Georgia, The Peach State

by Sandra Merville Hart

Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River. The state had more plantations than other state by the mid-1800s.

How Georgia began

In 1566, the Spanish built a fort on Saint Catherines Island and established a mission there. Other forts and missions were built along the coast for the next 100 years of what later became Georgia.

Colonists move south

Settlers from South Carolina moved south after 1670. By 1686, Georgia was occupied only by the English colonists.

In 1732, England’s King George II gave the Georgia Colony to General James Edward Oglethorpe.

Martin Luther King, Jr. awarded Nobel Peace Prize

Martin Luther King, Jr., became a leader in the Civil Rights movement. Born in Atlanta, Martin gave a famous speech at a March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. He stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to give his “I Have a Dream” speech.”

In 1964, Martin received the Nobel Peace Prize. At thirty-five, he was the youngest man to receive this honor.

Georgia becomes a state

Georgia became the fourth state on January 2, 1788. The capital is Atlanta.

First Coca-Cola served

On May 8, 1886, the first Coca-Cola was served in Atlanta.

Dr. John S. Pemberton, pharmacist, sold the soft drink at Jacob’s Pharmacy.

The Peach State

Georgia peaches are famous for delicious flavor and texture. The peach is the official state fruit.

Other fun facts about Georgia

Early settlers named their colony after Britain’s King George II.

The state flower is the Cherokee Rose.

The state bird is the brown thrasher.

The state tree is the live oak.

 

Sources

“13 Originals: Founding the American Colonies,” The Time Page, 2013/01/04 http://www.timepage.org/spl/13colony.html.

Cheney, Lynne. Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2006.

“Georgia,” History.com, 2016/06/05  http://www.history.com/topics/us-states/georgia.

Gutman, Bill. The Look-It-Up Book of the 50 States, Random House, 2002.

“The First Coca-Cola Served May 8, 1886,” America’s Story, 2013/01/28 http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/gilded/jb_gilded_cocacola_1.html.

“The Nobel Peace Prize 1964,” Nobelprize.org, 2013/01/28 http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-bio.html.

“The Peach State,” State Symbols USA, 2016/06/05 http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/symbol-official-item/georgia/state-nickname/peach-state.