A BRIEF HISTORY OF ATLANTA

In 1837 the town of Terminus sprang up at the end point of a railroad line. Thename was changed from Terminus to Marthasville to Atlanta. In 1847 Atlanta wasincorporated and quickly became an important regional transportation hub.

When the Civil War erupted, Atlanta was a town of fewer than ten thousandinhabitants but it had already billed itself as the "Gate City of the South." Theslogan was a bit of self-promotion but was grounded in truth; the region's majorrailways converged in the city.

During the Civil War, Union General William Tecumseh Sherman apparentlybelieved the city's promoters and recognized the city's strategic importance. Helaid siege to Atlanta in July of 1864 and, after more than a month of fighting,succeeded in capturing the city. Atlanta was later burned before Sherman and histroops began their infamous "March to the Sea."

Today, the city's seal includes a fiery Phoenix rising from ashes. After the CivilWar, the city was indeed, rebuilt from ashes. With tireless work and promotion byits residents the city continued to prosper and grow. Atlanta became the capital ofGeorgia in 1868.

Like every great city, Atlanta has always been equal parts reality and aspiration.The city's promoters continually dreamed of ways to expand Atlanta's influence.The city hosted the Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895. Theregional branch of the Federal Reserve Bank located here in 1914 and by the1920's Atlanta began to aggressively recruit businesses and industries to relocateto the city. Emory University was brought to Atlanta from Oxford, Georgia, in 1915

By the mid-twentieth century the city was of national importance. Few thingsillustrate this more than the city's role in the Civil Rights movement. For manyyears, the city has had one of the nation's most influential and well-organizedAfrican American communities. In the 1950's that community nurtured many ofthe civil rights movement's leaders, chief among them was Martin Luther King Jr.In 1959 Mayor William Hartsfield called Atlanta "a city too busy to hate." Indeed,desegregation was a relatively peaceful process for the city. Though there havebeen unfortunate exceptions during the South's history, Atlanta has been andremains a progressive and welcoming community.

In 1990 Atlanta won the bid to host the 1996 Centennial Olympic games. This featannounced to the world that the city was not only a regional city but also aninternational city. The Olympic bid was once again a combination of reality andaspiration, but the dreamers made it happen. Today the city boasts fourprofessional sports teams. It is also home to the first 24 hour television newscoverage and the first all-news television network in the United States. Atlanta istruly of international importance.

ATLANTA STATISTICS

5.3 million residents9th largest metroLargest city in SoutheastEstablished 1837

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR

Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in 1929 in a two-story Queen Anne style house at501 Auburn Avenue in a neighborhood known as the "Sweet Auburn District." TheEbenezer Baptist Church, where for eight years he shared the pulpit with his father,is a short walk away at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Jackson Street.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was considered to be the most important leader in the CivilRights Movement of the 1950's and 1960's. In April of 1968 King traveled toMemphis, Tennessee to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbageworkers. On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of hismotel room in Memphis, Dr. King was assassinated.

The King family determined that Atlanta would be the fitting place to bury Dr. King.His grave site occupies most of the cleared lot east of the Ebenezer Baptist Churchto Boulevard Street. In 1976 a memorial park was installed around the marblecrypt. The park consists primarily of a brick and concrete plaza with an arch-covered walkway and chapel partially surrounding a reflecting pool. In the centerof the pool, on a raised pedestal rest the crypts of Dr. King and his wife,Coretta Scott King. On his is engraved the inscription: "Reverend Martin LutherKing, Jr. 1929-1968, "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, I'm free atlast"

The Historic Site includes the Center for Nonviolent Social Change, Inc., whichcontinues King's legacy and work. Martin Luther King, Jr. worked tirelessly toassure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of1965.

At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr. was the youngest man to havereceived the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced thathe would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rightsmovement.

The King Center, established in 1968 by Coretta Scott King, is the official livingmemorial dedicated to the advancement of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.leader of America's greatest nonviolent movement for justice, equality, and peace.

