1st Nine Weeks Benchmark—Answers
Georgia Performance Standard
SS8G1a – Locate Georgia in relation to
region, nation, continent, and
hemispheres
SS8G1b – Describe the five
geographic regions of Georgia; include
the Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and
Ridge, Appalachian Plateau, Piedmont,
and Coastal Plain.
1.
2.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
SS8G1c – Locate and evaluate the
importance of key physical features on
the development of Georgia; include
the Fall Line, Okefenokee Swamp,
Appalachian Mountain, Chattahoochee
and Savannah Rivers, and barrier
islands.
1.
2.
3.
4.
SS8G1d – Evaluate the impact of
climate on Georgia’s development.
1.
SS8H1a- Describe the evolution of
Native American cultures – Paleo,
Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian- prior
to European contact.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Sample Questions
In what hemispheres is Georgia located?
Northern/Western
Georgia is on the North American continent and is a
state in the country of the United States.
What is the largest of the geographic regions?
Coastal Plain
Which region includes limestone caves and deep
canyons? Appalachian plateau
Why is the Appalachian Plateau known as the TAG
corner? It’s where Tennessee, Alabama, and
Georgia meet
Which region has the most fertile farmland and is the
largest? Coastal Plain
Which region supplies much of the state’s water
because of the precipitation it receives?
Blue Ridge
In what region will you find Lookout Mountain?
Appalachian Plateau
What is another name for the Appalachian
Mountains in Georgia? Blue Ridge Mtns.
Locate the five geographic regions of GA. Blue
Ridge, Ridge & Valley, Appalachian Plateau,
Piedmont, Coastal Plain
Why did the Fall Line attract early settlers?
The waterfalls provided a water and power source
How has the Fall Line helped modern Georgia
develop? Factories used the falls for hydroelectric
power
What do we know about the age of the Appalachian
Mountains? They are the oldest mtns. In North
America
What is Georgia’s largest freshwater wetland?
Okefenokee Swamp
Name 3 ways in which Georgia’s warm climate has
helped its growth.
Attracted the military, attracted retirees, attracts
tourists, long growing season, attracts businesses
What group was the first to use the bow and arrow?
Woodland
How did the bow and arrow improve life for that
group? Killed more game b/c of increased accuracy
What evidence is there that later groups such as the
Woodland and Mississippian believed in life after
death? Buried people with their possessions,
mounds
What was the purpose of mounds like Rock Eagle
and Etowah? Ceremonial – temples or burial
grounds
1st Nine Weeks Benchmark—Answers
5. How do scientists believe the first inhabitants arrived
on N. American soil? Crossed over a land bridge
through the Bering Strait (Beringia)
SS8H1b – Evaluate the impact of
European contact on Native American
cultures; include Spanish missions
along the barrier islands, and the
explorations of Hernando de Soto.
SS8H1c – Explain the reasons for
European exploration and settlement of
North America, with emphasis on the
interests of the French, Spanish, and
British in the southeastern area.
SS8H2a – Explain the importance of
James Oglethorpe, the charter of 1732,
reasons for settlement (charity,
economics, defense), Tomochichi,
Mary Musgrove, and the city of
Savannah
1. Why did the Spanish begin to build missions?
Convert natives to Christianity
2. Which Spanish explorer came through Georgia on
his 3-year expedition? De Soto
3. What was the purpose of DeSoto’s expedition?
Find gold
4. Why was DeSoto’s expedition seen as a failure?
Didn’t find gold
5. What is a positive effect Explorers had on Natives?
Introduced horses as transportation
1. What is the oldest city in the U.S.?
St. Augustine, FL
2. Why was Georgia known as the debatable land?
Spain, France, and England were all trying to put a
permanent colony in what is now Georgia.
3. What is the oldest permanent English settlement in
U.S.? Jamestown
4. What economic system drove much of the
colonization for England, Spain, and France?
Mercantilism
1. Who is James Oglethorpe?
Founder of Georgia
2. Why does Georgia want to keep good relations with
Indians? Defense against Spain
3. What was the charitable reason for the founding of
Georgia? Give the working/worthy poor a new start
4. What was the economic reason for the founding of
Georgia? Colonists were to grow mulberry trees that
would be turned into silk for the mercantile system.
5. What was the military reason for the founding of
Georgia? Provide a buffer between Indians and
Spanish and the Carolina colony
6. Name the four groups that were not allowed in
Georgia when it was founded and explain why they
were excluded.
Blacks – no slavery; Liquor dealers – people would
not work if they were drunk; lawyers – wanted people
to solve their disputes among each other; Catholics –
longstanding dispute between Church of England
and Catholics.
7. How was the way Georgia was ruled between 17331752 different from other colonies?
It was ruled by trustees – not a corporation or the
monarch.
1st Nine Weeks Benchmark—Answers
SS8H2b – Evaluate the Trustee period
of Georgia’s colonial history,
emphasizing the role of the
Salzburgers, Highland Scots,
malcontents, and the Spanish threat
from Florida.
1. Name 2 contributions the Salzburgers made to the
Georgia colony. Georgia’s 2nd city (Ebenezer) and
provided hard-working settlers for the colony
2. Why did Oglethorpe have the Salzburgers settle
away from Savannah? They didn’t speak English
and thought they would be more comfortable
keeping to themselves.
3. What caused the Salzburgers to move from their
original settlement? Water was making them sick
and crops wouldn’t grow; bad land
4. What city did the Highland Scots settle?
Darien
5. What was the group of colonists who began to
complain about the trustees’ regulations?
Malcontents
6. What regulations did the malcontents want changed?
Ban on slavery, land ownership restrictions and ban
on hard liquor
7. What battle ended the Spanish threat to the young
Georgia colony? Battle of Bloody Marsh
SS8H2c – Explain the development of
1. When was slavery allowed in Georgia? 1750
Georgia as a royal colony with regard
2. Which royal governor introduced self-government but
to land ownership, slavery, and the
then dismissed the Governor’s Council after it
impact of the royal governors
disagreed with him? Reynolds
3. Which royal governor allowed slavery to grow in the
colony despite opposition from the Salzburgers and
Highland Scots? Ellis
4. Which royal governor had no plan for defending the
colony and led the colony during the American
Revolution? Wright
5. Who was the first royal governor? Reynolds
6. Which royal governor oversaw the colony during its
longest period of economic prosperity? Wright
Key Vocabulary
1. Carbon dating/carbon 14
2. Relative location
3. Absolute location
4. Quadrant (omit)
5. Archaeologist
6. Anthropologist
7. Mercantilism
8. Royal colony
9. Proprietary Colony
1. Carbon dating/carbon14—a scientific way of finding the age of something that is very old (such
as a dinosaur bone) by measuring the amount of certain forms of carbon in it
2. Relative location—describes where a place is compared with other places
3. Absolute location—exact location of a place; usually given by address or latitude/longitude
coordinates
4. Quadrant—omit (could refer to the ¼ of the earth where GA is located, created by part of
Northern and Western hemispheres)
5. Archaeologist—a scientist who studies artifacts to learn about the lives of early peoples
1st Nine Weeks Benchmark—Answers
6. Anthropologist—a scientist who studies artifacts, cave drawings, well-traveled pathways, and
oral history to learn about the culture of a group of people
7. Mercantilism—a trade policy in which a country exports more than it imports; colonies are
expected to supply raw materials to the mother country
8. Royal colony—a colony directly governed by the king
9. Proprietary colony—a colony directed by those to whom a charter was given (trustee period for
Georgia)