Georgia After World War 2

Farming in Georgia• Agricultural Adjustment Act: program that paid farmers to

grow less cotton.

• Cotton becomes less popular, new crops are grown: Peaches, Onions, Peanuts, Corn

• Tractors reduce tenant farmers

• Farms closed leaving fewer but larger farms

• Farmers reduced the number of crops, started raising livestock and poultry (Chickens, Hogs, Cattle)

Economy Change in Georgia• Farmers without jobs moved to the city

- More technology = less farmers

• Increase in city population made manufacturing in Atlanta grow

– Focused on processing and packaging of agricultural products.

• 1940 = 66% RURAL 34% URBAN

• 1970 = 40% RURAL 60% URBAN

Atlanta Expanding• Factories

• Banks

• Finance

• Insurance

• Transportation Systems

William Hartsfield

• Helped set up Atlanta’s first airport at an abandoned racetrack in 1925• Grew to be one of the busiest airports and was

named after him 1971• Promoted air transportation and directed the

building of Atlanta’s expressway system• Population of Atlanta grew tremendously while he

was mayor from the 1930s to 1960s

Ivan Allen Jr.• Businessman who served as Atlanta’s mayor from

1962 to 1970• Oversaw the building of Atlanta’s $13 million

Memorial Arts cultural center and $9 million civic center.• Brought in Braves Baseball, Falcons Football, and

Hawks Basketball• Friends with Martin Luther King Jr.

Ellis Arnall• Governor of Georgia from 1943 to 1947

• One of the most open minded and effective governors in Georgia’s history

• Made a huge impact on Georgia: changed from a poor rural state to one of the most progressive states in the south

• Beat Eugene Talmadge to become governor

Ellis Arnall

• Arnall beat Talmadge by promising a “peoples administration” where public officials would listen to the people

• Georgia General Assembly adapted his entire program of reform.

• Education was top priority: restored accreditation to the state university system after it was taken away during Talmadges administration

Ellis Arnall• Lowered voting age to 18

• Abolished poll tax

• Revise state constitution

• Pay off state debt

• Modernized state prison system: got rid of whipping prisoners and chain gangs