Final answer:
James Oglethorpe's vision for Georgia was an economically self-sufficient military buffer colony providing a fresh start for the 'worthy poor' of England, with an economy based on wine and silk production. The Trustees under Oglethorpe aimed to prevent large plantations, favoring small farms. In time, despite early prohibitions, slavery and alcohol were permitted.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Oglethorpe's Vision for the Georgia Colony
James Oglethorpe envisioned the Georgia colony as a place of economic self-sufficiency and military defense while providing a new start for England's "worthy poor". He envisaged the economy of Georgia to flourish through the cultivation of luxury items like wine and silk, although these industries ultimately failed. Oglethorpe's plan included the distribution of land parcels to encourage small-scale farming and industry. Defense was a critical component as well, with the colony acting as a military buffer between the Carolinas and Spanish Florida, and colonists serving as a militia. The population was to be composed of hardworking immigrants including small farmers, merchants, and artisans, and even allowed religious refugees, creating a diverse society fostering religious liberty, yet Catholicism was excluded and early on alcohol and slavery were banned.
Under the Trustee system, the colony was unique, with land restrictions aimed at preventing the rise of large plantations and promoting family farms. Despite intentions, many colonists faced further indebtedness and Oglethorpe's strict regulations were eventually relaxed to allow slavery and alcohol, changing Georgia's social and economic fabric. In terms of population, the vision included settlement by the deserving poor, giving immigrants fifty acres of land, tools, and a year's worth of provisions to establish themselves.
Aiming to uplift the poor and provide a strategic defense point, the colony's economy, defense, and population were all integral to Oglethorpe's design.