Georgia/US History Timeline

By Blakaboo92
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    1721 British Built Fort King George (Georgia History)

    Fort King George was the British garrison of the Georgia colony, located in Darien at the mouth of the Altamaha River. It was established as the southernmost outpost of British North America and became the stronghold for the coveted southeastern region.
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    1727 King George II Succeeds his Father, King George I (U.S. History)

    Around the time that Fort King George was built, it was named in honor of King George I. Six years later George the first passed away, and his son King George II succeeded. This marks a very important part in not just Georgia history but U.S. as well, as the colonies were at war with England during King George the II's reign.
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    1732 King George II Issued Georgia First Official Charter (Georgia History)

    Trustees chose Savannah as the colony's first settlement. Agreement reached between colonists and lower Creek Indians. Savannah played a major role in importing and exporting goods to and from Great Britain.

  • 1733 The Molasses Act (U.S. History)

    The Molasses Act was passed by the English Parliament and imposed heavy duties and molasses, rum and sugar imported from non-British islands in the Caribbean to protech the English planters there from French and Dutch competition. Around this time, taxing on the colonists began to become higher and higher encouraging many of the colonies to rebel including Georgia. Although many colonists in Georgia were still loyal to England, this may have been a determining factor on their decision to rebel.

  • 1740 The Hanging of Slaves and King George's War (U.S. History)

    Fifty black slaves are hanged in Charleston, South Carolina, after plans for another revolt are revealed. Also in 1740, in Europe the War of the Austrian Succession begins after the death of Emperor Charles IV and eventually results in France and Spain allied against England. The conflict is known in the American colonies as King George's War and lasts until 1748.

  • 1742 Battle of Bloody Marsh (Georgia History)

    The Battle of Bloody Marsh between the Spanish and the English happened this year. The English defeated the Spanish in attempts to invade St. Simons Island. I included this event as significant because I myself have been a long time resident of St. Simons Island and it is my current home.

  • 1765-1767 Passing of Controversial Stamp, Sugar and Townshend Acts (U.S. History)

    Outrage was spread throughout the colonies when Great Britain began to inflict outrageous taxation laws on them. This caused more rebellion towards Great Britain with events such as the Boston Tea Party. This ultimately lead to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War.

  • 1766 Stamp Act Rescined (Georgia History)

    South Carolina threatened to invade Georgia. They had already captured two Georgia ships from the Savannah port and destroyed many cargoes. Before the great alliance of the colonies, it seemed as if many of the colonies were at war with each other.
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    1774 First Continental Congress is held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (U.S. History)

    The Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia at the time was considered to be one of the most important events in American History. It led to discussions and plans to break away from Great Britain permanently and establish their own country.
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    1774 First Continental Congress held in Philadelphia (Georgia History)

    In this year, the first ever Continental Congress of the colonies was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Despite the gathering of most of the colonies, Georgia was the only colony at the time that chose not to attend. The Continental Congress was considered one of the most important historical events during the foundation of the United States.

  • 1776 Declaration of Independence is Drafted and Signed (U.S. History)

    Thomas Jefferson drafted the D of I, and Independence was formally declared on July 2, 1776. It was a date that John Adams believed would be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. The final text of the D of I was approved on July 4, 1776 but was not actually signed until August 2, 1776

  • 1776 Button Gwinnett 3 Men from Georgia Sign the Declaration of Independence (Georgia History)

    Button Gwinnett, George Walton, and Lyman Hall were the three Georgia signers of the Declaration of Independence. Their bravery long ago, and willingness to attend the first Continental Congress in 1776 with 53 other men, helped establish the freedoms that define our nation today. There are 3 separate counties in Georgia named after them.

  • 1800 The U.S. Capitol is moved from Philadelphia to Washington D.C. (U.S. History)

    President Washington first took office in New York City, but, but when reelected the capitol had already moved to Philadelphia where it would remain for a decade. Fittingly, Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated in the new and lasting capital of Washington D.C.

  • 1807 State Capitol of Georgia moves to Milledgeville (Georgia History)

    Throughout history, Georgia has had a total of 5 state capitols. In 1800 the capitol moved from Louisville to Milledgeville. Not too long afterwards, Georgia's capitol became Atlanta, its current and hopefully final destination.

