Final answer:
James Oglethorpe named the Georgia Colony after King George II, who had granted him permission to establish the colony. The king saw this project as a strategic move to create a buffer zone between South Carolina and Spanish Florida.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1730s, James Oglethorpe, a member of Parliament, observed the harsh conditions of debtors' prison and the issues resulting from releasing penniless debtors onto the streets of London. Motivated by these conditions and acting as a social reform advocate, he petitioned King George II for a charter to start a new colony. The king saw the strategic advantage of having a British colony serve as an buffer between South Carolina and Spanish Florida; thus, he granted Oglethorpe's petition in 1732. The colony was named Georgia, in honour of the king; therefore, the answer to the question is a) King George I.
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