The colony of Georgia, located directly in between the English colony of South Carolina and the Spanish colony of Florida, was the subject of frequent military invasions by both sides until the Yamassee War (1715-1716) left the area devoid of people.

In 1732, James Oglethorpe received a royal charter for the Province of Georgia. It was named after King George I. Oglethorpe imagined the area as a refuge for England's poor people, who were crowded together in debtor's prisons. In 1733, 116 settlers arrived in modern-day Savannah aboard the HMS ANNE. Georgia would become the last of the English colonies in the New World. Soon, immigrants throughout the world came to Georgia in the hopes of being awarded generous land grants. Georgia quickly became a major center for the export of rice, indigo, beef and pork.

In 1742, British forces under James Oglethorpe attacked a garrison of Spanish soldiers near present-day St. Simon's Island in what came to be known as the Battle of Bloody Run. After about an hour, the Spanish were defeated and permanently abandoned their attempts to invade Georgia.