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History and Politics of Georgia

By mstoner
  • First Permanent English Settlement in America is Made in Jamestown

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  • Oglethorpe Establishes City of Savannah and British Colony of Georgia

    Had it not been for James Oglethorpe and his crew, the state of Georgia would not be what it is today. Oglethorpe establishes the city of Savannah, creating the last and 13th colony, the Georgia colony. The Georgia colony was a fresh start for debtors and other prisoners who were shipped over from England. This colony was ruled and founded by a Board of Trustees whom resided in England. Georgia was named for King George the II and acted as a buffer zone to protect from the Spanish in Florida.
  • Floridian Spanish Colonies Invade the Georgia Colony (Georgia - Atlanta, Sherman's March & Martin Luther King Jr.)

    Despite Georgia serving as a buffer zone between Florida and South Carolina, Georgia was still attacked by the Spanish colonies. This skirmish was during the War of Jenkins' Ear. The Spanish attacked because they wanted to claim Georgia for their crown but were unsuccessful. The British felt as though the Spanish's attempted occupation of Georgia was illegal and fought back, and fought hard. The Spanish lost, and this was their last attack on East Coast British colonies.
  • Georgia Appoints Their First Royal Governor (GA History, 2016)

    John Reynolds is appointed by the president of the Board of Trade Lord George Halifax of England. Unfortunately Reynolds' time as royal governor was controversial and disappointing. He often said that as soon as a better opportunity presented itself to him that he would move on from being Georgia's royal governor. He was more commanding than supportive and left the colonists feeling agitated. The Board of Trade eventually called Reynolds back to England and terminated his position in Georgia.
  • Revolutionary War Begins: the Shot Heard Around the World

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  • Benjamin Franklin is Appointed as the First Postmaster General

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  • Georgia Signs Declaration of Independence from Britain (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    3 Georgians, Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, and George Walton, represent Georgia at the Second Continental Congress. They signed the Declaration of Independence and America was now free from British rule. Now on July 4th each year we celebrate our independence as a free nation. To honor the men who signed for us as Georgians we now have counties named after them in their honor: Gwinnett, Hall, and Walton County. Had it not been for them the state of Georgia could have turned out quite different.
  • The British Surrender to Americans at Yorktown

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  • Treaty of Paris of 1783 is Signed and Revolutionary War is Over

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  • The Constitutional Convention Approves the Constitution

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  • The U.S. Constitution is Ratified

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  • The Residence Act is Passed

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  • Competition for Design of the White House and U.S. Capitol Begins

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  • The Capital is Destroyed by Arson in War of 1812

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  • Gold found in northern Georgia begins the Georgia Gold Rush (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    Gold is found in the north Georgia mountains and starts the Georgia Gold Rush. This becomes the most profitable and prolonged gold rush east of the Mississippi River. This rush was so big it completely overshadowed the rush that previously happened in North Carolina. This was a large source of income for those who struck it "lucky". As a result, the Natives living on this land were pushed out by miners and investors. Today there is tourism in Dahlonega, Georgia where the gold used to be.
  • Indian Removal Act

    (Primary Documents in American History)
  • Cherokee Indians Forced to Walk Trail of Tears (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    Georgia was home to many Native Americans including the Cherokees. The Native Americans were a growing problem for Georgians, so much so that they had a supreme court case against them (Worcester v. Georgia). The Georgians were so frustrated by this that they created the Indian Removal Act as a means to an end. Cherokees were forced to leave Georgia by the Trail of Tears, from Georgia all the way to Oklahoma. This was a horrible event for the Cherokees who had to endure this trauma.
  • Texas is Annexed Back Into the U.S.

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  • The Mexican-American War Ends With the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago

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  • Dred Scott v. Sanford Supreme Court Case

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  • Georgia Secedes from the Union (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    Georgia was the 5th state to succumb to the succession crisis. This happened as the Civil War was brewing but not quite yet started. The Secession Convention met in Milledgeville, Georgia and created the state's newest Constitution since 1798. This event sparked a fire for the beginning of the Civil War. Georgia's secession from the Union remarkably changed the course of the state's history.
  • The Civil War is Started on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina

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  • Sherman's March to Sea (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    Union Major General William Tecumseh Sherman sets off on a trail in Georgia to burn everything from Atlanta to Savannah. Sherman belonged to the Union and was dead set on winning the Civil War. Not only did his fire destroy infrastructure, it also destroyed the morale of Georgian Confederates and southern soldiers everywhere. Georgia in shambles completely crippled the Confederacy and sped up the end of the Civil War. Everyone from Atlanta to Savannah surrendered in turn without siege.
  • Richmond, Virginia is Abandoned by the Confederacy

