Georgia The United States of America "Wisdom, justice and moderation" Atlanta Carol A. Haberkern I Save A Tree Electronic I Save A Books Tree Electronic Books C 2003 I Save A Tree Inc.
Table of Contents Location 5 History before statehood 7 History since statehood 9 State government 11 State flag 13 Current facts 15 Industry today 17 State landmarks 19 Weather and land 21 Animals in Georgia 23 State bird 25 State tree 27 State flower 29 Famous people from Georgia 31 Things to do in Georgia 33 Popular sports in Georgia 35 Fast facts 37 Glossary 39 Web sites / books for information 41 Index 43 Credits 45
Location Georgia is located in the southeastern part of the United States. The Atlantic Ocean and South Carolina border Georgia to the east.. The states of North Carolina and Tennessee border it to the north. Alabama is on Georgia s western border. It is bordered by Florida to the south. The capital of Georgia is Atlanta. It is located in the northwest corner of the state. Atlanta 6
History Before Statehood About 10,000 years ago, the first Native Americans moved into Georgia. Some of the mounds that they built are still standing today. In 1540, the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto arrived. The English wanted Georgia. They fought with the Spanish and won. Georgia was named Indian mounds after George, the king of England. James Oglethorpe arrived with the first English settlers in 1733. When the King began taxing the colonists, the Revolutionary War (1775-1783) began. The colonists won the war. Hernando De Soto 8
History Since Statehood Georgia became the fourth state of the Union in 1788. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin, which cleaned cotton faster than by hand. Georgia used slaves to work on the plantations. Many Northern states were against slavery. Trail of Tears The Civil War (1861-1865) was fought over slavery. The Northern states won the war. Gold was discovered on the land of the Cherokee Indians. The Cherokees were forced to leave on a 1,000-mile walk. The walk is called the "Trail of Tears." Civil War artillery 10
Government Statecapitolbuilding The state government of Georgia is divided into three branches. Governor Sonny Perdue is head of the executive branch. This branch is in charge of carrying out the laws. The legislative branch makes thelaws. Itis made up the Senate and the House of Representatives. Thethirdbranchisthe judicialbranch. Thisbranchinterprets the laws. Georgiahas159counties. Each county has a local government. Governor Sonny Perdue 12
State Flag Georgia adopted its current flag in 2003. The flag has 3 red-andwhite stripes and the state coat of arms on a blue field in the upper left corner. The white stars around the coat of arms represent the13 original states. Georgia is one of them. The words "Georgia s History" are written above these flags. 14
Current Facts State capitol building Georgia s population is 8,186,453.. The state is ranked the10th largest state for the number of people living in it. Georgia covers 57,918 square miles. It ranks 21st in total area. In 1868, the capital city was moved from Augusta to Atlanta. Tallulah State Park 16
Industry Today Georgia peach Georgia is home to many new computer and electronics companies. Georgia factories make textiles including carpets, cloth and yarn. Paper products are made from trees. Coca-Cola s world headquarters is located in Atlanta. Chickens, cattle and beef are raised on farms. Peanuts, cotton and Georgia s famous peaches are grown on big farms. Clay, granite and marble are mined in Georgia and are important to its economy. Textile Plant 18
Landmarks Stone Mountain Panning for gold Crisson s Gold Mine is the site of the first gold rush in the United States. Today, people still pan for gold at the mine. The Appalachian Trail begins in Georgia s Blue Ridge Mountains. Hikers can walk the trail s 2,144 miles to Maine. The faces of Confederate leaders are carved into Stone Mountain. It is one of the largest sculptures in the world. 20
Weather & Land State park The average precipitation in the Georgia lowlands is 50 inches. In the mountains, the average precipitation is 75 inches. The summers are hot and humid. It is cooler in the mountains. Average temperatures range from 47 to 80 Fahrenheit. Hurricanes sometimes hit Georgia, and tornadoes are a threat in the mountain areas. Georgia has mountains, rolling hills, lowlands and swamplands. Lightning 22
Animals In Georgia Bass Many animals live in the Okefenokee Swamp. Alligators, snakes, bears, otters, opossums and deer live there. The mountains have bears, raccoons and deer. Over 160 different types of birds can be found in Georgia. Many species of fish are in Georgia s waters. Some of them are trout, catfish and bass. In 1985, the right whale was named the state marine mam-a mal. It lives in the waters off the coast. Alligator 24
