June 9: James Oglethorpe and the Georgia Charter of 1732

On June 9, 1732, King George II granted a royal charter to the Trustees for Establishing the Colony of Georgia in America. The colony was named for the king, but the person most closely connected to the idea was James Edward Oglethorpe, a British reformer, soldier, and member of Parliament. The Library of Congress explains that Oglethorpe had become concerned about poor and debt-ridden people in London and supported the idea of giving them a fresh start in America. Georgia was also intended to serve as a defensive buffer between South Carolina and Spanish Florida.