About Before Georgia and Alabama
Before the States, the Land Had Names.
Before Georgia and Alabama appeared on modern maps, the Southeast was home to established nations, organized towns, and communities whose histories were deeply connected to the land.
Before Georgia and Alabama is a Southern Roots original historical series exploring the ancient towns, nations, rivers, and territories that shaped the region long before modern state boundaries existed.
Drawing from early maps, historical writings, and the accounts of observers such as Benjamin Hawkins, Albert S. Gatschet, and John R. Swanton, the series reconnects historical places with the geography we recognize today.
From the Chattahoochee and Tallapoosa to the Coosa and Ocmulgee, each episode examines the names and locations of the towns and peoples who occupied these river valleys.
By connecting historical records with present-day cities, counties, and landmarks, Before Georgia and Alabama invites viewers to rediscover the history of the land beneath their feet.
About Season 1
The names have changed. The rivers still remember.
Season 1 introduces viewers to the historical towns and nations that occupied the lands now known as Georgia and Alabama.
Beginning with the organization of Southeastern communities, the series explores the distinction between a central town, or italua, and its associated settlements, or talofa, before following the historical geography of the region's major river systems.
Through early maps and written accounts, viewers are introduced to towns and peoples such as Kawita (Coweta), Kasi'hta (Cusseta), Abi'hka, Coosa, Tuckabatchee, Taskigi (Tuskegee), Eufaula, and Hul'i-Wahli.
Each episode connects historical locations to the modern landscape, identifying the rivers, cities, counties, and communities that help us understand where these towns once stood.
Season 1 provides a geographical foundation for understanding the nations of the Southeast, allowing viewers to recognize familiar places through the names and histories recorded before Georgia and Alabama became states.
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