Georgia Day Video Presentation

February 12, 1733, is considered Georgia’s founding date because that is when settlers officially arrived and began building the colony. Georgia Day is celebrated every year on this date to remember that moment in state history.

Georgia was governed by Trustees who made decisions about laws, land, and settlement rules. They wanted to control the colony from England and guide its development.

Georgia was created partly to protect British colonies like South Carolina from Spanish Florida. It acted as a buffer zone, meaning it stood between rival empires. This made Georgia important for defense and military strategy.

Georgia was created to give poor workers and people in debt a chance to start over. The colony offered land and new opportunities for those who had struggled economically in England.

Slavery was originally banned because the Trustees wanted Georgia to be built on small farms instead of large plantations. They believed this would create fairness and reduce economic inequality. However, this rule later changed.

Spain controlled Florida and competed with Britain for land and power in the Southeast. This rivalry made Georgia strategically important as a defensive colony.

Tomochichi was the leader of the Yamacraw people who lived near Savannah. He worked with Oglethorpe to allow settlers to build on the land and helped create peaceful relationships between Native Americans and colonists. His leadership was key to the colony’s early success.

The Trustees believed small farms would create hardworking communities where families owned their own land. They wanted to avoid wealthy landowners controlling everything.

James Oglethorpe helped plan Georgia’s creation, organize the settlers, and oversee the colony’s early development. He also worked with Native American leaders to create peaceful agreements. Unlike some colonial leaders, he focused on fairness, defense, and helping struggling settlers.

Savannah was Georgia’s first permanent settlement and became the colony’s main port city. Its location near the Savannah River made it ideal for shipping goods, trade, and transportation. Over time, it grew into one of the most important cities in the colony.