  • 1812 The War of 1812 Begins (U.S. History)

    The War of 1812 was a military conflict that lasted from June of 1812 to February of 1815. It was fought between the United States of American and the United Kingdom. By the war's end in early 1815, the key issues had been resolved and peace returned with no boundary changes.

  • 1812 The War of 1812 Begins (Georgia History)

    Colonists as well as their Native American allies (Creek Indians) forge together and fight against Great Britain in the War of 1812. A great percentage of the Native Americans were tribes from Georgia.

  • 1860 Antebellum Period States Begin to Seceed (U.S. History)

    As the outrage over slavery raged in the northern sectors of the United States, there was equal outrage over land owners having to give up their slaves in the southern states. This caused many of them to secede from the country as a whole.

  • 1861 Events Lead to Georgia Seceeding from the Union (Georgia History)

    Democratic presidential candidate Stephen Douglas campaigned in Atlanta a week before the election. Despite his efforts, Lincoln was victorious. This left Georgians concerned about the outcome of their economy by having to give up slaves on their plantations. The Georgia Governor at the time signed an act passed by the Georgia legislature calling for a secession convention.

  • 1861 The Confederate States of America is Formed (U.S. History)

    The Confederate States of America were formed with Jefferson Davis, a West Point graduate and former U.S. Army officer elected as president. The Confederate States included Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas.

  • 1861 Auction and Negro Sales Take Place in Atlanta Georgia (Georgia History)

    When the Civil War began, the southern economy was in full swing. Many slaves began to be auctioned off to wealthy plantation owners. Atlanta Georgia was the slave trade hub across the south.

  • 1862 Battle at Antietam (US History)

    At the time the Battle of Antietam was considered the bloodiest day in US military history as General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Armies were stopped at Antietam in Maryland by McLellan and numerically superior Union forces. By nightfall 26,000 men were dead, wounded, or missing. Lee then withdrew to Virginia.

  • 1862 Weapons Removed from the Golden Isles (Georgia History)

    General Robert E. Lee requested permission from Governor Joseph E. Brown to dismantle the batteries on Jekyll Island as the inhabitants of the island and Brunswick had removed inland. Major Edward C. Anderson removed the guns and sent them to Savannah.

  • 1863 President Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Procolmation (US History)

    President Lincoln issued the final Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in territories held by the Confederates and emphasized the enlisting of black soldiers in the Union Army. The war to preserve the Union then became a revolutionary struggle for the abolition of slavery.

  • 1863 Georgia Captured at Fort Pulaski (Georgia History)

    On April 11, 1863, Confederate Forces were captured by the Union Army. The Union Army used rifled cannon and compelled the Confederate garrison inside Fort Pulaski to surrender. The siege was a landmark experiment in the history of military science and intervention.

  • 1864 Atlanta Left in Ruins (Georgia History)

    After destroying Atlanta's warehouses and railroad facilities, Sherman with 62,000 men began their march to sea. President Lincoln approved to the idea after Sherman exclaims, "I can make Georgia howl!"

  • 1864 Sherman's March to Sea (US History)

    General William T. Sherman lead a March through Georgia, which terrorizized its citizens and used a scorched earth method to ruin Georgia's economy. The march came to an end in Savannah, Georgia. Sherman decided to spare Savannah and give it as "a Christmas gift" to President Lincoln.

  • 1864 Sherman's March to Sea in Georgia (Georgia History)

    General William T. Sherman lead a March to Sea in Georgia using a scorched earth technique. He and his army terrorized Georgia's citizens and destroyed Georgia's crop economy, leaving the state in an economical crisis. Sherman decided to preserve the city of Savannah due to its beauty and present it as a "Christmas gift" to president Abraham Lincoln. Georgia's governor surrendered not too long after the march.

  • 1865 13th Ammendment Approved (US History)

    The US Congress approved the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, to abolish slavery. The amendment was then submitted to the states for ratification.

  • 1865 General Lee Surrenders (US History)

    On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army to General Ulysses S. Grant at the village of Appomattox Court House in Virginia. Grant allowed Rebel officers to keep their side arms and permitted soldiers to keep horses and mules.

  • 1865 President Abraham Lincoln Asassinated (US History)

    On April 14, 1865 President Lincoln was assassinated at the Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. John Wilkes Booth was the culprit. This was seen as a tragic event for America due to the plans that President Lincoln had for Reconstruction. Booth eventually died from wounds and all of his partners/conspirators were hanged.

