Our History
Georgia would be a state by another name if it weren’t for one man: British General James Oglethorpe. In 1733, Oglethorpe landed on a piece of land he hoped would buffer the British holdings in South Carolina from the Spanish in Florida. He named the new land Georgia, in honor of King George II. On a bluff overlooking what is now the Savannah River, Oglethorpe also helped create the nation’s first planned city - Savannah.
From those early days until the middle of the next century, Georgia experienced continued growth in both its population and its ability to carry out trade and commerce. But in the 1860’s, history took a turn for the worse with the advent of the Civil War. The four-year ordeal took no pity on the state’s soul as residents, livestock, property and the entire economic infrastructure suffered from the effects of the war.
Out of those terrible times the people of Georgia began to heal their collective wounds. Getting back on its economic feet helped the state pave its way to recovery. This long, slow road of rebuilding continued until World War II, when industry began to breathe life back into the economy.
Changing old ways and prejudices came at a much heavier price, until a movement 100 years later came to fruition. The transition from the Civil War era to the era of civil rights was successfully carried out by people like Atlanta native Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Nobel Peace Prize winner, who preached for justice and social change. Inspiring a nation, Dr. King’s words and peaceful protests helped establish the Civil Rights Movement, eventually abolishing segregation.
The baton of peace was handed to yet another Georgia native, Jimmy Carter, a man who’d be president and devote his post-presidential life to creating peace and harmony wherever there was conflict.
It’s in the same spirit as Oglethorpe’s exploration, King’s leadership and Carter’s compassion that the Georgia of the 21st century continues to seek new paths and make a better life for all citizens.
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Related Sites
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
Jimmy Carter National Historic Site