Georgia History

The state of Georgia has a long history. Later, Georgia was one of the original thirteen colonies. Georgia became a state on January 2, 1788 becoming the fourth state of the United States. This state has many native american tribes that lived many years ago, explorers who explored day and night across Georgia, a very interesting government, and most importantly, a bunch of fascinating major events. Such as how cotton became one of the most important industries, the slave trade, and the Civil war.

First People

The Native Georgians were the first people to settle in Georgia; they arrived in 10,000 BCE which was about 12,000 years ago. They lived in small groups that held up to twenty to fifty people. They hunted ice age mammals such as mastodons, sloths, and smaller animals. They also gathered nuts, fruits, and berries. The Native Georgians didn’t stay in one place for long to hunt new animals. On their long journeys they had to walk on foot or paddle across streams. They had to make their own hunting materials and homes, which were made out of reeds, bark, and different grasses.

Explorer & Settlers

Pedro Menendez de Aviles was the first non-Native American person to discover Georgia. He came from Britain to Georgia, in 1566, and explored near the Atlantic Coast. His expedition was a success! They had won the war with the Native Americans, although many had died. The first people to settle in Georgia were the British; they came in 1721. The British settled the Atlantic on the eastside of Georgia.

Cotton

Georgia was very fond of cotton because it grew easily there. It was hard to profit from growing it because removing the seeds took a long time. Eli Whitney built a machine that removed seeds; it was a wooden box that had rollers and metal teeth to pull cotton fibers through a metal screen. It could clean fifty pounds of cotton a day. Whitney’s machine was called gin, short for machine cotton. Whitney’s machine made cotton production highly profitable.

Slave Trade

Savannah, Georgia was the heart of its Slave Trade. The slave trade happened between 1750-1766. Slave traders imported slaves directly from Africa; most came from West Africa. The trip took from four to six months. They were confined on Tybee Island to see if they were suffering from diseases. After that, they were brought to slave markets and were sold to planters and farmers. They served as fieldworkers, blacksmiths, cooks, house servants, mechanics, managers, nursemaids, weavers, carpenters, tanners, and jockeys. In 1768, Georgia legislature banned importing slaves from Africa; enslaved people could no longer be brought into the country legally.

Civil War

Georgia was involved in the Civil War because of slavery. On the eve of the Civil War, Georgia had more slaveholders and enslaved people from any state. Many farmers and merchants owned slaves; they usually own fewer than ten. Slavery became an issue in 1860, although Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery. During the war, young Georgians volunteered to fight. At the end of the War, more than 120,000 Georgians had served in the army. Georgia made guns, swords, gunpowder, and other military supplies. More than 34,000 soldiers had been killed or wounded. The Northern Union won the War.

Executive

The Executive Branch is very interesting with Nathan Deal as Georgia's governor right now; Deal is a republican. A new governor is elected to a four-year term, but a person can serve only two consecutive terms as governor. The governor is director of the budget and has great control of state finances. He appoints hundreds of state officers and members of boards and commissions which most cases are with approval of the State Senate. Other elected state officials are lieutenant governor, attorney general, commissioner of agriculture, commissioner of labor, insurance commissioner, secretary of state, and superintendent of schools who all serve four-year terms. Voters elect five members of the Georgia Public Service Commission to six-year terms; commissioners control rates and services of transportation companies and public utilities.

Legislative

The Legislative Branch also known as the General Assembly has many members. Consists of a Senate of fifty-six members and a House of Representatives of 180 members, which are elected to two-year terms. Annual legislative sessions begin on the second Monday in January and last forty working days.

courts

The courts has many smaller courts inside of it. The highest court in the state is the Supreme Court of Georgia; it has a chief justice and six associate justices elected to six-year terms. Justices choose one of their number to be chief justice. There is also a lower twelve-judge court of appeals. Judges of this court are elected to six-year terms. Chief trial courts in Georgia are the superior courts; they are organized into forty-nine judicial circuits. Each judicial circuit consists of one or more counties which are elected to four-year terms. Below superior courts are state courts, juvenile courts, probate courts, magistrate courts, and municipal courts.

Local Government

The Local Government has many different commissioners. More than 150 of 159 counties are governed by boards of commissioners; these boards have from three to ten members. Georgia’s other nine counties are governed by one commissioner instead of a board. All commissioners are elected; most serve four-year terms. Many counties also have a county manager or administrator. Muscogee County has a joint council-manager with the city of Columbus, Clarke County is with Athens, and Richmond County is with Augusta. In 1965, the legislature passed a home-rule law giving local governments the power to deal with many administrative and service matters without needing amendments to their charters. No charter or amendment may conflict with state laws. Most of Georgia’s cities have mayor-council gov; many have city managers.

Executive

Legislative

courts

Local Government

Georgia Flag

Georgia’s state flag was adopted on May 8, 2003 becoming the third flag in a 27-month period which is a national record. It features an image from the state seal. The thirteen stars represent the original thirteen colonies. The flag has three stripes: the middle one is white and the other ones are red. In the top left corner, there is a dark blue square. In the blue square, there is the state of arms in gold. Across it says wisdom, justice, moderation. At the top, it says constitution. Below it says in God we trust. Surrounding it has thirteen white stars.

Georgia Seal

Georgia’s state seal was adopted in 1914. The image from the state seal is an arch supported by three pillars called the state of arms. It symbolizes the U.S. Constitution. The three pillars represent the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government. There is the State of Arms in gold; across it says wisdom, justice, moderation. At the top it says constitution. Below it says in God we trust. Surrounding it there are tiny gold dots, the date 1776, and the words State of Georgia. On the rim there is a rope.

Conclusion

For thousands of years, people have enjoyed living in the region that we now call Georgia. This fascinating state has a long history of many native american tribes, explorers, Georgia’s government, and major events. Such as the amazing story of how cotton grew, the slave trade, and the Civil war. In the future, Georgia will continue to draw people in and add on to its wonderful history.