The Good Forest: The Salzburgers, Success, and the Plan for Georgia

The Salzburgers, a group of migrants from Europe, achieved self-sufficiency in the Ebenezer settlement in Georgia, challenging the notion that only a slave-based plantation economy could succeed. Their story reveals the possibilities in Atlantic colonization and the interwoven themes of Atlantic migrations, colonization, charity, and transatlantic religious networks.

Format: Hardback
Length: 277 pages
Publication date: 01 June 2024
Publisher: University of Georgia Press

Georgia, the last of Britain's American mainland colonies, was founded with the aim of establishing a morally upright society based on small family farms without enslaved labor. However, this vision was not fully realized, and Georgia eventually became a slave plantation society, following the Carolina model. While the failure of Georgia's early aspirations is well documented, the story of the Salzburgers, who migrated from Europe as part of the original plan, offers a different perspective. "The Good Forest" explores the experiences of these Salzburgers in Georgia, where they achieved self-sufficiency in the Ebenezer settlement while adhering to the Trustees' plans. Their settlement was a significant part of Georgia's early population, and their story provides valuable insights into the possibilities of Atlantic colonization. The relative success of the Ebenezer settlement challenges the prevailing narrative that only a slave-based plantation economy could succeed in Georgia. Auman's book highlights the interconnected themes of Atlantic migrations, colonization, charity, and transatlantic religious networks.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780820366104