It is not restricted as to color or sex, but is designed especially for the higher education of colored youth. Preparatory, normal, collegiate, agricultural, and theological departments have been organized, and in 1872 there were 7 instructors and 178 students. Oglethorpe university (Presbyterian), also at Atlanta, had 5 professors, 48 collegiate and 62 preparatory students; but it has since been suspended for want of funds. Mercer university (Baptist), at Macon, in 1871 had 5 professors and instructors, 82 students, and a library of 5,000 volumes. It has a theological department. Emory college (Methodist Episcopal church south), at Oxford, in 1872 had 12 professors and instructors, 50 preparatory and 189 collegiate students, and a library of 3,000 volumes. Bowdon college, at Bowdon, Carroll co., had 4 professors and instructors and 22 students. The other institutions classed as colleges are chiefly for the superior instruction of females. The principal are Furlow Masonic female college at Americus, Griffin female college at Griffin, Hamilton female college at Hamilton, the Southern female college at La Grange, the Wesleyan female college at Macon, the Georgia female college at Madison, Marietta female college at Marietta, La Vert female college at Talbotton, West Point female college at West Point, and Monroe female college at Forsyth. The Atlanta medical college in 1872 had 14 professors and instructors and 52 students.

The medical college of Georgia, at Augusta, had 10 professors and instructors, 103 students, and a library of 5,000 volumes. The Savannah medical college in 1872 had 14 professors and instructors, 36 students, and a library of 3,000 volumes. The census of 1870 returns 1,735 libraries, containing 467,232 volumes, of which 545, having 162,851 volumes, were not private, classified as follows: state, 1, with 16,000 volumes; town, city, etc, 4, with 3,730; court and law, 63, with 8,610; school, college, etc, 15, with 41,100; Sabbath school, 369, with 63,114; church, 82, with 16,002; historical, literary, and scientific societies, 2, with 2,000; benevolent and secret associations, 1, with 400; circulating, 8, with 11,895. Besides the college libraries, the principal are those of the young men's library association at Atlanta (3,000 volumes), of the mechanics' and scientific association at Columbus (8,000), and of the Georgia historical society at Savannah (7,000). There were 110 newspapers and periodicals, issuing 15,539,724 copies annually, and having an average circulation of 150,987, viz.: 15 daily, circulation 30,800; 5 tri-weekly, 3,600; 9 semi-weekly, 5,100; 73 weekly, 88,837; 2 semi-monthly, 700; and 6 monthly, 21,950. They were classified as follows: agricultural and horticultural, 6; illustrated, literary, and miscellaneous, 5; political, 93; religious, 4; technical and professional, 2. The number of church organizations was 2,873. The 'number of edifices and sittings, and the value of church property, are shown in the following table:

-Of the thirteen provinces which declared themselves independent in 1776, Georgia was the latest settled. The country lying within its present boundaries was a wilderness previous to 1733, and, though comprehended within the charter of Carolina, had been claimed by Spain as well as England. By patent dated June 9, 1732, George II., in honor of whom it received its name, granted the territory to a corporation entitled the Trustees for settling the Colony of Georgia." The double purpose proposed in the settlement of this region was, on the one hand, to afford a retreat for the destitute at home, and on the other, to secure the frontiers of the. Carol in as from the incursions of the Indians and the Spaniards of Florida. In November of the same year 116 persons were embarked at Gravesend under the direction of Gen. James Oglethorpe, and arrived at Charleston in January, 1733. From this place Oglethorpe explored the country, and soon after purchased a large tract of land from the Creeks. On a high bluff overlooking a river the foundation of a town was laid, which received the name of Savannah. Here the settlement was commenced in the spring of 1733. The condition upon which the lands were parcelled out was military duty, and so grievous were the restrictions to which the colonists had to submit that many returned into Carolina, where the lands were held in fee simple.

The number of inhabitants in the colony nevertheless continued to increase, considerable accessions to its population being received from Germany and Scotland. In 1739 war broke out between Spain and England, and Gen. Oglethorpe was appointed to the command of the South Carolina and Georgia troops. Having mustered 1,000 men and a number of Indian allies, he invaded Florida, but, failing in an expedition against St. Augustine, returned unsuccessful. In 1742 this invasion was retaliated, and a Spanish fleet of 36 ships and 5,000 men appeared in the Altamaha river, took Fort St. Simon, and were proceeding against Fort Frederica, on St. Simon's island, when from a stratagem conceived by Oglethorpe they became alarmed, retired to their ships, and sailed for Florida. Peace was soon restored; but restrictions of various kinds, and especially the prohibition of slavery, rendered the people discontented, and many abandoned their settlements, while those who remained with difficulty obtained a scanty subsistence. The restrictions upon slavery were removed about 1750, and in 1752, the trustees having surrendered their charter to the crown, Georgia became a royal government, with privileges and regulations similar to those of the other colonies.

The first good effect of the change of government was felt in the establishment of a general assembly in 1755. The limits of the colony to this time were the Savannah on the north and the Altamaha on the south, extending westward to the Pacific. In 1763 all the lands between the Altamaha and St. Mary's were annexed to Georgia by a royal proclamation. From this period the colony made rapid progress; the rich swamps and lowlands on the rivers were brought into cultivation, and production rapidly increased. At the commencement of the revolution the colonists did not hesitate to make the grievances of their northern brethren their own, and take part in the coming struggle. In July, 1775, a convention gave the sanction of the colony to the measures of congress, and appointed delegates to that body. During the war that ensued Georgia was overrun by British troops, and the principal inhabitants were compelled to abandon their homes and fly into the neighboring states. In 1778 Savannah was captured, and in 1779 Augusta and Sunbury. In the latter year an unsuccessful attempt was made by the Americans and French to recapture Savannah. Georgia framed its first constitution in 1777, a second in 1789, and a third in 1798, which was several times amended.