By Gabby
Introduction
Georgia is a kind and sweet state. From its sweet and juicy peaches to its generous people, Georgia is a great place. Georgia is a great place to live and to visit, because of its sun all year round. Even from 1995 when it first got its name, to now Georgia has amazing history and special places.
Georgia Found
In 1540, the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto stepped foot in Georgia. When De Soto first found Georgia he brought diseases and chicken pox, which killed many of the Missississipian Indians who were already living there. The ones who survived made new ways to live, and eventually broke in to smaller groups. Later on, the tribes became the Cherokee and Creek Indians. Finally in 1788, Georgia became the fourth state. |
Georgia and the Union
After Lincoln’s election, Georgia became worried about war being made illegal in 1861. Lincoln’s election pushed South Carolina away from the U.S. The southern democratic leaders thought Lincoln was against slavery. Other southern states including Georgia joined South Carolina, and formed the Conferate states of America. In 1861, the Civil War started. A Union controlled by General William T. Sherman attacked Georgia, and set fire to Atlanta, Georgia’s capital. The destruction wiped out Georgia’s economy. In 1870, Georgia came back to the Union. |
Civil Rights Movement
On January 15, 1929, in Atlanta, Georgia, Martin Luther King, Jr. was born. The time he lived during was unfair to many black Americans. The black people’s privileges were unequal to white’s at many places, such as restraunts , schools, parks, water fountains, churches, offices, bathrooms even votes were unfair. When Martin was a boy he used to play with a white American. They would play together all the time until one day when the boy’s parents opened the door and the boy went into the house. One day a woman named Rosa Parks sat on a Transit bus. “Black out of my seat.” Rosa looked up and saw an angry white man standing in front of her. She froze and didn’t move. “I said OUT!!!” the man boomed. Rosa looked to the bus door and saw angry men in blue uniforms with gold badges. She was caught and put in jail for not letting a white man sit in her spot on the bus. In 1960, at parks, restaurants, and other places, college African Americans began to protest against unfair rights. They were beat and hurt but they kept going. At that point, all African Americans stopped using the bus, so the bus company lost money. Finally in 1964, Civil Rights bill passed Congress. |
Climate and Weather
Warmth is a favorite in Georgia; the winter in Georgia is very short and mild. Since Georgia doesn’t get very cold, they grow things all year. More than half of Georgia‘s rain comes during the summer and spring. There are different temperatures in different places. In the mountains, it gets really cold but down in the coastal plain and a lot of the piedmont, humidity is very high all year. Every year Georgia gets between 46 and 76 inches of rain and snow combined. Snow is usually very rare and only come from the North. Even with Georgia’s warm weather, its weather can turn in to disastrous storms, such as hurricanes, heavy rains, and over the Atlantic Ocean tropical storms. Even more common are tornadoes and floods. Summer temperature: about 76 degrees F. Winter temperature: about 48 degrees F. |
People
Most of Georgia’s population lives in Atlanta in 97 km area. Augusta, Columbus and Savannah are also popular cities. Until the 1900s, when Atlanta was made Savannah was the largest city. Savannah is the oldest city in Georgia. Culture and charm is Georgia’s tradition, and a saying called “Southern Hospitality,” which means southern people are usually generous and kind to strangers. In 1996, Georgia hosted the Summer Olympics. |
Food
People in Georgia like a variety of foods. Grits are one of the favorites which can be made as hot cereal or as a side dish. It is made from hominy or corn. As Georgia is known for its peaches, a famous recipe that many Georgians enjoy is Peach Cobbler. It is made from canned peaches, sugar, cinnamon, egg, flour, nutmeg and butter. |
Rivers and Streams
1000 miles of Georgia is rivers and streams. The longest river in Georgia is the Savannah. On the eastern side of the Coastal Plains lakes flow east to the Atlantic. Rivers in the western part of Georgia go south to the Gulf of Mexico. Not a lot of rivers go to the Tennessee River. Most of Georgia’s biggest lakes were made by people and utility companies for generating power. |
Land
Georgia has three big land marks that are all very different. Piedmont Plateau covers 30% of Georgia and lies between the Coastal Plain and Appalachian. The sloping areas of Piedmont are farms. Over the more hilly sections are where the forests are. The Blue Ridge Mountains only cover 5% of Georgia. Blue Ridge region has lots of forests, river valleys and small waterfalls. The Brasston Bald Mountain is 1458 meters above sea level. A lot of the forested ridges reach heights of about 460m. A lot of Birch Oak and beach trees cover the lower mountains of the Alachian Plateau. |
