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GA: Request for Royal Charter
In 1730, Oglethorpe and others proposed a request for a royal charter to turn the new colony into a debtor's colony. The conditions of prisons in Britain were inhumane and shameful. Oglethorpe believed people should not have to settle for these conditions. The new colony would be called Georgia after King George III and would be inhabited at first by merchants, craftsmen, and farmers who would be able to form a militia. This was the beginning of British involvement in Georgia. -
U.S.: Baltimore is founded in the Maryland Colony
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GA: Trustees Pull Out
In 1752, the Trustees expired their charter a year early. Georgia would not be getting any more money from Parliament because they had already given more money than they originally expected. They allowed Georgia to “remain a separate colony, a royal colony, with its own legislature, court system, and governor,” (Meyers, 2012, p. 46). The members of the government were all wealthy and people had to have fifty acres to be able to vote. This sets the beginning of some independence for Georia. -
U.S.: First general hospital is founded.
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GA: Georgia's First Provincial Congress
In 1775, the Whig party in Georgia founded the First Provincial Congress. This was done as a direct reaction to Georgia not participating in the First Continental Congress. The Whig party supported the colonists who wanted full independence from Britain. They directly opposed the Tory party. The Tory party supported the British. Most Georgians supported the British at this point. The disagreements between the Whigs and the Tories continued all the way through the American Revolution. -
U.S.: The colonists host the Second Continental Congress.
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U.S.: Washington crosses the Delaware River with his troops.
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GA: Battle of the Rice Boats
On March 3, 1776, Colonel Lachlan McIntosh, a Whig, fought against the British in the Battle of the Rice Boats. Seeing the British, he ordered rice boats outside of Savannah to be unrigged. He discovered that the British had boarded the rice boats in need of supplies. He set fire to the flotilla and took down a few of the ships, but the British were able to flee with several of the ships. The Governor fled with them. This represents the battles between the Whigs and the British. -
U.S.: John Adams is appointed to Congress to aid with problems with the British.
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GA: Siege of Savannah
The second deadliest battle of the Revolutionary War took place in Savannah in 1779. The colonists and the French worked together to try and reclaim Savannah from the British. The battle was so bloody that the French and colonists had to retreat. In the battle, the colonists lost 1,094 men including French allies. This showed the British power in Georgia. The majority of people of Georgia were conflicted in their alliances, not wanting to make the wrong side upset by their loyalty. -
U.S.: Yellow Fever epidemic begins in the North.
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GA: Cotton Gin Patent
Eli Whitney, in 1793, patented the cotton gin. The cotton gin used several cylinders to separate the cotton fibers from the seed. This made it much faster to clean cotton. Previously, cotton had not been produced as much because it was difficult to clean and slavery was naturally ending. However, once the cotton gin became used, more slaves were needed to collect cotton and to operate the cotton gins. This eventually led to the slavery debate that caused the Civil War. -
U.S.: The 11th amendment is passed,
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GA: Yazoo Land Fraud
In January 1795, the Yazoo Land Act, signed by Governor Matthews was passed. Matthews was known for shady land deals. This act sold fifty million acres of Native American land to speculators at about one penny per acre in today’s money. For this to be passed, people were bribed and threatened for this to pass. Eventually, this was seen as unconstitutional and brought to the Supreme Court. For the first time, the Supreme Court ruled that a state’s law was unconstitutional. -
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U.S.: War of 1812
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GA: The Creek War
As a part of the War of 1812, the British armed the Creek Indians. The Creeks attacked American forts in Georgia. Led by General John Floyd, troops attacked Creek villages, burning crops as they went. The Creeks were driven back to Horseshoe Bend, where inevitably Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Nation. The Creeks are a large part of Georgia history and their defeat is very significant. -
U.S.: Andrew Jackson becomes president.
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GA: Georgia Gold Rush
At the time, the land in Georgia was known as Cherokee Nation. Gold was found nearly simultaneously in different areas of the state. Many people traveled to Georgia and settled there, on Native American land. The finding of gold only made Cherokee land more desirable. This was the beginning of Indian Removal which led to the Trail of Tears. This is important to the history of Native Americans in Georgia. -
U.S.: The Iowa Territory is created.
