Notes on AKS 43

43A: Evaluate the consequences of the end of the county unit system

and reapportionment.

Reapportionment: to redraw voting districts to ensure districts of equal population sizes.

One Person, One Vote

A 1964 federal court ruled that: the county unit system violated the 14th

amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Georgia’s constitution violated the one

person, one vote concept by guaranteeing each county in the state at least one seat in the legislature.

legislative districts should depend solely on population, not county lines.

Reapportionment

The state’s general assembly had to redraw the voting districts to create areas with equal proportions.

This caused voting lines to cross county lines.

Reapportionment shifted the political power in Georgia from the rural areas to urban areas.

This meant candidates for state office had to appeal more to people in cities than in the country.

Consequences of the end of the County Unit System and Reapportionment

Before, many African Americans were not able to vote.

After it ended, people that lived in cities had more influence on the votes because each vote was counted and each vote was equal.

The Georgian economy also continued to shift more towards industry rather than agriculture with the greater influence by urban population (Minimum wage, labor protections, and working conditions)

Link to Maps

http://www.legis.ga.gov/Joint/reapportionment/en-US/default.aspx

43b: Describe the role of Jimmy Carter in Georgia as state senator, governor,

president, and past president.

Carter’s state political career:• Elected to the Georgia state senate in

1962 and again in 1964. He worked hard to improve education during this time.

• Elected governor of Georgia in 1970.– In his address, he stated that “the time for

racial discrimination is over”– Reorganized the state’s executive branch

reducing the number of state agencies.

Carter’s state political career:– Changed the state court system structure.– Appointed the state’s first female judge.– Created the Georgia heritage Trust, which

protected the state’s natural and cultural resources.

– Equalized funding for state schools.• Lester Maddox was his Lieutenant

Governor and they fought a lot about legislative issues

President Jimmy Carter is the only Georgian to ever

be elected President of the United States. Defeated Gerald Ford in 1976. He was known as a casual president who

worked hard and made a great political impact on the US and the world

Best remembered for his efforts to negotiate peace between Israel and Egypt.

President He developed and signed Panama Canal treaties, the

treaty of peace between Egypt and Israel, the SALT II treaty to reduce nuclear arms with the Soviet Union, and he established U.S. diplomatic relations with China.

He also took steps against countries that violated human rights by decreasing or ending U.S. aid to those governments.

Economic problems (very high oil prices) and the Iranian Hostage Crisis helped defeat Carter’s chance for re-election in 1980.

He lost the presidential election of 1980 to Ronald Reagan.

After he was president… Jimmy Carter has become a world spokesman

in the fight to end disease, poverty, and injustice in the world.

He has been a supporter of Habitat for Humanity and for the eradication of certain diseases in Africa and other parts of the world.

In 1999, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Clinton.

He also was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts to find peaceful solutions to problems around the world.

Jimmy

Carter

43C: Analyze the impact of the rise of the two-party system in

Georgia.

The elimination of only one party (the democratic party)

having popularity and power in Georgia means that there is a chance that all citizens, rural and urban, all races, and all

socio-economic status have a chance to be represented in the

state’s government.

Rise of the Two-Party system

There was a political shift in GA during the 1980s and 90s. People continued to elect Democrats to statewide offices, but voted for Republicans in national elections.

This led to the establishment of a real two-party system in the state for the first time since the Bourbon Triumvirate

In 2002, Sonny Purdue was the first Republican elected in over 100 years

Democrats still controlled the General Assembly, but voters chose Republicans for the U.S. Senate and House.

43 D: Evaluate the effect of the 1996 Olympic Games on Georgia

1996 Olympic Games The Olympic Games brought 4 long term

benefits to the state. 1. Millions of dollars were spent to create world-

class competition facilities 2. Brought international recognition to Atlanta 3. Brought volunteer programs, educational and

training programs, and employment opportunities to thousands of Georgia’s citizens

4. Brought billions of dollars to Georgia’s economy

How did the Olympics cast a dark light on the state of Georgia?

1996 Olympic Games Criticisms of Atlanta…

› July 29,1996- Bomb went off at the Centennial Olympic Park, killing one and wounding 117 others.

› Severe traffic congestion in the downtown area made travel difficult to get from one place to the next Olympic planners were criticized for their lack of

infrastructure (roads, bridges, and ports) › Aggressive street vendors and salespeople

seemed to be on every corner › People even said there was overly commercial

advertising, particularly Coca Cola

43E: Evaluate the importance of new immigrant communities to the growth

and economy of Georgia

Immigrant Communities Immigrants are people that move to Georgia from

different countries all around the world. Most of the immigrants come to the US for better jobs

and a change to better their lives Immigrants solve the problem of not enough workers.

They fill jobs in farming, manufacturing, and many other professional positions.

The influence of immigrants can be seen in the surrounding areas of where they work

The added workers mean more money in surrounding communities and in housing

Because GA is a business center for many countries, we are the home to many different immigrant populations.