WORLD OF COCA-COLA

In May of 1886 Coca-Cola was invented by Doctor John Pemberton, a pharmacistfrom Atlanta, Georgia. He concocted the Coca-Cola formula in a three legged brasskettle in his backyard. In 1887, another Atlanta pharmacist and businessman,Asa Candler bought the formula for Coca-Cola from inventor John Pemberton for$2,300. By the late 1890s, Coca-Cola was one of America's most popular fountaindrinks, largely due to Candler's aggressive marketing of the product.

Since its grand opening in 1990, World of Coca-Cola Atlanta has welcomed nearlyten million visitors and has become one of Atlanta's most visited indoor attractions.Today, the World of Coca-Cola Atlanta traces the century-old history of the world'smost popular soft drink and is designed to showcase the rich heritage and globalreach of Coca-Cola, with exhibits that appeal to both young and old.

In addition to interactive exhibits and video presentations, the attraction featuresthe largest collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia ever assembled containing over1,000 Coca-Cola artifacts presented in chronological order. Visitors are taken on avirtual journey from the invention of Coca-Cola to its present proliferationthroughout the world. An average of 9,600 Coca-Cola Company beverages areconsumed every second.

There is a fully functioning bottling plant in the museum. The Pop Culture Exhibit(2nd Floor) contains computers that allow students to make their own pop cultureproducts.

The museum is laid out in galleries called "Milestones of Refreshment."

Gallery 1 (Invention) showcases the time in which John Pemberton inventedCoca-Cola.Gallery 2 (Developing a Logo) showcases the importance of a logo.Gallery 3 (Early Marketing) showcases how Asa Candler used new types ofmarketing to grow The Coca-Cola Company.Gallery 4 (Early Bottling) showcases how bottling operations expandedthroughout the United States and the world.Gallery 5 (1916 - the Contour Bottle) showcases how the innovation of thecontour bottle design was accomplished.Gallery 6 (Lifestyles of Entertainment) showcases how advertising reflectsdesired lifestyles at the time the advertisement was used. Slogans as well as theimportance of automobiles are displayed.Gallery 7 (Within an Arms Reach of Desire) showcases how innovations havebeen used to change how customers purchase the Coca-Cola product.

Gallery 8 (International Expansion) World War II case showcases Coca-Cola'sefforts to bring the product to soldiers in World War II.Gallery 9 (Sports & Entertainment) showcases both sports and entertainmentfigures who were important in Coca-Cola advertising.

CNN STUDIO TOUR

In 1980, R.E. (Ted) Turner broke new ground with the launch of CNN, the first 24-hour all-news network, forever changing the way the world saw breaking news.Today, CNN services reach nearly one billion people around the globe.

Journey into the heart of CNN Worldwide and get an up-close look at global news inthe making. Inside CNN Studio Tour is a 55-minute guided walking tour offeringguests exclusive behind-the-scenes views of Atlanta's CNN studios. Get an excitingglimpse of news gathering and broadcasting in action from the world headquartersof CNN, the Most Trusted Name in News.

Students will get an insiders look at how an event becomes news that reaches you.Every element of live news coverage comes together in CNN's Control Room. SeeStudio 7E where personnel create memorable broadcasts through advancedcomputer technology. Students may be asked to give a broadcast or weatherreport in front of a studio camera.

THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM

Bernie Marcus, cofounder of Atlanta-based Home Depot wanted to give a gift toAtlanta. The son of Russian Jews, he grew up in New York remembering theaquarium from his days as a youth at Coney Island. He decided to give Atlanta aworld-class attraction that would serve to educate and thrill both locals andvisitors.

The Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world, opened in 2005. Withmore than eight million gallons of fresh and salt water and more aquatic life thanfound in any other aquarium, you are sure to see things you have never seenbefore.

The Georgia Aquarium promises wonder and excitement around every corner.The Cold Water Quest gallery features fish and marine mammals from cold oceanwaters worldwide. Beneath the waves, curious animals such as Australian WeedySea Dragons, Beluga Whales, giant Pacific Ooctopus, Garibaldi Damselfish andJapanese Spider Crabs hang among rocky ledges and kelp forests.

