Georgia: Basic History Trivia Quiz

Answer: James Oglethorpe

Oglethorpe founded Georgia in 1732 and was royal governor for the next 22 years. Britain granted a charter to Oglethorpe and his trustees on the basis that Georgia would be settled as a colony that did not allow slavery. Unfortunately, landowners soon began to purchase slaves illegally, and in 1752, the Crown reclaimed its charter and the ban on slavery was lifted.

Answer: Joseph E. Johnston

General Johnston was noted as a master of strategic retreat. Faced with the daunting task of holding off William Sherman's march to the sea, Johnston's leadership effectively slowed Sherman's progress with a minimum of Confederate casualties. The Battle of Kennesaw Mountain is considered a Confederate victory, even though Atlanta fell not long afterwards.

Answer: New Echota

New Echota is located in North Georgia. There is now a memorial and state park on the site. In 1820, the Cherokees decided to create a Republican-based form of government. In 1827, they formally became known as the Cherokee Nation and placed their capital in New Echota.

Answer: The premiere of the movie "Gone with the Wind"

"Gone with the Wind" premiered at Loew's Grand Theater on Peachtree Street in Atlanta. The showing capped a three day celebration that included a limousine parade filled with stars from the movie, storefronts decorated like antebellum mansions, and the largest costume ball ever held in Atlanta.

Answer: Milledgeville

Georgia was granted statehood on January 2, 1788. It was the fourth of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the Constitution. The capital was first in Savannah in 1785 before being moved to Augusta and then to Louisville in 1796. The town of Milledgeville in central Georgia was the state capital between 1807 and 1868, when it was moved to Atlanta.

Answer: Elijah Clarke

All of these men had counties named after them, but Elijah Clarke was not a signer. Clarke was a hero of the Revolutionary War, however. He was responsible for leading a force that eventually took back the city of Augusta, Georgia from the British.

Answer: John S. Pemberton

John S. Pemberton was an Atlanta pharmacist who created the original formula of Coca-Cola in 1886. It was originally sold as a nerve tonic and contained small amounts of cocaine. In 1888, Asa G. Candler expanded Coke's appeal by introducing it as a fountain drink. It wasn't until 1903, however, that the cocaine was finally removed from the formula.

Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt

FDR used the spring waters in Warm Springs, Georgia for relief from polio. He purchased a nearby farm and constructed what became known as the "Little White House". He died there in 1945. The Little White House is now a national shrine. The farm was donated by his estate and is currently a Georgia state park.

Answer: Ty Cobb

Ty Cobb was born in Narrows, Georgia on December 18, 1886. Although he was a gifted player who shattered and set many offensive records, he was hated by most of his teammates throughout his career. He was a bully, a loner, and a racist. In his last years he did donate a substantial amount of money to several towns near where he grew up in north Georgia.

When he died in 1961, only three ex-teammates showed up at his funeral, along with nine family members.

Answer: Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter was the 39th President of the United States. In 1971, he was elected as the governor of Georgia. In November 1976, he was elected President. His administration centered on ideological foreign policy. Because of that, his domestic policy suffered and was overshadowed by high inflation and a serious energy crisis. Carter has since become an important voice in human rights campaigns and has achieved phenomenal success with the Habitat for Humanity.