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Georgia was the last of the original 13 colonies.  It was founded by James Oglethorpe who belonged to an old and respected English family. When his college days were over, he joined the army, served under the great Duke of Marlborough, and later was made a general.  Some years later a friend of Oglethorpe’s was thrown into a debtor’s prison for failing to pay money he owed.  General Oglethorpe thought of a plan, which he proposed to King George. "Let us," said he, "form a colony in America, where these distressed people may be given another chance to make their way in the world."  And that is how the Colony of Georgia was founded! 

In 1732, the year in which George Washington was born, plans for the new colony were completed. The English government gave Oglethorpe two thousand pounds, and another large sum was raised by generous friends. The king then granted to the general and his associates, "in trust for the poor," a charter of the territory lying on the seacoast below South Carolina, between the Savannah and Altamaha rivers.  In honor of the English ruler, this land was to be called Georgia. Oglethorpe was to act as governor of the colony.

A brief history of Arizona. Drag the time line to see more events and click on the titles to see a description.

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