Georgia was founded in 1732 by James Oglethorpe to be a safe place for imprisoned English debtors to relocate and start new lives.
Oglethorpe, who was originally a military officer, became a member of parliament in 1722. He became known for his philanthropic interests, which drove him to found in Georgia an asylum for debtors and persecuted Protestants. The organization that Oglethorpe gave the colony was very unique and was characterized by strong military discipline, among other things.
James Edward Oglethorpe, a philanthropist and an English general, along with twenty-one other men, created a charter to settle a new colony which they named Georgia in honor of King George II. The grant established land between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers as well as the waters of these rivers.
