The Charter of 1732, which established the colony of Georgia, outlines several key reasons why the Trustees sought to create this new colony in America. The three specific reasons included:
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Charitable Purpose: One of the primary motivations for founding Georgia was to provide a new opportunity for the poor and the indebted. The Trustees aimed to create a haven for individuals who were unable to pay their debts and were facing imprisonment in England. The colony was envisioned as a refuge for these individuals, allowing them a chance to start anew and escape oppression.
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Military Defense: The Trustees recognized the strategic importance of Georgia in terms of military defense. The colony was established as a buffer zone between the British colonies in South Carolina and Spanish Florida. The Trustees believed that by creating Georgia, they could help protect the more established colonies from potential Spanish incursions and threats.
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Economic Development: The Trustees sought to promote economic growth and development through the cultivation of cash crops. They aimed to establish a profitable agricultural economy in Georgia by cultivating crops like silk and indigo. The hope was that the colony could contribute to the wealth of England and reduce dependency on slave labor by encouraging a different kind of land use with small-scale farming.
These three reasons—charitable intentions, military defense, and economic development—were fundamental to the Trustees' vision for the colony of Georgia.