Georgia Studies Digital Textbook - Student Edition

Georgia’s geographic characteristics are discussed with a focus on five major themes of geography, including natural resources, minerals, water, and weather.

The archaeological history of the state from prehistoric to colonial Georgia is explored, including a survey of native civilizations and the effects of European contact, exploration, and settlement.

Georgia was first settled by the British and transitioned from a trustee to a royal colony during its formative years. Early colonial life and culture are surveyed, with profiles of Georgia’s diverse inhabitants and comparisons between different colonial regions of North America.

Georgia’s role in the American Revolution, its transition to a state within the republic and subsequent expansion, along with the removal of Native Americans, are discussed.

Covering the period surrounding the Civil War, from Antebellum to Reconstruction Georgia, this unit discusses life in pre-war Georgia, the state’s role in the Civil War, and how Georgia ultimately approached its reintegration with the Union.

Georgia and the New South are explored in the context of Reconstruction, including the competing visions for advancing southern politics and the economy, as well as challenges experienced in assimilating and moving the region forward.

The transformations of the first four decades of the twentieth century are detailed, from technological and industrial changes to forces that moved Georgians from a rural to a more urban state. Georgia’s role in World War I and II and its experiences during the Great Depression and the New Deal are also detailed.

From the end of WWII to the present day, Georgia is surveyed according to its role in the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement, along with the state’s political and economic modernization and growth.

Citizenship and America’s federal government are surveyed, discussing the constitutional system of government in both a national and state context, and the many facets of our political system — including the role of opposing parties in government.

A closer look at Georgia’s state and local governments is offered, detailing the role, organization, and powers of each of the three branches of government.