The original intent:
The colony was developed by James Oglethorpe with the following intentions:
- To provide a refuge for insolvent debtors from England.
- To serve as a buffer between the British colonies and Spanish Florida.
- To develop a silk industry.
The reality:
- The colony attracted a wide variety of settlers, including many who were not insolvent debtors.
- Georgia played a key role in the establishment of the buffer between British and Spanish territories, but this was primarily due to military action rather than economic development or population growth.
- The silk industry never became a major success in Georgia.
Reasons for the divergence:
- The British government's policies regarding debtors and the colonial economy changed significantly over the course of the 18th century, which affected the composition and development of the Georgia colony.
- The military threat from Spain and France in the region required a greater focus on defense and security than on economic development.
- Climate and labor factors made it difficult to establish a successful silk industry in Georgia.