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Georgia's Charter is Issued
After two years, Parliament finally issues a charter to make Georgia a British colony. James Oglethorpe had created and pushed for the establishment of Georgia as a charity colony. Georgia would relieve Britain from it's overpopulated debtors jails, while lining the pockets of the mother country.This event is important because it marks the beginning of Georgia's history as a British colony. -
Trustees Lift the Ban on Slavery in Georgia
Despite James Oglethorpe's opposition to slavery in the early dreams of Georgia as a colony, the Trustees lifted their ban on slavery and fee-simple land ownership in 1751(Meyers and Williams, pg. 28). This event is important because slavery would continue to shape the history of Georgia and the south. -
Intolerable Acts passed by British Parliament
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Georgia Joins the Revolutionary War
Georgia was a "wishy-washy" state when it came to joining the Revolutionary War. Many prominent Georgians still had close family ties to Britain, and many had even prospered under British rule. However, after the battle of Lexington and Concord, Georgia finally made up its mind to join the Revolution. -
U.S. Signs Declaration of Independence from Britain
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Invention of the Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney's invention of the Cotton Gin completely changed Georgia's agriculture. It made the harvesting of cotton immensely more profitable. The invention shaped the economy of the south so immensely, that the term "King Cotton" was used to describe its importance in the economy. This would lead to increased slave labor and the rise of the plantation economy in the south. -
Georgia Gold Rush
When gold was discovered in North Georgia, which belonged to the Cherokee Nation, Georgia was bombarded by thousands of new settlers looking for gold. This event is significant in Georgia history because it is known as the "Great Intrusion", which would lead to the land lotteries in Georgia, and eventually the removal of Cherokee Indians. -
President Andrew Jackson Signs the Indian Removal Act
This would lead to the Trail of Tears. -
Trail of Tears
Cherokee Indians in Georgia are rounded up and herded out of the area by foot. This event is significant because nearly 4,000 Cherokee people died of starvation, freezing cold temperatures, and illnesses during their evacuation. -
Lincoln is Elected President of the United States
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American Civil War
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Georgia Succeeds from the Union
This event is important because it marks the succession of Georgia and it's allegiance to the Confederacy. -
Emancipation Proclamation Issued by President Abraham Lincoln
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Sherman Begins his March to Sea
This event is significant in Georgia because it marked the begginning of Georgia's loss in the Civil War. Sherman would succeed in his conquest, burning Atlanta and raiding civilian farms along the way, leaving them devastated for the winter. -
Ku Klux Klan founded in Tennessee
They would continue to intimidate, harass, and oppress African Americans and other minorities for decades. KKK uses violence to enforce its rule. -
Georgia Ratifies 13th Amendment
This event is significant because after much debate, Georgia finally ratified the 13th Amendment. The 13th amendment is the amendment which abolished slavery. The abolishment of slavery is significant in Georgia because it granted all of the enslaved African Americans freedom. -
South Surrenders in Civil War
General Robert E. Lee's surrender marks the end of the civil war -
Capital of Georgia is moved to Atlanta
This event is significant because Atlanta would continue to grow in the the booming and famous city that it is today. Atlanta is one of the most major cities in present day United States. -
Camilla Massacre in Georgia
This event is significant because it is one of the most violent occurrences in Georgia during the Reconstruction. Whites ambushed and killed a dozen black people on their way to a Republican Convention in Camilla. -
15th Amendment Ratified
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Henry Grady Publishes "New South"
Henry Grady was very significant in Georgia history because of his ideas of the "New South". After the civil war, Grady pushed for Georgia and the south to begin to diversify their economy. This would change the landscape of our economy from farming only to a healthier, more diverse system. -
Progressive Era Begins
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Jim Crow Era in Georgia
Despite the nations Progressive Era movement, African Americans in Georgia were oppressed by whites between 1890-1920 and beyond (Meyers and Williams, pg. 167). It is significant to note that during the Jim Crow Era, there were lynchings, race riots, mob violence, and the KKK gained momentum. There were hundreds of lynchings in Georgia. -
Georgia Woman Suffrage Association (GWSA) Formed
This event is significant because the GWSA was a branch of the organization NAWSA, which fought for women's rights. The delegates of the group would pass several resolutions, and fought for women to be admitted to UGA. -
Supreme Court Rules in Plessy V. Ferguson to Uphold Segregation
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Atlanta Race Riot