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  • New South (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    Henry Grady, a newspaper editor and Georgia native, coined the term "New South". To the Georgia native, New South meant abandoning agricultural money-makers and modernizing their economy, leaving farms for factories. This was directly after the Civil War, so those who supported this idea also supported the idea of harmony and fewer racial tensions as well as sectional reconciliation. As a result, the Reconstruction began in Georgia and the south began to see many changes in their New South.
  • 14th Amendment to the Constitution is Ratified

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  • Georgia is Restored to the Union (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    After restoring black men to the state legislature, Georgia is the last state to be readmitted into the Union just as they were last to become a colony. At this time Georgia claimed more territory that now belongs to Alabama and Mississippi. Despite rejoining the Union two years prior to this they Georgia was then removed again due to removing the black population from their state legislature. The Democrats had thankfully won commanding majorities in both houses of the General.
  • Financial Panic After the Civil War Ensues

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  • Atlanta Compromise Speech (The Civil Rights Act of 1964: A long struggle for freedom booker T. Washington's "Atlanta compromise" speech)

    Booker T. Washington gives his Atlanta Compromise Speech, sparking some opinion in the south. He gives this speech, mostly directed to African Americans, encouraging them to "cast down their buckets where they are". At this time black were still heavily oppressed and Washington was trying to be a guiding light for them. Abolitionist and speaker Washington advocated for blacks, instructing them to take the current situation in strides and thrive regardless.
  • The Spanish-American War Begins

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  • African Americans are Disenfranchised

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  • NAACP is Founded

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  • Race Riot of Millen, Georgia (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    In Millen, Georgia race riots began when the only 3 black Masonic lodges of the town were burned by angry whites. These angry whites were the same people to lynch more than 3 black men as well. It was also said that several black churches were burnt down, as Jim Crow laws were still in place and "separate but equal" was deemed fair by most white people. This mob was sparked by the murder of 2 white police officers who had been shot by blacks at the time.
  • Distribution of Alcohol in the U.S. is Prohibited by the 18th Amendment

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  • Boll Weevil Destruction (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    This pest first appeared in Thomasville, Georgia. As a result, one of Georgia's biggest money crops, cotton, was at a steep decline for almost 60 years afterwards. Despite Georgia's cries for help, Congress unfortunately ignored Georgia, leaving them in a state of complete destruction. Farmers were left hopeless, giving up and leaving their farms in complete shambles. The cotton industry in Georgia almost totally disappeared.
  • The U.S. Stock Market Crashes

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  • Eugene Talmadge is Elected as Georgia Governor (Eugene Talmadge)

    Talmadge was a well-revered Georgia governor, serving three consecutive terms. Unfortunately before his fourth inauguration he passed away. Prior to being the state's governor, he served as an attorney. Governor Talmadge was awarded the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1932. Despite other Georgia governors successfully running for senate, Talmadge did not. Under his lead property taxes, utility charges, and license tag costs were all lowered.
  • The Public Works Branch is Created by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt

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  • The U.S. Buckles Down to Prepare for an Attack During WWII

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  • Bell Bomber Plant is Created in Marietta, Georgia (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    The Bell Aircraft Corporation, otherwise known as the Bell Bomber, was stationed in Marietta, Georgia to crank out B-29 bombs. The reason Marietta was chosen was because President Roosevelt thought it would be wiser to build bombs away from the coast. This plant transformed Marietta and played a large part in helping the Allies win WWII. This Bell plant was the south's biggest military manufacturer measuring in at 4.2 million square feet.
  • The U.S. Drops Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Hopes to End WWII

    (The American Experience in the Classroom: Timeline)
  • CDC is Created in Atlanta, Georgia Centers for Disease Control Prevention (Historical perspectives history of CDC)

    The Communicable Disease Center, better known as the CDC, is founded by Dr. Joseph W. Mountin. Georgians looked up to him as their new public health leader. They began with less than 400 employees, keeping southeastern states Malaria-free during WWII in war zones, but now they wanted to branch out to all diseases. Eventually the CDC is nationalized and becomes an important resource for all of America, despite starting in the small southern state of Georgia.
  • The Cold War Begins

    (The American Experience in the Classroom: Timeline)
  • Magnolia Room Sit-In Happens in Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia History - New Georgia Encyclopedia)

    The Magnolia Room was apart of Rich's, an upscale department store where only whites could eat, use the bathroom, and whatnot. African Americans could shop here at Rich's but were not allowed to do anything else. Black students from Atlanta planned a sit-in at the Magnolia Room, protesting the Jim Crow laws that stated separate but equal. After Dr. King was arrested at a sit-in at Rich's this particular location became a hot spot for any sit-ins or protests afterwards.
  • Carl Sanders is Elected as Georgia Governor (Carl Sanders)

