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History of Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state in the United States of America. It has a long and interesting history.

In the 1500s and 1600s, Native American tribes like the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole lived in Georgia. In the 1700s, the British colonies in America began to expand, and settlers from England and Scotland started to arrive in Georgia.

In 1733, Englishman James Oglethorpe founded the colony of Georgia. This made Georgia the 13th of the original 13 British colonies. Georgia served as a buffer between the more powerful Spanish and British colonies, and a place for debtors and persecuted European Protestants to start new lives.

During the American Revolution, Georgia became part of the rebel cause. The British invaded and occupied Georgia for several years. The final major battle of the Revolutionary War was fought in Georgia.

After the Revolutionary War, Georgia started to become more industrialized. Railroads and cotton plantations grew, and slavery became an important part of the economy.

In 1861, when the Civil War began, Georgia was one of the states to join the Confederate side. After the Civil War ended in 1865, Georgia was taken over by the Union forces and Reconstruction began.

During Reconstruction, African Americans in Georgia demanded the right to vote. The 15th Amendment, which granted voting rights to African Americans, was passed by Congress in 1870.

After the Reconstruction period, Georgia continued to grow and develop over the years. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, large numbers of immigrants moved to Georgia from other parts of the US and Europe.

In the 20th century, the civil rights movement changed the way people lived and worked in Georgia. People of all races and backgrounds began to have more equal rights.

Today, Georgia is a vibrant state with a long and interesting history.