Did you know that Georgia has stood at the forefront of many “firsts” in this country and even this world? We were the first in the world to give women college degrees, and we also chartered the first university in the country. The first Sunday School was established in Georgia, and the largest hog was also here too. Check this list out and tell me if you knew that Georgia was the first to do these 13 things.
- Georgia was the first colony to cultivate grapes in 1735.
Raul Lieberwirth via Flickr Georgia was a large wine producer at the turn of the 20th century. Surprisingly, they were also one of the first states to prohibit alcohol in 1907. Georgia is now a leading producer of wine from the Muscadine grape.
- Georgia was the first British colony to outlaw the sale of rum in 1738.
byronv2 via Flickr The leaders of the Georgia colony in the 1700s prohibited the import and manufacturing of rum in Georgia because they feared it would promote idleness. In a time when working literally meant life or death, I can definitely understand the reasons behind this rule!
- The first silk from the colonies was sent from Savannah to Britain. It was made into a dress for the queen.
Madelinetosh via Flickr Most people don’t know that Georgia was one of the first to produce silk for the upper classes of Europe.
- Georgia was the first state to charter a university, which is named the University of Georgia.
Zlatko Unger via Flickr The University of Georgia was also the first southern school to open up a school of forestry.
- The first cotton gin was invented near Savannah by Eli Whitney and put into operation near Washington, Georgia.
Bill Murray via Flickr We all know that the cotton gin was created by Eli Whitney in 1793, but did you know it was created in Georgia? It revolutionized the cotton industry.
- Wesleyan College in Macon was the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women.
Jennifer Pack via Flickr This private, liberal arts woman college was actually the first in the WORLD to give women the opportunity to obtain degrees. How cool is that?
- In 1943, Georgia became the first state to lower the legal voting age from 21 to 18.
Vox Efx via Flickr “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”, became a rallying cry during World War II. It was one Georgia heard well as they were the first to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. It wasn’t passed nationally until 1971–Georgia was way ahead of the curve on this one!
- The first protestant Sunday school in America was started in Savannah by John Wesley in 1736.
Cam Miller via Flickr Do you love Sunday School? Well the first one ever was started in Georgia–Savannah to be exact–by John Wesley. It was created out of a need to give children more Christian instruction.
- Hernando de Soto was the first European to explore Georgia in 1540.
Wikimedia This great state called Georgia was discovered by Hernando de Soto who traveled to the Ocmulgee River in 1540. There they discovered an abandoned village and saw a fire pit with meat roasting. This was the first barbeque recorded in Georgia!
- Georgia was home to largest pig ever found, Hogzilla
Wolfro54 via Flickr Hogzilla was 1,000 lbs. and 12 feet long. This wild hog was found and killed in Alapaha, GA.
- Georgia was the first state to give women full property rights in 1866.
Kaz Vorpal via Flickr At a time when human rights were being decided and debated over, women in the south fully expected to have rights just like men. In 1866, Georgia passed legislation that gave married women property rights.
- The first newspaper featuring a Native American language, The Cherokee Phoenix, was founded in Georgia in 1828.
The U.S. Army via Flickr The first Native American newspaper was printed in New Echota, Georgia, the capital of Cherokee Nation. The newspaper stopped printing in 1834.
- In 1905, the Georgia Supreme Court was the first in the nation to recognize a constitutional right to privacy.
Jürgen Telkmann via Flickr One of the things this country defines us on is our privacy rights, and Georgia was the first to realize this! Have to love this state!
Did you know these interesting facts? Tell me what else was Georgia the first to do? Let’s talk about it in the comments below!
Raul Lieberwirth via Flickr
Georgia was a large wine producer at the turn of the 20th century. Surprisingly, they were also one of the first states to prohibit alcohol in 1907. Georgia is now a leading producer of wine from the Muscadine grape.
byronv2 via Flickr
The leaders of the Georgia colony in the 1700s prohibited the import and manufacturing of rum in Georgia because they feared it would promote idleness. In a time when working literally meant life or death, I can definitely understand the reasons behind this rule!
Madelinetosh via Flickr
Most people don’t know that Georgia was one of the first to produce silk for the upper classes of Europe.
Zlatko Unger via Flickr
The University of Georgia was also the first southern school to open up a school of forestry.
Bill Murray via Flickr
We all know that the cotton gin was created by Eli Whitney in 1793, but did you know it was created in Georgia? It revolutionized the cotton industry.
Jennifer Pack via Flickr
This private, liberal arts woman college was actually the first in the WORLD to give women the opportunity to obtain degrees. How cool is that?
Vox Efx via Flickr
“Old enough to fight, old enough to vote”, became a rallying cry during World War II. It was one Georgia heard well as they were the first to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. It wasn’t passed nationally until 1971–Georgia was way ahead of the curve on this one!
Cam Miller via Flickr
Do you love Sunday School? Well the first one ever was started in Georgia–Savannah to be exact–by John Wesley. It was created out of a need to give children more Christian instruction.
Wikimedia
This great state called Georgia was discovered by Hernando de Soto who traveled to the Ocmulgee River in 1540. There they discovered an abandoned village and saw a fire pit with meat roasting. This was the first barbeque recorded in Georgia!
Wolfro54 via Flickr
Hogzilla was 1,000 lbs. and 12 feet long. This wild hog was found and killed in Alapaha, GA.
Kaz Vorpal via Flickr
At a time when human rights were being decided and debated over, women in the south fully expected to have rights just like men. In 1866, Georgia passed legislation that gave married women property rights.
The U.S. Army via Flickr
The first Native American newspaper was printed in New Echota, Georgia, the capital of Cherokee Nation. The newspaper stopped printing in 1834.
Jürgen Telkmann via Flickr
One of the things this country defines us on is our privacy rights, and Georgia was the first to realize this! Have to love this state!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
