James Oglethorpe's Vision: Establishing Georgia for the Deserving Poor

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James Oglethorpe established the new colony of Georgia, with visions to help the deserving poor. With the Industrial Revolution going on in England, many people had a reduced chance of employment and many lost their jobs. One of the three reasons Oglethorpe wanted to establish Georgia, was to help the poor people in England to develop a new start to their lives. James Edward Oglethorpe, a philanthropist and British general, is well known for his strong efforts in helping the poor when he found the 13th original colony, Georgia. James Oglethorpe was a philanthropist who wanted to help the British government and his fellow people in England. James Oglethorpe and his fellow philanthropists asked King George II for a land grant. There were three reasons for this request: to help the deserving poor in England (charity), to serve as a buffer between South Carolina and the Spanish in Florida (military defense), and to support mercantilism (economic). King George II granted the Charter of 1732 to a total of 21 trustees, including Oglethorpe. The Charter of 1732 gave the trustees authority to govern the new colony in honor of King George II. The members of the trust were doing this deed for the good of others. Their motto was “Non The Charter of 1732 was granted to the 21 trustees due to three reasons. One of those reasons was to help the poor gain a new start in their lives. Oglethorpe’s dream was of love for humanity. James Oglethorpe new that many were losing their jobs in England, because of the industrial revolution. Employment rates were lower and the poor were desperate, so Oglethorpe chose put his wealth to good use. Oglethorpe knew that many people in England were placed in prisons due to debts that could not be paid. He believed that if he was given a chance, poor people could be transformed into merchants, artisans, bakers, tailors, and

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