Georgia

Standards

Georgia’s FounderGeorgia’s FounderJames Oglethorpe sailed from England with about 120 colonists on November 17, 1732, to form the new colony that would be named Georgia. Oglethorpe and the colonist first arrived in

Beaufort, South Carolina. Days later Oglethorpe and his trustees set sail to find a site to settle south of the Savannah

River. A site was chosen and on February 1, 1733, Oglethorpe and the remaining settlers made their home in the city that is

now called Savannah.

A bronze statue of General

James Edward Oglethorpe located in Chippewa Square

in Savannah

The capital of Georgia is Atlanta, a fast paced, modern city

proud of its heritage.

Georgia’s CapitalGeorgia’s Capital

Sonny Perdue and wife, Mary.

The governor is the head of the state. He proposes new programs and laws for the state and proposes a state

budget for the legislative branch of government to consider. The people elect the governor. The current

governor of Georgia is Sonny Perdue.

Georgia’s GovernorGeorgia’s Governor

Like all other states, Georgia today has its own special symbols. Each symbol stands for something important to

the people of our state. The following are just a few of Georgia’s state symbols:

State tree:Live oak

State bird:Brown Thrasher

State flower:Cherokee Rose

State fruit:The peach

State Symbols of GeorgiaState Symbols of Georgia

Georgia has three main regions: The Appalachian Mountain Region, the Piedmont Region, and the Coastal

Plains.

Georgia’s Land RegionsGeorgia’s Land Regions

The northern part of Georgia is mostly mountainous. The Appalachian Highlands are part of the oldest mountain chain in North America. Once the mountains had sharp, jagged edges. Now, the wind and rain have worn down the peaks. Because it is in the mountains, the northern half of the state is the coolest. In the valleys of this region, cotton, grains, and fruits are grown. Many fox, opossum, and black bear live in the forest areas.

Appalachian Plateau Blue RidgeRidge and Valley

Appalachian Mountain RegionAppalachian Mountain Region

The middle part of Georgia is the Piedmont. The word Piedmont means “foot of the mountain”. It is here that you see the high, flat hills covered in red clay. The Fall Line, made by rivers and waterfalls, is what separates the Piedmont region from the Coastal Plains. The Fall Line goes from Columbus, GA to Augusta, GA. Today, most of Georgia’s population lives

in cities in the Piedmont region.

Piedmont RegionPiedmont Region

Georgia’s largest region is the Coastal Plains. The area is mainly flat and covered with flat, wet, spongy land. The rivers that flow across this region make the land in this region good for farming. Crops such as peanuts, pecans, tobacco, sweet

potatoes, and watermelon grow well in this region. The Okefenokee Swamp is in this region. The green portion shows the upper Coastal Plains and the gold region shows the lower

Coastal Plains.

Coastal Plain RegionCoastal Plain Region

The capital of Georgia is…

Georgia’s state bird is the...

The state flower is the…

The state tree is the…

A. Atlanta B. Augusta C. Columbus

A. spruce B. pine C. live oak

A. Sunflower B. Cherokee rose C. White Lily

A. brown thrasher B. cardinal C. parakeet

Think you learned something?Let’s see if you can answer the following...

The current governor of Georgia is…

Which region is known for its many forest animals and trees?

Which region is known for its hills covered in red clay?

Which region of Georgia is known for its flat, wet lands?

A. Sonny Perdue B. Zell Miller C. Jimmy Carter

A. Appalachian Mountains

B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains

A. Appalachian Mountains

B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains

A. Appalachian Mountain

B. Piedmont C. Coastal Plains

Let’s continue.

The End

pictures courtesy of www.georgia.govwww.corbis.com

Georgia Standards for this topic:

Topics: Civics/Geography

Standard: Identifies the current governor of Georgia and understanding that the governor is the leader of the state.

Standard: Identifies common symbols of Georgia (e.g. the flag, flower, bird, tree) and the U.S. symbols (e.g. flag, Liberty Bell, Statue of Liberty).

Standard: Identifies, describes, and locates the five physical regions of Georgia:

-Coastal Plain region -Ridge Valley Region-Piedmont region -Appalachian Plateau Region-Blue ridge region