The Basics

• Georgia was the fourth state to join the United States, and it was the 13th colony. Georgia is known as the Peach State and the Empire State of the South. Its name comes from King George II of England. It's capital is Atlanta. The brown thrasher is the state bird, while the live oak is the state tree.
  
  

Famouse People from Georgia

• James Carter, the 39th President of the United States, is from Georgia. Martin Luther King Jr. was born in the state. The founder of Girl Scouts, Juliette Gordon Low, came from Georgia. Musician Ray Charles was born in Georgia in 1930. Baseball player Jackie Robinson, who was the first African-American to play Major League Baseball, was from Georgia.
  
  

Major Sports Teams

• The Major League Baseball team is the Atlanta Braves. The National Basketball Association team is the Atlanta Hawks. The National Hockey League team is the Atlanta Thrashers, and the National Football League team is the Atlanta Falcons.
  
  

Kids Spots

• As of 2006, Atlanta had 20 amusement parks, 59 candy and nut stores, 242 toy stores and 545 video rental stores.
  
  

History

• Georgia was explored by Spaniard Hernando de Soto in 1540. England claimed the territory as its own, and in 1733, Georgia was made a settlement for debtors. In 1742, the Spanish were driven out. Georgia was a state in the Confederacy during the Civil War. General William T. Sherman is known for the burning of Atlanta and capture of Savannah during the war.
  
  

What's Georgia Like?

• Summers are hot and humid, and snow rarely falls in winter. Rainfall can be heavy. Tornadoes are common but rarely exceed the F3 category.