European Explorations of GeorgiaHernando Desoto

Key Terms

conquistadorsartisan

colony militia

indentured servant slave

garrisontrustee

chartermercantilism

Hernando Desoto

1539 he sails from Cuba with 600 men, 200 horses, dogs, mules, etc.

1540 he marches into present day Albany, GA

Searching for gold and finds natives

First time these natives have ever seen a white man

Desoto

Desoto’s men have guns, crossbows, armor, and rode horses

Killed thousands of natives

Killed even more by disease, (small pox, measles, influenza-flu)

No gold, and most of his men died from starvation-even Desoto died

Key Terms

Exploration Proprietary colony

Guale Royal colony

Crackers *ReynoldsJames Ogelthorpe *EllisTomichichi *WrightMary MusgroveSalzburgers

Early Spanish Missions

-1565: Captain General Pedro Menendez began a colony in St Augustine, FL

-1566: moved up the coast to St. Catherine’s Island (Santa Catalina) & Cumberland Island (named region Guale pronounced “Wallie”)

-this was first Spanish post on Georgia soil

Missions

-missions on St. Simons Island & at Sapelo (mouth of Altamaha River)

**Due to their missions and colonies, Spain gained control of the New World and this made other European nations like France and Britain resent Spain. They wanted their own “piece of the New World pie”

Spanish Missions in Georgia 1568-1684

England vs. Spain

-Spain’s “Invincible Armada” and England battled at sea:*English captains captured Spanish treasure ships filled with gold, silver, and valuable goods*they burned Spanish settlements

-Spain plans to invade the English channel and take England for Spain. This attack failed due to bad weather, the English had faster ships, and they were ready for the Spanish Armada. They sent burning ships into the Spanish fleet and they broke rank. The mighty Spanish Armada was defeated!

English settlements

After they defeated the Spanish Armada, England ruled the seas and eventually colonized the New World.

-religious freedom -economic gain

mercantilism- system where England would export more than it imported from other countries. This was possible by having the colonies produce the raw materials and then ship them direct to England, where the were used to produce goods such as fabric, sugar, etc.

Permanent settlements

Jamestown- 1607modern day VA, swamp land, malaria, John Smith (if you don’t work, you don’t eat).

Indentured servants- 14 Africans landed at Jamestown in 1619 on a Dutch trading vessel

slaves-indentured servants were replaced by African slaves

England needed a “buffer” between the Carolinas and Spanish settlements in Florida. Georgia became the “buffer.”

- -By 1670, British had settled in South Carolina and Georgia. Established trade routes and stirred up tensions between Spain and the natives.

-hired pirates to raid Spanish missions. By 1685 Spanish settlers left for St. Augustine.

France in the New World

Spain moved out of Guale by 1686, but France

was establishing colonies in the

Gulf coast and in northern Alabama.

Fort King George

Both France and Spain posed a threat to British colonies.

1721- Fort King George ,(a garrison- a fort where troops are housed), was built at the mouth of the Altamaha River. It became a warning point for invaders and established an English presence on Georgia.

Fort King George

Fort King George

James Oglethorpe

A colony for the “working poor”

-Borne 1696 to a wealthy family-Became a member of Parliament’s House of Commons in 1722-he believed debtors shouldn’t face jail time-worked for prison reform after his friend died from smallpox in prison due to a debt he owed

-Oglethorpe along with 20 other influential Englishmen asked King George II for land in the New World where “unfortunate but worthy individuals” could have a second chance and serve England at the same time.

-1732 King George granted Oglethorpe and a panel of trustees a land charter in the New World

The new Colony’s roles-a ‘buffer’ colony that would protect other British colonies from the French, Spanish, and Natives

-economic role: new colony would produce silk, rice, cotton dyes, and wine

-offer religious freedom for protestants that were being persecuted by Catholics in England

-June 7, 1732 King Geroge II granted 21 trustees, (people who hold responsibility on behalf of others), the responsiblity of colonizing Georgia for 21 years.

- the charter, (a legal document that grants special rights and privileges), said the colony held “all those lands, countries, and territories” between the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers westward to the “South seas” (meaning Pacific Ocean).

Georgia’s Charter- had many limits:

- trustees could not own land-trustees could not hold office or make a

profit- colonists could not be: catholic, black,

liquor dealers or lawyers- Trustees received direct orders from the

King- no laws could be passed without his

approval- Trustees has very limited power- they were ”managers”

The New Colonists

-Search for colonists- newspapers and clergymen advertised for new colony

-Promises: each colonist would get 50 acres, tools, enough food for 1 year

-colonists that could afford to pay for passage would receive 500 acres + permission to bring 10 indentured servants

- Colonists agreed to:-defend the colony-land could not be sold or borrowed

against (but could be passed on to a male heir)

-must cultivate land (received seeds and tools)

-must grow mulberry trees for silkworms on land

-must obey ALL rules and regulations

Georgia Plan for colonization- some of the reasons trustees listed on advertisements for colonists to settle the newest colony:

- mild temperatures- rich soil- start a new life

Sir Robert Montgomery said it was the “most delightful Country of the Universe”

**debtors and former prisoners were not allowed to go (the humanitarian reasons behind the colony were long forgotten)

- only a few of the chosen colonists had actually gone to debtors’ prison, and NO ONE was allowed out of jail to make the trip

-Approximately 114-125 men, women, and children boarded the Ann on November 17, 1732.

-it was crowded but mildly comfortable-only 2 deaths were reported and both were infants

On Board- sheep, hogs, ducks, geese, and

several dogs- 5 barrels of wine from Madeira

(islands off coast of Portugal)- 10 barrels of Alderman Parson’s

best beer (why beer and wine)- salted pork, peas, dried beef, sweet

pudding, bread, and hard cider- hardly no fresh vegetables except

onions and carrots (why no vegies)

- nearly 3 months later, the Ann docked at Charleston, South Carolina and stayed for 1 day

- sailed down to port Royal (modern day Beaufort, SC)

Tomochichi- Chief of the Yamacraws