AKS/GPS Content Standard/s: SS8H10 The student will evaluate key post-world War II developments of Georgia from 1945 to 1970. a. Analyze the impact of the transformation of agriculture on Georgia s growth. b. Explain how the development of Atlanta, including the roles of mayors William B. Hartsfield and Ivan Allen, Jr., and major league sports, contributed to the growth of Georgia. c. Discuss the impact of Ellis Arnall. Essential Questions 1. Discuss the impact of Ellis Arnall, William Hartsfield, Eugene Talmadge, and Ivan Allen Jr. 2. Elaborate on how major league sports helped to strengthen Georgia s economy. 3. Explain why Herman Talmadge is re-elected for a third term.
Georgia s Governors
Let s Review Good Ole Gene Talmadge Attacked The New Deal He warned that The New Deal had communist tendencies He urged against the minimum wage: he stated it would hurt private enterprise by paying too high of a wage and it would threaten white supremacy by giving blacks equal pay with whites. He urged that Roosevelt not be nominated for a second term Talmadge s fight against the national administration made little headway in Georgia where President Roosevelt & the New Deal became increasingly popular. Georgia elects a new Governor
Eurith Rivers promised to bring the New Deal to Georgia Rivers won the election as anti- Talmadge & pro-new Deal. Georgians began to participate in the New Deal programs. Created new hospitals, schools, and highways. Created the Georgia State Patrol and required a license to drive for all those who operated a vehicle. Rivers tried to bring basic healthcare and welfare to rural citizens. Upgraded public education and provided funds for free textbooks. Created four lane highways to connect major Georgia cities together. Abolished the prohibition law and allowed for the sale of alcohol based county voters to decide. Ed Rivers!
A New Governor is Needed! Eurith Rivers promised to bring the New Deal to Georgia Rivers won the election as anti- Talmadge & pro-new Deal. Although many changes and improvements occurred during his four year term Rivers must have not realized that funding for these improvements must come from taxes thus, he raised state taxes and will not win re-election.
Eugene Talmadge back in office and White Supremacy Rules the South 1. He used the county unit system to his advantage by appealing to rural voters. He became very powerful and does little to help poor farmers once he enters office. 2. He fired enemies and became an outspoken opponent to FDR s New Deal. 3. As a white supremacist, Talmadge was against any sort of racial integration in schools.
Oh the Promises he makes. 1. Run the government more economically than Rivers. 2. Balance the state budget 3. Lower utility rates 4. Reduce the price of automobile tags to three dollars 5. Reorganize the state highway board. 6. Rid Georgia s colleges of any professor who favored communism or racial equality. When two university administrators were accused of supporting school integration, Talmadge succeeded in having them fired because of this Georgia colleges lose accreditation for a while. He does not win re-election!
Ellis Arnall He was elected to represent Coweta County in the Georgia House of Representatives when he was just 25 years old. At only 31, he was appointed attorney general of the state, the youngest attorney general in the country at that time. In 1942, at the age of just 35, Arnall defeated Eugene Talmadge and became governor, also the youngest in the nation.
During his four years as governor, Ellis Arnall created an impressive record of reform by: 1.increasing education spending 2.managing the state's economic recovery 3.balancing the state's budget for the first time in more than a century.
Ellis Arnall wins the election Arnall worked to bring progressive reform to the state. Georgia s universities had fallen out of accreditation, which Arnall worked to restore. Arnall also backed a liberal candidate who was unpopular in Georgia, in the 1944 presidential election.
1. Removed the prison system from the governor s control Established Board of Corrections to oversee prisons Established Pardon and Parole Board 2. Abolished the poll tax This allowed more African Americans to become eligible to vote in elections. 3. Led GA to become the first state to grant 18 year olds the right to vote in state elections When young men were drafted during WWII he argued that individuals who were old enough to fight for their country were old enough to vote. Progressive Reform 1. State prisons 2. Tax system 3. Lowered the state s voting age to 18.
Many black political leaders agreed with Arnall, hoping labor unions would bring job equality to Georgia In cities, many blacks registered to vote. Fewer living in rural areas registered. Worked aside Helen Mankin who appealed to the black voters to win a vacancy in the congressional district of Atlanta. She was the first woman elected to Congress from Georgia.
Eugene Talmadge Returns to Office as Governor He WINS re-election for a Third Time! Southerners generally did not like labor unions that Arnall created, particularly when rumored that Communists were involved with running the unions. Southerners did not like Arnall s progressive reform to the state. Many wanted Georgia to back to the old southern white supremacy standards that Arnall worked so hard to break. Many favored school segregation and Talmadge appealed to the southern white farmers for their vote.
William B. Hartsfield The Great Depression had hurt Atlanta s economy a great deal by that time. He secured donations from Coca-Cola for the city s funding. Hartsfield s strict budgeting helped the city recover from the Great Depression by 1938.
Atlanta Grows and Expands William B. Hartsfield-Mayor of Atlanta 1. Served as mayor of Atlanta for 6 terms 1937-1941 and 1942-1946. 2. Helped make Atlanta an aviation hub for the Southeast 3. Chose the site for the Atlanta Airport 4. Helped lead the city in the area of civil rights 1946 - he organized a biracial coalition that worked on voter registration drives. 1948 hired 8 black police officers for restricted duties
A Timeline of Success 1955 city s golf courses integrated without incident 1957 city busses integrated 1958 asked state to allow Atlantans to decide whether to keep integrated schools open. State was refusing to fund integrated schools 1960 state committee found overwhelming support for keeping schools open.
A Mayor who fights for Integration August 30, 1961 integrated 4 white high schools without incident. 1961 - ended lunch counter segregation.
Reading Article Father of a New and Progressive Atlanta.
Major League Sports City leaders worked together to raise both the prestige of the city and generate millions of dollars each year in revenue. Major league sports was a vehicle used to accomplish both tasks. The Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium was built and in 1966, the Atlanta Braves played their first game in the new stadium. Other professional sports teams soon followed.
Atlanta Braves When the Braves moved to Atlanta, they were the first professional sports team to be located in the South. In 1966, the baseball team played its first season. In 1969, they won the Western Division of the National League Throughout the 1970s, however, the Braves continued to be one of the worst professional teams. One player, however, Hank Aaron, set the 1974 record for the most home runs, in front of a television audience of millions.
Atlanta Braves In 1976, entrepreneur and billionaire Ted Turner bought the Braves. Turner owned a cable network and he wanted to play the team s games on his channel. This was the beginning of the well known cable television station, TBS. The station televised Braves games throughout the country. Today the Braves play at Turner Field.
In 1965, the Atlanta Falcons football team joined the National Football League. In 1966, Rankin M. Smith of the Life Insurance Company of Georgia purchased the team for $8.5 million. The Falcons play at the Georgia Dome.
The Atlanta Hawks, a basketball team that plays in the National Basketball Association, moved to Atlanta in 1968. They play at the Philips Arena. The team moved to Atlanta from St. Louis, Missouri.
The Atlanta Flames were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 1972 until 1980. The team dissolved from lack of interest. Later in 1997, the league expanded and hockey became a Georgia sport again. The Atlanta Thrashers play at Phillips arena.