State Bird Brown thrasher The brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) was named the state bird of Georgia in 1935. This reddishbrown bird has a golden breast with dark brown streaks. Brown thrashers like to perch on trees and sing. They build their nests in thick bushes. When these birds become excited, they jerk or thrash about. Baby brown thrashers 26
State Tree Live oak U.S.S. Constitution In 1937, the live oak (Quercus virginiana) was named Georgia s state tree. These beautiful trees grow along the coast and on the coastal islands. Live oak trees are green all year. Timber from the live oak tree is very strong. It is used in boat building. In 1794, the ship the U.S.S. Constitution was built from the wood of live oak trees. This ship was nicknamed "Old Ironsides." 28
State Flower Cherokee Rose The Cherokee rose (Rosa laevigata) was named the Georgia state flower in 1916. This beautiful white flower has a golden center. It blooms in the spring, and sometimes again in the fall. It has a very fragrant flower. It is believed that the Cherokee Indians distributed these plants. Cherokee Rose 30
Famous People Little Richard Georgia is home to former President Jimmy Carter. He was born in Plains in 1924. He was President from 1977 to 1981. Civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., wasbornin Atlanta in 1929. Other famous Georgians include singers Gladys Knight, Little Richard, and Brenda Lee. Juliette Low, Ty Cobb and Kim Basinger also called Georgia home. Martin Luther King Jr. 32
Things to Do In Georgia Science museum Georgia offers many activities for visitors to do and see. In the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, visitors can take boat tours, fish, camp and canoe. In the mountains, visitors like to hike and camp. Six Flags Over Georgia, Stone Mountain Park, Atlanta Underground and the World of Coca-Cola offer many family activities. There are 58 state parks in Georgia. Six Flags 34
Sports In Georgia Atlanta Braves baseball player Georgia s mild weather is ideal for many sports. Golf is popular. The Masters Golf Tournament is held in Augusta each year. Fishing, boating and swimming are some of the favorite water sports available in Georgia. Golf course Four major professional sports teams call Atlanta home. They are the Atlanta Falcons football team, the Atlanta Hawks basketball team, the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team and the Atlanta Braves baseball team. 36
Fast Facts Georgia wildflowers Governor: Sonny Perdue Capital: Atlanta Size: 57,918 sq. miles, 21th in the U.S. Population: 186,453, 10th in the U.S. Major cities: Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah Nicknames: "The Empire State of the South" and "The Peach State" State animal: right whale State bird: brown thrasher State flower: Cherokee rose State tree: live oak State song: "Georgia On My Mind" State motto: "Wisdom, justice and moderation" Native gopher turtle 38
Glossary Cherokee, a group of native Americans that originally lived in some of the southern states. economy, the way a state handles its money and industries. colonists, people who leave their own country to settle in another land. cotton gin, a machine that removes the seeds from the cotton. mounds, high piles of earth. plantations, large farms where cotton, tobacco and sugar are grown. slavery, when people own other people as property. textile, cloth, material and knitted things. timber, wood used for building. thrash, to quickly move and toss. 40
Links & Books For more information Link1 Link2 Link3 Link4 TITLE: Georgia AUTHOR: Nancy Robinson Masters PUBLISHER: Children s Press COPYRIGHT: 1999 TITLE: The Colony of Georgia AUTHOR: Brooke Coleman PUBLISHER: PowerKids Press COPYRIGHT: 2000 TITLE: Georgia: Facts and Symbols AUTHOR: Emily McAuliffe PUBLISHER: Hilltop Books COPYRIGHT: 1999 Visit our website @ www.isaveatree.com 42
Index Blue Ridge Mountains, 19 Carter, Jimmy, 31 Civil War, 10 Coca-Cola, 18, 34 factories, 17 King, Martin Luther, Jr., 31 Masters Golf Tournament, 35 oak, live, 27, 28 Oglethorpe, James, 8 Okefenokee Swamp, 23, 33 "Old Ironsides," 28 peaches, 18 Perdue, Sonny, 11 Revolutionary War, 8 rose, Cherokee, 29, 30 thrasher, brown, 25, 26 "Trail of Tears," 10 whale, right, 24 44
Credits Written by Carol A. Haberkern Edited by Linda Coyner Produced by Robert Rance Technologies Doug Meyers Design Dan Mader Photo credits Courtesy of Secretary of State Web site www. sos.state.ga.us Site Administrator Mary Ann Sullivan www.arttoday.com I Save A Tree Inc. reserves the right to remove or exchange any photo/illustration at any time without notice. 46