8A - Map of Georgia

Map of Georgia

Use your Archaeology Report to record what you learn about the state of Georgia.

5 Regions, 3 Rivers, and the Fall Line

Map Key

• House = Geographic Region
• Pin Point = Water Feature
• Hand = Geographic Feature
• Heart = Home
• Star = Excavation Site

The Fall Line

The Fall Line is a line stretching from one side of the state to the other. It marks the border between the Piedmont Region and the Coastal Plains. The land along the line is sloped and rocky leading down to sandy land below. There are several waterfalls along this line too, lending to its name. The line was formed millions of years ago when the ocean used to cover the land below the Fall Line. Some of the state’s major cities lie along the Fall Line like Augusta, Columbus, and Milledgeville. The line also separates types of animals based on where they live. For example, gnats struggle to live north of the Fall Line but do really well south of the line, giving the Fall Line its nickname, “the Gnat Line.”

The Blue Ridge Region

The Blue Ridge Region is in the upper right-hand side of the State of Georgia and has some of the tallest mountains in the state! The tallest mountain, Brasstown Bald, is 4,784 feet above sea level. If you had 15 copies of the Statue of Liberty stacked on top of one another, it would still be shorter than the mountain! Because the area is so full of mountains and hills, it is hard for crops to grow there. Instead, large trees like oaks and pines grow on the mountain sides and animals like deer and bear live in the wooded areas.

The Appalachian Plateau

The Appalachian Plateau is the smallest region in Georgia. Even though it is a plateau or flat area of land, this region has a few mountainous areas like Lookout Mountain and Pigeon Mountain. The ground in this region is rocky making it hard to grow crops. Instead, old forests and grasslands cover the area. Animals like raccoons, deer, and squirrels live in these forests.

The Piedmont Region

The word “Piedmont” comes from the Italian word for “foothills” or “at the foot of the mountain.” The Piedmont region covers nearly 80,000 square miles of the United States, but, in Georgia, it covers the area around the capitol of Atlanta. There are several mountains in this region including Kennesaw Mountain and Stone Mountain. The soil here is made up of clay making it hard for some crops to grow. That doesn’t stop native plants though! Oak trees, pine trees, and blackberries grow well in this region. While most of the region is home to smaller animals like squirrels, snakes, and birds, larger animals like deer and black bears are common in the woods and mountains.

The Barrier Islands

The Barrier Islands are found along the coastline of Georgia. As the name implies, the islands create a barrier between mainland Georgia and the harsh Atlantic Ocean. During rough weather and large storms, the Barrier Islands take the most damage, protecting the rest of the state from the worst of the weather. The islands feature beautiful beaches on the side facing the ocean and marshy forests closer to the Georgia Coast. The environment of the Barrier Islands is very similar to that of the Eastern half of the Coastal Plain.

The Coastal Plains

The Coastal Plain covers the lower half of the state of Georgia under the Fall line. That includes where we live! This area can be divided into two major sections: an inland side known for its forests and hilly lands (where we are) and a coastal side known for its flat, swampy areas. The forests were once covered in longleaf pine trees and wire grass, making them the perfect home for smaller mammals like deer, foxes, and rabbits. The coasts are swampy and home to many types of fish and reptiles like alligators. The most famous swamp in the Coastal Plains is the Okefenokee Swamp. “Okefenokee” means “land of the trembling earth” in the Hitchiti language.

The Ridge and Valley Region

While the Ridge and Valley Region makes up a smaller part of the state of Georgia, it is part of a much larger region in the United States that covers an area from New York to Alabama. This area resembles a wrinkled sheet with its high ridges that roll into low valleys. The soil in this region is softer than in the rocky mountain regions around it, making it a good place to grow plants. Some plants that are native to the area include birch trees and a flower called Mountain Skullcap. Many smaller animals live here too like possums, squirrels, and birds.

The Chattahoochee River

The Chattahoochee River forms the border between Georgia and Alabama and part of Florida. It stretches 430 miles long - that’s as long as over 50,000 school buses laid end to end! The name Chattahoochee means “painted rocks” in the Muskogee language and refers to the colorful granite rocks along the river. The river is home to several types of fish such as trout, bass, and catfish. You can also find many types of amphibians such as frogs and salamanders and many kinds of reptiles like snakes and turtles roaming around the river.

The Savannah River

The Savannah River forms the border between the states of Georgia and South Carolina. At 301 miles long, it is the shortest of the three rivers listed on our map. That’s still pretty long though - about the length of 5,345 football fields! Above the Fall Line, the river flows through mountains and rocky areas. Below the Fall Line, the river feeds into swamps and marshes. This means there are many different types of animals and plants that live along the river such as trout, bass, deer, foxes, and turtles.

The Flint River

The Flint River runs through Southwest Georgia starting in the Piedmont Region and heads south through towns like Albany and Bainbridge. The river is 344 miles long. That’s about the length of about 121,000 flag poles laid end to end! Because the river runs through low areas within the Coastal Plain, it floods very easily during heavy storms. The river is home to one of the most diverse populations of fish and wildlife in Georgia (meaning there are many different types of animals). This includes a fish known as the Halloween Darter, a tiny fish that has orange and black stripes.

You are here!

This image shows what Thomas County looked like when the Europeans first arrived in the area. Longleaf Pine forests, small swampy areas, wild pigs and deer, lower part of the state... must be the Coastal Plains!

The Dig Site

Your dig site is located on private land next to the Ochlocknee River in Thomas County. The name Ochlocknee comes from the Hitchiti words "oki" which means "water" and "lakni" which means "yellow" -- the yellow water. The river's distinctive color comes from red clay soil that gets stirred up along the way, making the water very cloudy. The river has a very fast current, making it very dangerous for swimmers. The area around the river is home to many types of wildlife and the river is filled with fish and shellfish.