Georgia
- Population- 9,072,500
- Capital- Atlanta
- Largest cities– Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Savannah
- Time zone- Eastern
- Date of Admission to the Union- January 2, 1788
- Slogan- “Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation”
- State website URL- www.georgia.gov
Georgia peaches make up a large state export and also give the state its informal nickname, The Peach State. But if you recall the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, you might remember he spoke frequently of his life on a peanut farm. In fact most of the U.S. peanuts are grown and harvested in Georgia. The business of logging the large stands of loblolly pines is one of the world’s biggest, as well. The pines are used to produce turpentine. And still another natural export characteristic to Georgia is its beautiful granite.
Stone Mountain is the largest, bald, granite mountain in the world. It juts oddly from the Georgia crust. It is an indication of the vast quantities of granite lying just beneath the Georgia topsoil. Stone Mountain is also home to one of the South’s most renowned Confederate memorials. A large carving of General Lee, Jackson, and Jefferson Davis stands apart from the side of Stone Mountain. The nightly laser light shows attract thousands each year. Margaret Mitchell’s epic book and subsequent movie, Gone With the Wind, has become synonymous with Atlanta during the Civil War.
Georgia is significantly supported by the economic sophistication of Atlanta. But not only is the capital city one of the biggest urban centers in the southeast it also has historical and economic significance. Sherman’s March to the Sea remains a critical event in Atlanta’s Confederate history. The fact that Sherman burned Atlanta to the ground following the end of the Civil War, forever changed the historical landscape of the city. Few antebellum buildings exist, wiped from history. Atlanta has nevertheless become synonymous with a number of key corporate names: Coca Cola, Chick-fil-A, and CNN, all founded in the state.
Another renown of Georgia’s was its 130-year stretch of Democratic governors. The state holds the record for this achievement--the longest length of consistent party leadership. This record was broken in 2003.
