Province of Georgia

The Georgia Colony was one of the Southern colonies in British North America. It was the last of the 13 colonies established by the Great Britain in what later become the United States.

Related Topics:
Southern colonies - British North America - 13 colonies - Great Britain - United States

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The colony's corporate charter was granted to James Oglethorpe on April 21, 1732, by King George II, for whom the colony was named. Oglethorpe envisioned the province as a less-restrictive penal colony for the resettlement of people in debtor prison for English debtors. One motivation for the founding of the colony was as a "buffer state" or "garrison province" that would defend the southern part of the British colonies from Spanish Florida. Oglethorpe envisioned a province populated by "sturdy farmers" that could guard the border; because of this, the colony's charter prohibited slavery.

Related Topics:
Corporate charter - James Oglethorpe - April 21 - 1732 - King George II - Penal colony - Debtor prison - Buffer state - Garrison - Spanish Florida - Slavery

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The colony's original purpose, according to Oglethorpe's plan, was as a penal colony for the resettlement of people in debtor's prison. The first convicts (with Oglethorpe) arrived on February 12, 1733, at Yamacraw Bluff, a day still celebrated as Georgia Day. For half a century the colony was an important means of relieving overcrowding in British prisons; after the British lost control of the province they created the first colony in Australia to serve the same purpose.

Related Topics:
Penal colony - Debtor's prison - February 12 - 1733 - Yamacraw Bluff - Georgia Day - Australia

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The original charter specified the colony as being between the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers, up to their headwaters (the headwaters of the Altamaha are on the Ocmulgee River), and then extending westward "sea to sea." The area within the charter had previously been part of the original grant of the Province of Carolina, which was closely linked to Georgia.

Related Topics:
Savannah - Altamaha Rivers - Headwater - Ocmulgee River - Province of Carolina

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The Privy Council finalized the document on June 9, 1732. The council of trustees were unable to manage the proprietary colony so the charter lapsed and on June 23, 1752 the trustees submitted a deed of reconveyance to the crown, one year before the expiry of the charter. On January 7, 1755 official ceased to be a trustee colony and became a crown colony.

Related Topics:
Privy Council - June 9 - 1732 - Proprietary colony - June 23 - 1752 - Deed of reconveyance - Crown - January 7 - 1755 - Trustee colony - Crown colony

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From 1732 until 1758 the minor civil divisions were districts and towns. In 1758 the province of Georgia was divided into eight parishes, plus another four added in 1765; in 1777, the original eight counties of the State of Georgia were created.

Related Topics:
1758 - 1765 - 1777 - Counties - State of Georgia

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In practice, settlement in the colony was limited to the near vicinity of the Savannah River. The area of western area of the colony remained the territory of the Creek Indian Confederation until after the American Revolutionary War, when it was ceded to the U.S. in 1805.

Related Topics:
Creek Indian Confederation - American Revolutionary War - 1805

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