Georgia

The name of one of -the original thirteen states of the United States of America. It was called after George II., king of Great Britain, under whose reign it was colonized. George II. granted a charter, dated June 9, 1732, to a company consisting of General James Oglethorpe, Lord Percival, and nineteen others, who planted a colony, in 17^, on the bank of the Savannah river, a short distance from its mouth. The corporation thus created was authorized, for twenty-one years, to erect courts of judicature for all civil and criminal causes, and to appoint a governor, judges, and other magistrates. The territory was to be held, as of the manor of Hampton Court in Middlesex, in free and common socage, and not in capite. This charter was to expire by its own limitation in 1753; and under it the colony was governed by trustees, who, on December 19, 1751, in anticipation of the expiration of the charter, offered to surrender it up to the crown. The offer was accepted and on June 23, 1752, the trustees closed their accounts, made their last grant, and affixed the seal to the deed of surrender, and the colony became a royal province, of which the first governor was appointed August 6, and landed October 29, 1754; the colony having in the meantime been governed by the Board of Trade and Plantations. A state constitution was adopted in 1777, another in 1789, and a third In 1798, which, with some amendments, remained in force until the civil war. The state seceded January 19, 1861, and was readmitted to the Union under act of congress approved July 15, 1870. The present constitution, as revised, compiled, and amended, was adopted by a convention at Atlanta and ratified by a vote of the people on 6th December, 1877; amended, 1898. Paragraph 1, sec. 1, article VII, amended so as to provide pensions for widows of ex-Confederate soldiers, who were married prior to 1870. August 17, 1911, paragraph 1, sec. 1, article VII, amended so as to provide a uniform system of common schools.