Introduction - Georgia
The largest state in the southeast region of the United States, covering over 59,000 square miles (152,809 square kilometers), is Georgia. For those who appreciate varied and interesting typography Georgia has it all; here you will find miles of coastline, swampland, marshes, and mountain ranges. Georgia has an interesting history; it is a state where major military action took place. Perhaps the most famous being Union army leader William T. Sherman's capturing of Atlanta in 1864 and his famous march to the sea which brought devastation and destruction to the state. Read the following kid-friendly interesting facts and information to discover why this state, home to one of the oldest cities in the nation, is so rich in history and culture.Click here for a great selection of Amazon.com books about Georgia.
Georgia State Quick Facts
- Georgia was the 4th state in the United States of America.
- Georgia officially became a state on January 2, 1788.
- The state capital of Georgia is Atlanta and it is also the largest city.
- This states population is 9,992,167 (source 2013 United States Census Bureau estimate).
- Georgia ranks as the 21 in size out of the 50 states but it is the largest state east of the Mississippi.
- Georgia is the 8th most populated state in the US.
- In addition to the Atlantic Ocean, Georgia is bordered by five states including Florida, South Carolina, Alabama, North Carolina and Tennessee.
- The state flower of Georgia is the Cherokee Rose.
- Residents of this Southeast state are called Georgians.
- The most popular nicknames for this state are the Peach State and the Empire State of the South.
- Georgia contains several major bodies of water including Lake Sidney Lanier, Lake Hartwell, Clark Hill Lake, and West Point Lake.
- The song titled "Georgia on My Mind" is the state's official song.
Georgia State Interesting Facts
- Georgia is home to numerous types of industries including chemicals, marble, apparel, timber, textiles, and of course many types of agriculture including peaches, corn, tobacco, soybeans, eggs, peanuts, poultry and cotton.
- Georgia was named in honor of King George II of England.
- Hundreds of species of wildlife and birds (some endangered) call the 400,000 acres that makes up the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, home. It is one of the states big attractions.
- The only place the sweet Vidalia onion is grown is in Vidalia and Glennville Georgia.
- Coca-Cola was invented by a man named Dr. John S. Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886.
- In Stone Mountain Park you will find the largest high relief sculpture in the world. The sculpture is a memorial to Confederates Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis.
Georgia State Historical Facts
- The small town of St. Marys Georgia is the second oldest city in the United States.
- In 1829, thirty years prior to the California Gold Rush, the Georgia Gold Rush took place in the mountains of the Appalachians.
- Women were not allowed to vote in Georgia until 1922, two years after it became a federal law.
- The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) was formed in 1957 in Atlanta by civil right activists including Martin Luther King, Jr. with the goal of promoting a peaceful approach for African American civil rights. It is still active today and most of its original members were from Georgia.