The Georgia Explorer gallery is a highly interactive gallery with touch pools full ofhorseshoe crabs, sea stars, stingrays and shrimp. Several large habitats feature aloggerhead sea turtle and the fish of Gray's Reef - an underwater area off theGeorgia coast designated a National Marine Sanctuary. Whales live right off theGeorgia coast! This gallery will connect you with Right Whales, which are one ofthe most endangered mammals on the planet.

The River Scout gallery, presented by Southern Company, shows how rivers are asource of life for animals, people and cultures throughout the world. In the RiverScout gallery you will discover a wide diversity of animals found in the rivers ofAfrica, South America, Asia and locally in Georgia.

In the Ocean Voyager gallery walk through an acrylic tunnel and you will feel likea SCUBA diver in an endless blue sea, mesmerized by thousands of fish swimmingoverhead.

TURNER FIELD

The Ivan Allen Jr. Braves Museum & Hall of Fame (BMHF) is open year-round and isthe starting point of Turner Field Tours. The museum features more than 600Braves artifacts and photographs that trace the team's history from Boston (1871-1952) to Milwaukee (1953-65) to Atlanta (1966-present). This is a one hour guidedtour of the stadium. The tour will take students to many areas off-limits duringgames including Sky Field, a luxury suite, the press box, broadcast booth,clubhouse (locker room), dugout, and the new SunTrust Club.

STONE MOUNTAIN

Today's Stone Mountain Park is really the dream of one man, ScottCandler. The Dekalb County politician felt that completing theConfederate Memorial in combination with other attractions could be amassive revenue generator for the county and the state. As Georgia'sSecretary of State, Candler successfully organized the purchase of the

land in 1958.

Before the state purchased Stone Mountain, work had already begun on building alasting memorial to honor the Confederate leaders. Stone Mountain is the largestpiece of exposed granite in the world. Construction of the carving started in 1923and delays caused by world events and disagreements with artists delayed itscompletion for almost fifty years.

In 1972, the carving was officially declared complete. It is the largest bas-reliefcarving in the world. The Confederate Memorial Carving of Confederate PresidentJefferson Davis, and Generals Robert E. Lee and "Stonewall" Jackson is 90 feet by190 feet.

Stone Mountain today is a thriving park. It has a sky ride that takes people to thetop of the mountain, a locomotive that takes people around the base of themountain, a paddle wheel boat, antebellum buildings open for touring, shoppingand activities for all ages. In the summer, see a laser light show projected on themountain side.

ZOO ATLANTA

Atlanta's oldest cultural attraction began the day a circus came to town - andnever left. In March 1889 problems forced the circus owner into bankruptcy.Circus employees quit and left the animals in their cages.

Soon, the animals began to draw crowds of curious onlookers. Two weeks later,businessman George Valentine Gress purchased the collection at public auction anddonated all the animals to the city of Atlanta. City leaders relocated them to GrantPark, a favorite local picnic destination.

By the 1950s, the animal cages were replaced in favor of naturalistic enclosures.Today, the zoo features the World Of Reptiles, Flamingo Plaza and the WildlifeTheater. The Ford African Rain Forest opened in 1988. The Ford exhibits createdlush habitats for a collection of Low Land Gorillas loaned by the Yerkes NationalPrimate Research Center at Emory University. In 1999 Zoo Atlanta prepared astate-of-the-art exhibit to receive two giant pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang. TheZoo is one of only four zoos in the United States housing the giant pandas.

FERNBANK MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

The idea of the Fernbank Museum of Natural History came from a forest nearAtlanta and the dream of Emily Harrison, a young girl who loved the area. Growingup in the late 1800s, Emily Harrison often played in the forest surrounding herhome just east of Atlanta. Emily enjoyed learning about the plants and animalsaround her. She later became an educator and led the effort to preserve thisunique area of old growth forest.