On Saturday, Sat., Sept. 22, whites roamed the streets of Atlanta searching for blacks to attack. This event is significant because, according to Meyers and Williams (pg. 173), by 10 PM the mob had grown into an estimated 10,000. -
NAACP is Formed
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Boll Weevil Arrives in Georgia
The Boll Weevil arrived in Georgia in 1913, and it devoured the cotton fields of Georgia. The Boll Weevil multiplied the struggles of Georgia farmers after the prices of cotton had dropped from 25 cents a pound to 17 cents a pound (Meyers and Williams 182). Since many farmers in Georgia relied on "King cotton" and didn't diversify, the Boll Weevil was a huge blow to the state economically. -
The Great Migration in Georgia
In the 1910s, this event was significant because more than 50,000 African Americans left Georgia because the conditions were so horrible against them. Most of the blacks that moved up north were from south Georgia. -
US Joins World War I
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NAACP Reaches Georgia
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People finally reached Georgia. This is significant because the NAACP fought for the rights and freedoms of colored people. The organization would expand its influence. -
US Enters WWI
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19th Amendment Grants Women the Right to Vote
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Governor Hugh Dorsey Publishes Pamphlet Describing Conditions of African Americans Lives in Georgia
This even is significant because Governor Dorsey wrote about 135 examples of mistreatment of blacks in Georgia. He collected the evidence for two years, and documented lynchings, along with other mistreatment. This event is significant because this was the first time a Georgia Governor cared about blacks or women. (Meyers and Williams, pg.179) -
Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport Founded
This is very significant to Georgia history, because this airport would become the busiest in the world by the 21st century. Delta moved its headquarters to Atlanta, and the result is that almost anyone travelling in the south will have to pass through Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Meyers and Williams, pg. 239) -
The Great Depression Begins
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New Deal Implemented by President Roosevelt in Georgia
This event is significant in Georgia because the New Deal would use federal resources to provide relief to Georgia after the Great Depression. The New Deal would create new jobs, as well as regulate cotton farming in order to raise cotton prices, and administer aid to those in need. -
Eugene Talmadge Elected Governor of Georgia
This even is significant because Governor Eugene Talmadge would be the biggest force in the resistance to President Roosevelt's New Deal programs in Georgia. He would publicly support the New Deal, but would find ways to sabotage its policies and tinker with the distribution of federal funds in favor of whites over blacks. -
Inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt
As a side note of his inauguration, Franklin D. Roosevelt had started visiting Georgia's warm springs to help soothe his legs because of his polio. Since Roosevelt spent so much time in Georgia, he saw how the horrible lives of those in Georgia were at the time. It would lead to Roosevelt's enormous moves to help the people of Georgia and the south through the new deal. -
Georgia's War Industry Booms
This event is significant because it completely changed Georgia's economy, and created new jobs and industries that didn't exist before in Georgia. During WWII, almost every major city in Georgia contributed to the war industrially. -
US Joins WWII
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SACS ends Accreditation of Georgia;s State University System
This event is significant because losing the Accreditation of the University System of Georgia had serious implications for institutions and the students who attended them (Meyers and Williams, pg.197). The SACS made their decision because of political involvement in the Universities of Georgia. -
US Enters WWII
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Brown V. Board of Education
Supreme Court establishes that separate did not mean equal. -
Civil Rights Movement Begins
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Atlanta's Schools Desegregated
Despite the fact that Georgia favored segregation at a ratio of 3:2 (Meyers and Williams, pg. 217), Georgia state government decided not to go with the mass resistance and in 1961 the Atlanta School Board finalized their desegregation plan. This event is important because, finally, Georgia would recognize the decision in Brown V. Board of Education, and move toward desegregation. -
Martin Luther King Jr. Delivers"I Have A Dream" Speech
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Republican Party Rises in Georgia
This event is significant because it changed the landscape of Georgia politics. The Republican party would gain traction in Georgia in the 1980s, and go on to shape the political landscape we have today. -
Confederate Symbol Removed from Georgia's State Flag
The flag before the adoption of this new flag had a confederate battle flag featured on it. This event is significant because it marked the beginning of an era in Georgia in which racism would no longer be tolerated. -
Terrorists Attack USA
