State History
Learn about the history of Georgia and find fun and interesting things to do and see all across Georgia. We've also found the best books, guides, websites, and other resources to make your study of Georgia fun and educational.
Things to See & Do in Georgia
Fort Pulaski National Monument
The defining events of Fort Pulaski occurred during the American Civil War. In April of 1862, Union troops directed rifled cannon fire at the fort breaching the southeast angle. Immediately after capturing the fort, Union Major General David Hunter, an ardent abolitionist, ordered the release of area slaves. Many were recruited into the Union army comprising the First South Carolina Colored Regiment. The park includes scenic marsh and uplands that support a variety of animal life characteristic of southern barrier islands. White-tailed deer, alligators, and raccoons as well as resident and migratory birds grace the landscape. Spanish moss drapes from yaupon holly bushes and vegetation includes cabbage palms, various wetland grasses, and a variety of temperate hardwood and pine trees. Fort Pulaski is located about fifteen miles east of Savannah.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield is a 2,888 acre National Battlefield that preserves a Civil War battleground of the Atlanta Campaign. The battle was fought here from June 18, 1864 until July 2, 1864. Shermans army consisted of 100,000 men, 254 guns and 35,000 horses. Johnstons army had 50,000 men and 187 guns. Over 67,000 soldiers were killed, wounded and captured during the Campaign. While walking some of the 17.3 miles of interpretive walking trails you will see historic earthworks, cannon emplacements and various interpretive signs. The 2,888 acre park includes the site of some of the heaviest fighting of the Atlanta Campaign of the Civil War. The park was set aside as an important cultural property dedicated to public inspiration and interpretation of the significant historic events that occurred here.
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site
Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site preserves the childhood home of Martin Luther King. The home is located in the residential section of "Sweet Auburn", the center of black Atlanta. Two blocks west of the home is Ebenezer Baptist Church, the pastorate of Martin's grandfather and father, and the church to which Dr. King returned to co-pastor with his father in 1960.
Atlanta History Center
Explore award-winning exhibitions in the Atlanta History Museum, a two-story facility with 30,000 square feet of exhibition space, an 118-seat theater, a museum shop, The Coca-Cola Cafe, and classrooms. Collection includes objects dating from the early 19th century to the present. At its core are those items that refer to the history of Atlanta and its environs, but the collection also includes items that refer to the history of Georgia, the South and the nation. The collection also includes historic homes and gardens.
Ocmulgee National Monument
Ocmulgee is a memorial to the antiquity of man in this corner of the North American continent. The National Monument preserves a continuous record of human life in the Southeast from the earliest times to the present. From Ice-Age hunters to the Muscogee (Creek) people of historic times, there is evidence here of 12,000 years of human habitation. The Monument today consists of two units separated by two miles of riverine wetlands along the Ocmulgee River. The Main Unit is adjacent to the city of Macon, an urban area with a population of 118,000. The isolated Lamar Mounds and Village Unit can be visited by special permit.
Fort Frederica National Monument
Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island was established in 1736 by James Oglethorpe to protect the southern boundary of his new colony of Georgia. Colonists from England, Scotland, and the Germanic states came to Frederica to support this endeavor. After successfully repulsing a Spanish attempt to retake St. Simons Island. The garrison at Ft. Frederica was disbanded, and the town fell into decline. Today, the archeological remnants of Frederica are protected by the National Park Service.
Teaching Tips & Ideas
Knowledge Quest
Knowledge Quest offers historical outline maps and timelines designed for the interactive study of world history and geography.
How I Teach a Large Family in a Relaxed, Classical Way: History
A look at teaching history across several grades using the classical method of education and a rotation of history every four years.
Featured Resources
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And What About College?: How Homeschooling Can Lead to Admissions to the Best Colleges & Universities
Get all your questions about helping your homeschooled student apply and get accepted to college answered with this resource. It discusses transcripts, diplomas, education choices, online colleges, and more. If you are worried about whether your homeschooled student can have a successful college search, then this book will help allay those fears and offers good support and information.
Creative Home Schooling: A Resource Guide for Smart Families
For a comprehensive guide to home-based education, that does not promote any particular curriculum or religious view, this is one book parents should buy! Parents will appreciate practical advice on getting started, adjusting to new roles, designing curriculum that is both child-centered and fun, and planning for social and emotional growth. Parents will turn to their favorite chapters again and again. Features interviews and tips from many homeschool parents as well as long lists of resources...
The Complete Home Learning Source Book : The Essential Resource Guide for Homeschoolers, Parents, and Educators Covering Every Subject from Arithmetic to Zoology
This ambitious reference guide lives up to its name. Practically three inches thick--and we're not talking large print here--it's packed with titles, ordering information, and Web site addresses. From where to send away for a kit to make your own Chilean rain stick to how to order a set of Elizabethan costume paper dolls, the book connects families to a world of learning possibilities. Book titles, short synopses, authors' names, publishers, and years of print make up the bulk of the guide. Clas...
Climb Inside a Poem for Children Big Book of Poems
The poetry anthology, Climb Inside a Poem: Original Poems for Children, uses the writings of contemporary children's poets, whimsical illustrations, and an expansive big book format (14"x 18") to create a 36-page poetry playground. The children's poems crafted expressly for this collection are written by acclaimed children's authors.
Montessori International
Montessori International is the magazine for all parents and teachers. Montessori International magazine is a high quality colour education magazine with a Montessori focus and a truly child-centred approach. The magazine is for Montessori parents, nursery owners, teachers, and students with an interest in Montessori education.