One of Emily's favorite spots in the forest was a creek bank covered with a varietyof ferns. She was the first to call the area "Fernbank." In 1974 a science centerwas built on the Fernbank grounds and in 1992 the Fernbank Natural HistoryMuseum was completed. Thus, Ms. Harrison's love of the forest and of learning canbe found at Fernbank.

Today, the Fernbank Museum is one of the largest in Atlanta. You can come face-to-face with the world's largest dinosaurs, explore the development of life on Earththrough the landscapes of present-day Georgia, connect with cultures from aroundthe globe, and engage in a variety of hands-on exhibits. See the world's largestdinosaur, Argentinosaurus. and the world's largest carnivorous dinosaur,Giganotosaurus.

In the gallery, Sensing Nature, with the help of lasers, mirrors, water, andacoustics you will see how our senses work together to understand theenvironment and the weather. See a tornado forming right before your eyes.

In the gallery, The World of Shells, you will learn how shell material is formed,the numerous ways animals use their shells, and the life processes of shelledanimals. Fernbank hosts special exhibitions throughout the year, so there isalways something new to discover.

ATLANTA CYCLORAMA

The CYCLORAMA is a painting of the Battle of Atlanta which occurred during the Civil War.While the massive work of art was painted in Wisconsin, many of the artists came fromEurope as it was difficult to find enough skilled artists locally. The artists were dividedinto three groups: landscape artists; animal artists; and figure artists.

When the painting was completed in 1886, it was 50 feet high, 400 feet long, and weighed9,000 pounds. In 1893 it came to Atlanta and was put into a wooden structure. In 1921it was placed in a new fire-proof building. In 1936 a diorama was added to give thepainting a 3-D effect. Today the painting is 42 feet high and 358 feet long. It is still thelargest oil painting in the world!

STUDENT STUDY GUIDE

Atlanta History1. Atlanta was first named?

2. Atlanta played a vital role in what movement?

3. In 1996 Atlanta hosted what international event?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.1. Dr. King was born in a neighborhood called

2. He was assassinated in what city?

3. Dr. King was the youngest person to receive what prize?

World Of Coca-Cola1. Who invented Coca-Cola?

2. Why would a company want to advertise?

3. How much did a coke cost when it first came out?.

CNN Studio Tour1. Who started CNN?

2. What do the letters CNN stand for?

3. What is the screen called that a weather person stands in front of?

Georgia Aquarium1. What type of life will you see in The Cold Water Quest gallery?

2. Where in the world would you find Zebra Shark?

3. The Arawana fish is found in what South American river?

Stone Mountain1. How high is Stone Mountain?.

2. Who are the men in the carving?.

and

3. When was the carving completed?

Turner Field1. What is the name of the baseball team that plays here?

2. What city was the team located first?

3. Who is your favorite baseball player?

Zoo Atlanta1. How did the zoo get started?.

2. What kind of creatures would you find in the World Of Reptiles?

3. What is your favorite animal/reptile and why?

Fernbank Museum Of Natural History1. Where did the museum get it's name?.

2. The world's largest dinosaur is the

3. A canoe made from a tree trunk is called a

The Cyclorama1. The CYCLORAMA is a painting of what battle?.

2. The battle of Atlanta happened during what war?.

3. How large is the painting?

10

ANSWERS

Atlanta History1. Terminus2. Civil Rights Movement3. Centennial Olympic gamesDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.1. Sweet Auburn district2. Memphis3. Novel Peace PrizeWorld Of Coca-Cola1. John Pemberton2. So people know about their products3. 5 centsCNN Studio Tour1. Ted Turner2. Cable News Network3. The Blue ScreenGeorgia Aquarium1. Whales, Sharks, etc2. Indian Ocean, S. Pacific Ocean3. Amazon RiverStone Mountain1. 800 feet2. Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson3. 1972Turner Field1. Atlanta Braves2. Boston3. open for discussionZoo Atlanta1. from a circus2. snakes, turtles, lizards, etc3. discussionFernbank Museum Of Natural History1. A creek bank covered in ferns2. Argentinosaurus.3. DugoutThe Cyclorama1. Battle of Atlanta2. Civil War3. 42' high and 358' long

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