What were the accomplishments of Georgia’s Post World War II governors? (SS8H10c)
Name: _________________________________________________ Academic
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Directions: Read the instructions for each section and complete the information that is required.
I.
Find Appendix III on pg. 591 in the cloudy book. Make a list of all the governors who served
between 1941 and 1967. Your list will begin with Eugene Talmadge and end with Carl Sanders.
Governor
Years in Office (Term)
Eugene Talmadge
Ellis Arnall
Herman Talmadge
Melvin Thompson
Herman Talmadge
S. Marvin Griffin
Ernest Vandiver
Carl Sander
1941-1943
1943-1947
1947
1947-48
1948-1955
1955-1959
1959-63
1963-67
II.
Turn to page 401 and read the section on Ellis Arnall. Answer these questions after reading the
section.
1. What two “firsts” were accomplished during Arnall’s term as governor?
a. __________________1st governor to serve 4-yr term___
b. _GA became 1st state to allow 18 year olds to vote________
2. What 2 actions undertaken by Arnall led to Southern Accreditation of Colleges and Schools to
reaccredit Georgia’s colleges and universities?
a. _____Board of Regents taken out of governor’s control________________
b. Regents’ terms were staggered
3. Name 3 other accomplishments of Arnall as governor.
a. __Removed prison system from governor’s control_______
b. Abolished poll tax____
c. _____Oversaw new constitution of 1945______
III.
Read the section entitled The Three Governors Episode on pgs. 430-432. As you read put the
following events in the correct order. Put 1 on the first event and 10 on the last.
_4__Eugene Talmadge was elected governor and Melvin Thompson was elected lt. governor.
__9_Secretary of State Ben Fortson refused to issue state seal to either man.
__6_ The legislature chose Herman Talmadge as governor/Gov. Arnall picked Melvin Thompson
__7__ Talmadge’s men locked Gov. Ellis Arnall out of his office.
___3_Eugene Talmadge’s advisors made a plan for voters to write in Herman Talmadge’s name on
ballot
__2__ James Carmichael won the popular vote but Eugene Talmadge won the county unit vote.
___10 Georgia Supreme Court ruled Thompson was governor until a special election could be held.
__5_Eugene Talmadge died before being sworn in as governor.
_1__ Democrats Eugene Talmadge, Ed Rivers, and James Carmichael ran for governor in 1946.
__8__ Lt. Gov. Melvin Thompson set up an office in downtown Atlanta.
IV.
Read the sections about the remaining modern governors (pgs. 432-435) Put the governor’s first
and last initials by his accomplishment.
__CS___insisted Georgians obey law during periods of racial unrest
_MG____ native of Bainbridge
__HT___ restructured the state highway department
__CS___ 1st governor elected after county unit system declared unconstitutional
__HT__ served in the U.S. Senate from 1956-1981
__MG___ capitol was remodeled
__MT___ oversaw building of UGA veterinary school and Georgia Tech’s textile engineering school
___MG__oversaw hiring of 3,000 teachers
__CS___ added 10,000 public school teachers
__HT___ expanded schools to include grades 1-12 and enacted 9-month school year
__MT___ bought Jekyll Island to turn into state resort
__HT___ created the Georgia Forestry Commission
__CS___ spend 60% of state tax dollars on education
MG_ led expansion for the development of new public health facilities and improved medical
services
__CS_ modernized state government, improved Georgia’s infrastructure and brought more industry to
the state