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Georgia After WWII

Georgia After WWII. December 9, 2013. Transformation of Agriculture. After WWII, when Georgia soldiers returned from fighting, they found the state in the middle of a rapid change Agriculture was no longer the main economic activity

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Georgia After WWII

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  1. Georgia After WWII December 9, 2013

  2. Transformation of Agriculture • After WWII, when Georgia soldiers returned from fighting, they found the state in the middle of a rapid change • Agriculture was no longer the main economic activity • People had left farming for factories during the war, increasing the size of cities • The demand for cotton fell • Peanuts, soybeans, and corn were planted in place of cotton • Improved farm machinery allowed fewer workers to farm larger areas • This sent more people into the cities looking for jobs • By 1970, 60% of Georgia’s population lived in cities

  3. Ellis Arnall • Ellis Arnall was elected as Georgia’s governor in 1942, after Eugene Talmadge • Arnall fixed the problems with Georgia’s colleges created by Talmadge, and created the board of corrections to oversee the prison system • He abolished (got rid of) the poll tax and adopted a new state constitution in 1945 • When 18-years olds began to be drafted for WWII, he argued that anyone old enough to fight for their country should be able to vote • He helped Georgia become the first state to allow 18-year olds to vote

  4. The Development of Atlanta • Atlanta became the capital of the state in 1877 • After WWII, businesses moved into the state • The population grew, as did the size of the city • Opportunities were improving for African-Americans • Transportation grew in the 1970s • Several of Atlanta’s mayors contributed to this growth • Major league sports moved into Atlanta in the 1960s • Atlanta grew into the financial, communication, and transportation center of the Southeast

  5. Business in Atlanta • By 1954, around 800 new industries had appeared in Atlanta • Many northern companies moved south because of the warmer climate • The growth of aviation also contributed to the growth of business in Atlanta • By the end of the 1950s, Lockheed Martin (the former Bell Aircraft plant) was Georgia’s largest employer

  6. Population Growth • More people moved into Georgia as the invention of air conditioning made summers more comfortable • Georgia’s population grew to over 4.5 million by 1970 • Atlanta’s grew to over 1 million by 1970 • Atlanta went from being the 32nd largest city in the U.S. to the 23rd • African-Americans began moving back as better opportunities were becoming available • Discrimination largely disappeared, schools were integrated, and economic opportunities improved

  7. Transportation in Georgia • Georgia had always benefited from its seaports and railroads • After WWII, however, aviation and interstate highways grew • In the early 1950s, a network of freeways and highways linked Atlanta with the rest of the Southeast and other areas of the country • In 1975, MARTA began building rail lines, beginning operations in 1979 • Atlanta’s airport began offering international flights in 1971

  8. William B. Hartsfield • He served as Atlanta mayor for 24 years, from 1937-1961 • He encouraged the growth of aviation and helped make Atlanta the Southeast’s air travel hub (this is why the airport is named after him) • He helped lead the city ahead in civil rights by hiring African-American police officers, integrating public places, and eventually public schools

  9. Ivan Allen, Jr. • Allen served as Atlanta’s mayor after Hartsfield, from 1962-1970 • He continued Hartsfield’s peaceful approach to integration • During his terms, Atlanta saw the growth of skyscrapers and became the home to a number of major league sports teams • He also pushed for MARTA to help improve transportation in Atlanta

  10. Major League Sports • In the 1960s, Atlanta dreamed of being a “big league city” but didn’t have the facilities • The chance came in 1964, when the Milwaukee Braves promised to move to Atlanta if a new stadium was built • In 1966, the Atlanta Braves began playing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium • That same year, the Atlanta Falcons began playing there as well • The Atlanta Hawks soon followed in 1968 • These teams have helped raise the prestige of the city as well as earned millions of dollars in revenue for the city’s economy

  11. Questions… • 1) What was no longer the main economic activity of Georgia after WWII? • 2) Why did people leave farms during WWII? • 3) How did this lead to the growth of cities? • 4) Who became governor in 1942? • 5) What did Arnall do with the poll tax while he was governor? • 6) During Arnall’s term, Georgia became the first state to do what? • 7) Why were northern companies moving to Georgia? • 8) Who was Georgia’s largest employer by the end of the 1950s? • 9) What invention led to population growth in Georgia?

  12. Questions… • 10) Why did African-Americans begin moving back after WWII? • 11) What types of transportation systems grew after WWII? • 12) What industry did Hartsfield encourage while he was mayor of Atlanta? • 13) How did he lead the city in civil rights? • 14) While Allen was mayor, what grew up around Atlanta? • 15) What mayor saw major league sports teams move to Atlanta? • 16) Which teams played at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium? • 17) When did the Braves and Falcons begin playing here? • 18) How have sports teams helped the city?

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