51+ Historical Facts About Georgia That Will Amaze You

Do you know that the state of Georgia is one of the 10 most populous states in the United States of America?

The capital city of Georgia is Atlanta which is home to the world's largest drive-in restaurant. Georgia was the fourth state to join the Union in the year 1776 and subsequently joined the Confederacy in 1861.

Did you know that Hernando de Soto was the first European to explore Georgia as early as 1540?

Georgia is located in the southeastern United States and is the largest state east of the Mississippi River. The five states that share a border with Georgia are Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, and Tennessee.

Georgia is also known as The Empire State of the South and The Peach State.

The Hart County in Georgia is named after a woman named Nancy Hart, a patriot who participated in the Revolutionary War against colonial rule.

Compared to any other state in the US, Georgia has the highest concentration of pine trees.

Read on for some interesting facts about Georgia, and afterward, also check out famous things from Georgia and Georgia colony facts.

History

James Oglethorpe was a former soldier in the British Army and also a philanthropist who enjoyed a seat in the Parliament. He was the founder of the English colony Georgia. James Oglethorpe was the first European to have found a foreign state.

After obtaining a royal charter, James Oglethorpe then established a permanent settlement in Georgia in 1733 that was meant as a refuge for English debtors. In 1742, Oglethorpe defeated Spanish invaders in the Battle of Bloody Marsh.

Georgia, being a Confederate stronghold, saw some major military action during the Civil War.

This state is one of the most diverse and ecological places in the country. The state boasts of loamy, nutrient-rich soils near the coast to thick and heavy clay or sandy soils inland, which are suitable for agriculture.

Hence you can say that the biosphere in Georgia is fairly diverse. A variety of species are found here. Common animals found are black bears, white-tailed deer, river otters, and several others.

Famous Things About Georgia

Gold was found in northern Georgia in the year 1828 but by the early 1840s locating gold here became quite difficult. This period is often called the Georgia Gold Rush, which was actually similar to the California Gold Rush but not as big or popular as the latter.

Georgia has many historical wonders that are worth visiting and the state is a major tourist attraction. One such wonder is the world’s largest sculpture site in Georgia. The sculpture is made on the face of Stone Mountain. It consists of the Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Robert Lee, and General Jackson. It is a huge mountain.

Coca-Cola is the most widely popular soft drink in the history of Georgia. Coca-Cola was started in 1886 by James Pemberton, who belonged to Atlanta. Since then, Coca-Cola has now captured the market and become the world's biggest-selling soft drink.

Atlanta is the fifth capital of Georgia state. Atlanta is also only the city in North America that was severely destroyed in the Civil War.

There are more than 50 streets in Atlanta with the name 'Peachtree.'

The Cherokee rose is the state flower of Georgia. The Cherokee rose is native to Taiwan, Vietnam, Laos, and China. The Cherokee rose is waxy in texture and has a large, golden center.

The Wesleyan College in Georgia was the first college in the world that offered degrees to females.

Highlights

The name Georgia was adopted in honor of the famous King George II of Great Britain since it was one of the former English colonies.

Out of all the states in the United States, Georgia is the first state leading in peach production and peanuts, hence the nickname Peach State.

The historical battleground named Chickamauga Battlefield is situated in north Georgia. Here the deadliest battle was fought in the American Civil War.

Famous people like Kanye West, Julia Roberts, Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, Jimmy Carter, and Spike Lee are natives of the Georgia state.

There are 159 counties in the state of Georgia.

The University of Georgia was the first university to be started in the independent United States of America. This was started in 1785, and the university is wholly administered on state funds.

The largest swamp of North America is situated in Georgia. It is called south Georgia’s Okefenokee swamp.

The capital city of Atlanta is also the busiest capital due to the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.

Savannah is among the oldest cities in the state of Georgia. It is the county seat belonging to Chatham County. Savannah was established along the coast of the river Savannah and hence the name.

This city was also a former English colony. Savannah was further declared as the British capital of the province of Georgia. Later Savannah was declared as the first state capital of Georgia.

The official state bird is the brown thrasher. It is endemic to the state of Georgia. The brown thrasher is also the only thrasher species that is surviving in the east of Texas and Georgia.

Historical Facts About Georgia

Are you looking for some interesting facts related to the history of Georgia?

Apart from being the fourth state to join the Union, the state located towards the south of the United States has a rich history. Here are some essential fun facts about the history of Georgia that you must know about.

It is believed that the first inhabitants arrived in Georgia around 13,000 years ago, and by 1,000 BC, several Native American tribes started living here.

The natives had begun growing peaches in Georgia around the 1700s. Today, the state is one of the largest producers of peaches in the country, behind California and South Carolina.

Georgia became the 13th colony of England in the US and then became the fourth state to join the union in 1788.

Georgia draws its name from King George II of England as he was the one who approved the charter of the colony in the year 1732.

Georgia is one of the largest states east of the Mississippi River and is the youngest of the former English colonies.

Atlanta is the largest city of Georgia which became a temporary capital in the year 1868 and then finally became the permanent capital in the year 1877.

When the Civil War started in the country in 1861, Georgia left the union and only rejoined the union after the Civil War ended in the year 1865.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created many interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 101+ historical facts about Georgia that will amaze you, then why not take a look at Georgia facts or University of Georgia facts.