Symbols
In 1995 Georgia’s name and fruit became the peach. § Fruit: Peach § Bird: Brown Thrasher § Flower: Cherokee rose § Insect: Honeybee § Mammal: Right Whale § Reptile: Gopher tortoise § Tree: Live Oak § Dance: Square dance § Butterfly: Tiger Swallowtail § Motto: Wisdom, Justice and Moderation § Song: “Georgia On My Mind,” words by Stuart Gorrell and music by Hoagy Carmichael |
Economy and Resources
From 1975-2000, Georgia was the fifth fastest growing state. Georgia’s Agricultural products are peanuts, poultry, tobacco, corn, cotton, soybeans, eggs and peaches. Some of Georgia’s industries are textiles, clothes and transportation . Georgia’s natural resources are lumber, granite and marble. Textiles are one of Georgia’s top products. Half of the U.S.’ peanuts come from Georgia. Once in 1990, Georgia had 43,000 farms. At one time trees and forests used up all of Georgia. Right now lumber used roughly 93,240 square kilometers. Scientists know so much that Georgia is a leader in scientific research. In 1930, Dr.Charles H.Herty found new uses for pine. From fast growing pine into news print. He also manufactured craft paper, fine white paper, cellulose and plastic. |
Government
From 1870 – 1960, the Democratic Party controlled Georgia. A number of people who were Democratic while growing up have become Republicans. A lot changed when the Republicans took charge. Republicans made lower taxes and less government control. African Americans soon took charge in 1972. Andrew Young became the first African American in congress. Young was appointed by Jimmy Carter to represent the U.S. at the U.N. United Nations. Jimmy Carter was born on October 1st 1924. In 1970, he was elected president of Georgia. In Georgia’s history, politics are important. First Governor: John A. Treutlen Population: 8186453 (2000) Counties: 159 U.S. representatives: 13 U.S. senators: U.S. Electoral votes: 15 |
If Had One Day In Georgia
If I had one day in Georgia I would go peach picking and fill as many baskets as I could hold. I’d sit next to the Savannah River and let the juice drip on my chin. I would go to Blue Ridge region and see a waterfall. I would take pictures of the Brasston Bald Mountain. I would go through forests and see if I can spot a Brown Thrasher or a Cherokee rose. On the ride home I’d take the longest bus ride to see the Georgia sights even longer. I’d eat a slice of peach cobbler. Then I’d put the pictures in my Album and put the album under my pillow. Glossary |
Picture Sources
Atlanta Ballet - http://school.eb.com/eb/art-173611/Members-of-New-York-City-Ballet-in-early-2012-hoist?&articleTypeId=125 Aragvi River - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-58308/The-Aragvi-River-flows-through-the-central-sector-of-the?&articleTypeId=38 http://school.eb.com/all/art-53386 Hernando De Soto - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-86879/Hernando-de-Soto?&articleTypeId=38 Peaches - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-75766/Peaches-are-aften-a-light-orange-color-but-they-can?&articleTypeId=38 Peanuts - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-87582/People-crack-the-shells-of-peanuts-to-eat-the-seeds?&articleTypeId=38 Brown Thrasher - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-163282/Brown-thrasher Honeybee - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-130003/Domestic-honeybee Swallowtail - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-100920/Eastern-black-swallowtail-butterfly Live Oak - http://school.eb.com/elementary/art-114193/Southern-live-oak
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Agricultural: the science, art or occupation of cultivating the soil, producing crops and raising livestock
Illegal: not lawful Orchard: a planting especially of fruit trees or nut trees also the trees of such a planting from Latin "hortus" garden. |
Bibliography
"Georgia." CultureGrams States Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 18 Jan 2013.
“Georgia." Compton's by Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.http://school.eb.com/all/comptons/article-
Crane, Carol. P is for peach. Chelsea , MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2002. Print.
Sullivan, Jody. Georgia. Mankoto, MN: Capstone press, 2003. Print.
"Georgia." Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/all/elementary/article?articleId=345472>.
"Georgia." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9111246>.
"Georgia." CultureGrams States Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 18 Jan 2013.
“Georgia." Compton's by Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.http://school.eb.com/all/comptons/article-
Crane, Carol. P is for peach. Chelsea , MI: Sleeping Bear Press, 2002. Print.
Sullivan, Jody. Georgia. Mankoto, MN: Capstone press, 2003. Print.
"Georgia." Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/all/elementary/article?articleId=345472>.
"Georgia." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
<http://school.eb.com/eb/article-9111246>.