    Carl Sanders served his country in WWII as a plane pilot before being elected as governor 20 some years later. Under his lead he completely reorganized the state's education system, hired thousands of new teachers, and created the Governor's Honors Program. Sanders elected the first blacks to the Georgia State Patrol and National Guard, a big deal during the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s. He successfully calmed down several "racial disturbances" and encouraged Georgians to be kind.
  • The National Historic Preservation Act is Passed to Respond to Destruction of Historic Resources

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  • Jimmy Carter is Elected as Georgia Governor (Jimmy Carter)

    Before Jimmy Carter was a governor, he served in the Navy as a submariner. Despite losing his first gubernational campaign he won his second one and rightfully became the governor of the state of Georgia. During his time as governor he served on the National Governors’ Conference Executive Committee. A few short years after, he announced he would be running for president in the upcoming presidential campaign. Carter was so loved that not only was he our governor but our president once too.
  • Roe v. Wade Supreme Court Case Decision Supports Women's Right to an Abortion

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  • Steve Jobs Creates Apple

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  • Bill Gates Creates Microsoft

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  • Jimmy Carter, Former Georgia Governor, Becomes President of the United States

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  • The Space Shuttle Challenger is Destroyed in Freak Accident

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  • The Persian Gulf War Begins

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  • The Soviet Union Falls and the Cold War Finally Ends

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  • Summer Olympics are Held in Atlanta, Georgia for the First Time (Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics)

    The Summer Olympics are held for the first time in the state's capital Atlanta. Unfortunately Georgia experienced terrorist bombings during this time in the Centennial Olympic Park near the Olympics. Despite this tragedy Americans and others alike held many new records for firsts such as women's football making its first appearance. Hubert Raudaschl became the first Olympic athlete to complete in nine consecutive games. Michael Johnson was the first man to run and win both the 200m and 400m.
  • September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon

    (The American Experience in the Classroom: Timeline)
  • Sonny Perdue is Elected as Georgia Governor (Sonny Perdue)

    Sonny Perdue won the vote for Georgia governor against Roy Barnes. Perdue was the first Republican elected as governor since 1872 and many Georgians liked this. Georgians were such a fan of him that he was reelected in 2006 for a second term. Perdue improved Georgia school systems, gave Georgians better access to health care, and created more jobs. Before he was governor he successfully ran for state senate and became majority leader in just a few short years.
  • The War in Iraq Starts

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  • Barack Obama Becomes the 44th President of the United States

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  • Nathan Deal is Elected as Georgia Governor (Nathan Deal - New Georgia Encyclopedia) (Nathan Deal)

    Before Nathan Deal served as a Georgia governor he was part of the U.S. House of Representatives. He also worked as a lawyer, assistant district attorney, and judge before serving his time as Georgia governor. In 2014, he signed a bill allowing "...licensed gun owners to carry firearms in public places, including schools, bars, churches, government buildings, and elsewhere." Deal was so well loved by the Georgia population that he ran for a second term in 2015.
  • Brian Kemp Becomes Governor (About Governor Brian P. Kemp)

    Brian Kemp becomes governor after winning the majority vote. Some would say he looks out for the "little guy", as he started out his own first small business 40 some years ago with nothing but a pick-up truck. His mission is to put "hard working Georgians" at the top of his priority list. Thanks to him, Georgia was the first state in the nation to re-open after the COVID outbreak and now we are at a record low for unemployment. Kemp has even been re-elected as of 2022 to serve a second term.
  • Georgia Shuts Down During Coronavirus Outbreak (Georgia - Coronavirus State Actions 2020)

    On this day in history the state of Georgia shuts down due to a COVID outbreak. Kemp orders all schools to shut down on this day and many children did not have what was considered a "normal" school experience until almost 3 years later. On this same day, Kemp also held a press conference to encourage Georgians to support small businesses during the shutdown. Kemp then signed an amended fiscal year budget to reach into Georgia's rainy day funds to support Georgians and combat COVID-19.
  • Georgia Republicans Suspend State Senator Who Wants to Impeach District Attorney for Indicting Donald Trump (Georgia Republicans suspend state senator who wants to impeach DA for ...)

    Georgia's Republican Senate make a decision to suspend a state senator who wants to impeach District Attorney Fani Willis for indicting former president Donald Trump. The caucus announced on this date that they were suspending state Sen. Colton Moore who represents the northwest corner of the state of Georgia. They believe he misled Georgians and caused unnecessary tension and wanted to do away with him, so they did. Georgia's Republican party is split among those who support Trump.