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GA: Trail of Tears
A ratified treaty stated that all members of the Cherokee Nation be moved west within two years, by choice or by force. Nearly sixteen thousand Cherokee people headed west on foot. The conditions of the travel led to nearly four thousand casualties. Bodies were not able to be buried on the trail so many family members were simply left behind in the snow. This shows the ruthlessness of the Georgian government and the horrible things they have done to the Native Americans. -
U.S.: Lincoln Assassination Attempt
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GA: Georgia Secedes from the Union
Georgians were torn about secession. They wanted to secede due to fear that slavery would be made illegal and their economy would fall. They did not want a divided south if they did secede because they knew a divided south would not win a war against the Union. Others wanted to stay in the Union. The government of Georgia decided to use a popular vote which had an outcome with a marginal difference. Georgia seceded from the Union in 1861. -
GA: The Battle of Chickamauga
This battle was the bloodiest ever fought in Georgia and the second bloodiest of the Civil War. Confederate General Bragg had been pushed back by Union General Rosecrans to Lafayette, GA. He knew Union troops were scattered and made a plan to cross Chickamauga Creek to push Union soldiers back. After three days of fighting, Bragg successfully pushed back the Union soldiers. However, the Confederacy had 18,000 casualties while the Union had less than 16,000. -
U.S.: The Emancipation Proclamation was signed.
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U.S.: Confederate troops marched to Washington D.C.
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U.S.: Lincoln was reelected for another term as president.
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GA: Sherman's March to the Sea
Sherman divided his troops after capturing Atlanta and set to the coast of Georgia. He wanted to prove that the Confederate government was helpless. As his troops traveled, they burned farmland, stored food, and some buildings. Georgians were very demoralized by this and it furthered the split between those that supported the Confederacy and those that would rather return to the Union. -
GA: The Atlanta Campaign
Sherman had backed up Confederate troops to North Georgia and planned to take the city of Atlanta. He had more troops, plenty of supplies, high morale, and knowledge of the Confederate commander leading their troops. The commander, Johnston, was also known for being timid so he was replaced prior to Sherman reaching Atlanta. Sherman cut railroad lines into the city until the Confederate soldiers were unable to get supplies. He overtook Atlanta. This led to his March to the Sea. -
U.S.: The Confederacy surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse.
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GA: Capture of Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederacy, fled Richmond, Virginia following Lee’s surrender at Appomattox courthouse. With his family and advisors, he fled to Georgia. There was a hundred thousand dollar bounty for finding him or his advisors. When he was eventually caught in Irwinville, Georgia, he was rumored to be wearing women’s clothing. This represents the confusion of the Confederacy, especially towards the end of the war. -
U.S.: The fourteenth amendment is passed.
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GA: The Camilla Massacre
This event happened when the Black Republicans were throwing a political rally in Camilla, Georgia in Mitchell County. About fifty armed white citizens of Camilla attacked the Black Republicans who came to the city. Twelve of the Black Republicans were killed in this event. For this reason among others, martial law was reinstated in Georgia by Governor Bullock. This shows the political and racial tensions in Georgia. -
U.S.: The novel The Jungle is published.
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GA: Atlanta Race Riot of 1906
Due to newspaper publications, many white Atlantans were furious at the African Americans living in the city. The newspapers had been publishing very harmful propaganda, stating that they had been causing violence. In anger a white mob stormed the streets of Atlanta and rioted for three days, purchasing $16,000 worth of ammo and guns and killing between 25 and 100 African Americans. This highlights propaganda used to perpetuate racism in Georgia. -
U.S.: The Rural Electrification Act is signed.