  • 1865 Jefferson Davis Captured (Georgia History)

    Former Confederate States President Jefferson Davis was captured in Irwinville, Georgia. Although discovered by Union troops after the war had ended, Davis still had hopes for the future of the Confederacy. Publicly he was forced to flee the Confederate capital in Richmond, Virginia.

  • 1868 President Johnson Impeached and Aqquited (US History)

    The US House of Representatives voted 11 articles of impeachment against President Andrew Johnson, nine of which cited Johnson's removal of Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, a violation of the Tenure of Office Act. The House vote made President Johnson the first president to be impeached in US History.

  • 1868 State Legislature Expels Negroes (Georgia History)

    The Georgia State Legislature expelled 28 Negro members. Four were so light skinned that it was not possible to determine if they met the one eight requirement, so they were left along. Georgia's representatives were sealed.

  • 1870 15th Amendment of the Constitution Ratified (US History)

    The 15th Amendment of the Constitution is ratified which gave African American men the right to vote by declaring that "the right of citizens of the United States shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. The promise of the 15th Amendment would not fully be recognized for almost a century. Through the uses of poll taxes and lit. tests, southern states were unfairly able to disenfranchise Blacks.

  • 1870 Terry's Purge (Georgia History)

    The African Americans who were expelled from legislature returned. At the same time 29 whites were removed. This angered much of the state because the culture of the south was still not open and welcoming towards African Americans.

  • 1886 The Introduction of Coca-Cola (Georgia History)

    Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist named John Pemberton, otherwise known as "Doc." He fought in the Civil War, and at the end of the war he decided he wanted to invent something that would bring him commercial success. Usually, everything he made failed in the pharmacies. Coca-Cola was his major breakthrough.

  • 1891 Jim Crow Laws Enacted in Georgia (Georgia History)

    Jim Crow Laws were enacted in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and Tennessee. The laws separated blacks from whites from public schools, bathrooms, colleges, parks, etc... They lasted for over 70 years.

  • 1901 President William McKinley Asassinated and Theodore Roosevelt Becomes President (US History)

    During McKinley's 2nd Inauguration he was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgsz, in Buffalo, New York. McKinley later died from his wounds on September 14th. He was succeeded by vice President Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt was known to go down as one of the most recognizable US Presidents in history, well known for his appearance and dedications to America.

  • 1910 Uvalda Killings (Georgia History)

    On July 4, three blacks were killed at Uvalda, Georgia over James Jeffries loss to Jack Johnson in a boxing match. Riots also occurred in Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, New York, and Norfolk as a result.

  • 1917 The United States Enters World War I (US History)

    The US entered World War I, declaring war on Germany and Austria-Hungary. It was 3 years after the conflict began in 1914, when Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Serbia.

  • 1920 19th Amendment of the Constitution is Ratified (US History)

    The 19th Amendment was ratified giving women the right to vote. This was a major turning point in United States History, and basically the first time in which feminism was realized on a national level. Before the new law, women demonstrated acts of rebellion and protest with popular activists such as Susan B. Anthony, and Sojouner Truth.

  • 1921 Boll Weevil Crisis (Georgia History)

    The dreaded Boll Weevil reared its ugly head. The tiny insect ravaged Georgia and South Carolina cotton crops. Cotton production was cut in half in both states which marked a devastating impact on their economies.

  • 1927 Georgia Warm Springs Foundation (Georgia History)

    The Georgia Warm Springs Foundation treatment for sufferers of poliomyelitis was founded by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Many did not know that Franklin himself suffered from polio and was reclined to a wheelchair for most of his life. It was a secret that was highly protected until the end of his life. Now the Foundation is headed by The March of Dimes.

  • 1929 Beginning of the Great Depression (US History)

    In 1929 the US Stock Market crashed, creating the Great Depression during Herbert Hoover's Presidency. It was the deepest and longest-lasting economic downturn in the history of the Western industrialized world. It sent Wall Street into a panic and wiped out millions of investors. Great levels of unemployment and poverty arose.

  • 1934 Golf in Augusta (Georgia History)

    The Masters Golf Tournament for Professionals began at Georgia's Augusta National Golf Club. Georgia's City of Augusta is most likely one of the best known golf clubs/courses in the entire country. The popularity of golf in the state arose long ago from Scottish immigrants migrating from the Scottish Highlands to Georgia, and bringing along their love and tradition of the sport.

