1. On January 7, 1789, Georgia became the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution. The state initially hesitated to join the Union, but eventually approved the document after securing certain guarantees, such as the right to retain control over state militia and the ability to import slaves until 1808.

2. In 1861, the Georgia Secession Convention gathered in Milledgeville, Georgia, to vote on whether the state should secede from the Union. After three days of debate, the convention voted overwhelmingly in favor of secession, making Georgia the fifth state to secede prior to the start of the American Civil War.

3. Legendary Atlanta Braves pitcher Phil Niekro was born on January 7, 1939. Niekro played for the Braves for twenty-one seasons and holds the team record for the most wins (268), strikeouts (2,912), and innings pitched (3,342.2). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

4. On January 7, 1972, the ocean liner SS Canberra completed her final voyage, arriving in Southampton, England, after a round-the-world cruise. The Canberra, which was built and launched in Scotland in 1960, was a popular vessel for cruising and was known for its distinctive design and white funnel.

5. On January 7, 1999, Georgia Governor Roy Barnes signed a bill officially redesigning the state flag. The new design, which replaced the controversial Confederate emblem that had been part of the previous flag since 1956, features the state seal on a blue background and has been in use ever since. The flag was changed once again in 2003, but the basic design remains the same.