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GA: Gainesville Tornado
On April 6, 1936, several tornadoes struck the city of Gainesville, GA. The city was a hub for industry that was ruined by the tornados. Over two hundred people were killed and over sixteen hundred were injured. The city was nearly completely flattened with the business district taking most of the damage. In response, President Roosevelt visited the city. The rebuilding of the city reunited the citizens and all Georgians. This brought some hope following the Depression. -
U.S.: Battle of Iwo Jima
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GA: Georgia v. Pennsylvania Railroad Company Lawsuit
This lawsuit came about from the unfair rates charged to Georgians by railroad companies. One of these companies was the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. This was in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Governor Arnall brought this to the Supreme Court where Georgia won the suit. This resulted in Georgia’s products being treated equally in the international markets and the Interstate Commerce Commision began a uniform classification of rates. -
GA: Three Governors Controversy
Governor Talmage had been reelected but died before he was inaugurated. Three men claimed that they should be the governor of the state: “1) Melvin Thompson, who won election to the office of lieutenant governor; 2) Herman Talmadge, who claimed to have the most write-in votes; and 3) Ellis Arnall, the sitting governor” (Meyers, 2012, p. 185-186). Eventually, a special election was held where Herman Talmadge won. -
U.S.: Philippines was given independence from the United States.
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U.S.: Sit-ins occurred at lunch counters across the country, including Greensboro.
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GA: Lunch Counter Sit-Ins
Led by students and supported by Martin Luther King Jr., the lunch counter sit-ins happened at many sit-down lunch counters. MLK and more than fifty others were arrested for trespassing which triggered a protest in support of MLK and the students. Eventually, all of the lunch counters were shut down. The lunch counters were desegregated due to the effect that the shutdowns had on business. This was a major moment in the Civil Rights Movement in Georgia. -
U.S.: The Vietnam War begins.
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U.S.: The battle at the Bay of Pigs occurred.
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GA: The Albany Movement
The Albany Movement was an organization formed following an African American voting drive in Albany. Following its founding, this organization participated in meetings and protests to demand the integration of public facilities in Albany. The group was mostly made up of students with Dr. William Anderson serving as one of the main leaders. Over 500 people were arrested and the movement showed little change. Eventually, Martin Luther King Jr. assisted the movement. -
GA: Freedom Rides
Through the summer of 1961, the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) organized interracial bus rides throughout the south. They were met with violence in Alabama but were somewhat welcomed in Georgia. Martin Luther King Jr. met with some of the riders, including John Lewis and Albert Bigelow in Atlanta. Students and sit-in protestors met the Freedom Riders and showed their support. This was an important moment in the history of Civil Rights in Georgia. -
U.S.: The Iran/Iraq war starts.
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GA: Launch of CNN
The Cable News Network (CNN) was founded by Ted Turner in 1979 and first aired in 1980. At the time, this was the only live news network to report twenty-four hours a day. Now, CNN is recognized internationally as a reputable news source. CNN, like Coca-Cola, is very important to the city of Atlanta. The CNN Center is a popular place for tourism. The launch of CNN is a representation of the many products of Georgians. -
U.S. Hubble Space Telescope is launched.
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GA: World of Coke Opening
Coca-Cola is a staple of Atlanta. The story of the founder, John Pemberton, and his partners represent a major American success story. The company has continued to expand internationally since it was originally founded. In 1990, the World of Coke was opened, signifying the importance of Coca-Cola to the city. The World of Coke allows people to taste test different cokes and go through a museum of the history of Coke. This shows the importance of Coke for the Georgian economy. -
Resources
Bailey, A. J. (2002). Sherman’s march to the sea. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/shermans-march-sea
Brown, B. (2002). Capture of Jefferson Davis. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/capture-jefferson-davis
Burns, G. S. (2013). Siege of Savannah. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/siege-savannah -
Resources (contd.)
Hatfield, E. A. (2008). Freedom rides. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/freedom-rides
Meyers, C. C., & Williams, D. (2012). Georgia: A brief history. Mercer University Press
New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.) Cable News Network. New world encyclopedia. https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Cable_News_Network -
Resources (contd.)
Smith, G. J. (2002). War of 1812. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/war-1812-and-georgia
U.S. History. (2021). The Sit-In Movement. U.S. History Textbook. https://www.ushistory.org/us/54d.asp
Williams, D. (2003). Gold rush. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/gold-rush -
Resources (contd.
Carey, A. G. (2003). Secession. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/secession
Davis, S. (2005). Atlanta campaign. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/atlanta-campaign
Geibelhaus, A. W. (2004). Coca-Cola company. New Georgia encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/business-economy/coca-cola-company