9 Surprising Firsts That Georgia Can Proudly Claim

We all know there are plenty of famous people from Georgia, from actors and singers to even a U.S. president. But the Peach State has also been at the forefront of many firsts in the country — and even in the world. Several inventions that originated in Georgia have gone on to change history, and there’s no shortage of innovations worth celebrating. Here are a few notable Georgia inventions and firsts.

1. Georgia Was the First U.S. Colony to Cultivate Grapes

The colonies of Virginia and both Carolinas failed at colonial attempts at wine-making, but Georgia made succeeded where they could not, and by the turn of the 20th century, became a major producer of wines. This is a bit ironic since Georgia was also one of the earliest states to prohibit alcohol, in 1907. Today, Georgia is back in the wine business, as a leading producer sweet Muscadine grapes.

2. Georgia Was the First State to Charter a University

The University of Georgia was founded in 1785. Interestingly enough, the school has several famous firsts of its own. Did you know UGA was the first school in the south to open up a school of forestry?

3. The First Cotton Gin Was Invented Not Far From Savannah

Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793 to remove cotton seeds from the fibers. Before Whitney's invention, the process slow and labor-intensive. The cotton gin truly revolutionized the cotton industry, paving way for the South to become an economic powerhouse territory.

4. Georgia Is Home to the First College in the World Chartered to Grant Degrees to Women

Wesleyan College was founded in Macon in 1836. The private liberal arts college for women was originally named the Georgia Female College. It has the country's oldest alumnae association and also founded some of the earliest sororities in the United States.

5. We're Also the First State to Give Women Full Property Rights

In 1866, Georgia passed legislation allowing married women to hold property in their own names. At a time when human rights and civil liberties were fiercely debated, the idea that married women could have legal and financial autonomy was groundbreaking. The change reflected a growing push for women in the South — and across the country — to secure rights comparable to those of their husbands. Georgia’s early move helped lay the groundwork for later reforms in women’s property and economic rights nationwide.

6. Georgia Was the First State to Lower the Legal Voting Age From 21 to 18

"Old enough to fight, old enough to vote" was a rallying cry during World War II. It was one that Georgia heard well, as the state was the first to lower the voting age from 21 to 18 in 1943. The law wasn't passed nationally until 1971, putting the Peach State way ahead of the curve on this one!

7. The Largest Pig Ever Found Hails From Alapaha

Weighing 1,000 pounds and measuring 12 feet long, this swine certainly earned its name: Hogzilla. Feral hogs are pigs that escaped from farms generations ago and now roam freely throughout the South. They can be aggressive and are damaging to the environment. Hunting them is a popular sport, especially in south Georgia.

8. The First Newspaper Written in a Native American Language Was Founded in Georgia

In 1828, the Cherokee Phoenix became the first Native American newspaper distributed in the U.S. It was printed in New Echota, GA, the capital of the Cherokee Nation. Pictured is the New Echota Historic Site, which stands today where the Cherokee Phoenix was once printed.

9. We Were the First State to Recognize the Right to Privacy

In 1905, the Georgia Supreme Court was the first in the nation to recognize a constitutional right to privacy. One the defining aspects of our country is our privacy rights, so it's pretty cool that Georgia was the first state to affirm them. Although the right to privacy was implied in the Constitution, it wasn’t federally recognized until 1965 with the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the Griswold v. Connecticut case.

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