  • 1941 Pearl Harbor is Bombed by Japanese Planes

    The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States entry into World War II.

  • 1944 D-Day (US History)

    The event known as D-Day or the Normandy Landings, were the allied landings on the shores of Normandy, France in Operation Overlord. Combined were US, British, and Canadian troops. It was the largest seaborne invasion in history. It began the liberation of German occupied northwestern Europe from Nazi control, and contributed to the Allied victory on the Western Front.

  • 1945 President Roosevelt Dies at Warm Springs Georgia (Georgia History)

    At the end of World War II, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt died at his home in Warm Springs, Georgia. This gave the rest of the nation a feeling of uneasiness at the time due to the peak of the country's war efforts depending highly on Roosevelt's decisons.

  • 1945 US Drops Atomic Bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki WWII Ends (US History)

    World War II ended when the US dropped atomic bombs on both the Japanese cities of Hiroshima, and Nagasaki respectively during the final stage of the war. The two bombings killed at least 120,000 people. On August 15th, Japan's emperor surrendered.

  • 1950's Cold War with the Soviet Union (US History)

    The geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle between two world superpowers was known as the Cold War. Great fears were released when top secret information of knowledge about the atomic bomb and other nuclear weapons was leaked to the Soviet Union.

  • 1957 First Commercial Jetliner Lands at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (Georgia History)

    The first commercial jetliner a French Caravelle, landed at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. This led to the rise of many other popular commercial airline companies such as Pan-Am, American, Delta, and United. The Atlanta Airport is also famous for being the largest in the country.

  • 1961 University of Georgia Enrolls 2 Black Students (Georgia History)

    The University of Georgia enrolled 2 black students, Charalayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes, under federal court order. This was right during the era of the Civil Rights movement which fought against Jim Crow laws, and unethical and unequal treatment of African Americans.

  • 1963 President John F. Kennedy is Assassinated (US History)

    Shortly after noon, President Kennedy was assassinated as he rode in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza in downtown Dallas, Texas. His killer was a man named Lee Harvey Oswald who was fatally gunned down by Jack Ruby 2 days later.

  • 1968 Martin Luther King Jr. Assassinated (Georgia History)

    Civil Rights Activist and Leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. This led to outrage and riots among the African American Community, despite of King's cry for peaceful demonstrations. Georgia is famous for being King's birth place and his home throughout his lifetime.

  • 1972 Watergate Scandal (US History)

    Watergate was a major political scandal that occurred in the United States in the 1970's. It followed a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington D.C. It dealt with President Richard Nixon's administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement.

  • 1976 Jimmy Carter Elected President (Georgia History)

    The United States presidential election of 1976 was the 48th quadrennial presidential election. The winner was the realatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic Candidate. Over the incumbent of President Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate. Carter is the only US president from Georgia.

  • 1980 Ronald Reagan Elected President

    Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination in 1980. He chose as his running mate former Texas Congressman and United Nations Ambassador; George Bush. Reagan and his administration created the mold for the "ideal republican of the century."

  • 1996 US Summer Olympics Hosted in Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia History)

    In 1996 Atlanta was home the United States Summer Olympics. It was officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially as the Centennial Olympic Games. A record of 197 nations, all current IOC member nations, took part in the Games comprising of 10,318 athletes.

  • 1998 President Bill Clinton Confesses During "Lewinsky Scandal" (US History)

    The Lewinsky scandal was an American political sex scandal that came to light in 1998. Early on he revealed he did not have sexual relations with Lewinsky, but more evidence and charges provided his claims false. Clinton was later impeached the same year, but never left office.

  • 2001 September 11th Attacks (US History)

    The 9/11 attacks were a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks by the Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda. The attacks killed 3,000 people and injured over 6,000 others. 2 years later President George W. Bush declared a war on the Middle East with the invasion of Iraq and hunt for Osama Bin Laden, the organizer of the terrorist attacks.

  • 2003 State Flag Redesigned (Georgia History)

    Georgia's governor signed legislation to redesign the state flag without the Confederate emblem. The Confederate emblem is considered by many to be evocative of Georgia's past history as a slave state. The Confederate Flag will most likely be a part of Georgia's History that will unfortunately never go away.