1. In 1783, Georgia became the last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the United States Constitution, officially joining the new nation as the fourth state.

2. On September 3, 1864, Union forces under the command of General William T. Sherman burned Atlanta, the Confederacy's largest city and a critical transportation hub. The destruction of Atlanta helped to weaken the South's ability to continue fighting in the Civil War.

3. The first case of the deadly mosquito-borne disease known as West Nile virus was identified in Georgia on September 3, 2001. The virus, which can cause severe illness and even death in humans, has since spread to many parts of the United States.

4. On September 3, 1971, athlete and civil rights activist Jesse Owens visited Emory University in Atlanta to speak about his experiences winning four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. Owens' visit was part of a lecture series sponsored by the university's Black Student Alliance.

5. The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) was established on September 3, 1978. Today, SCAD is one of the nation's leading art and design schools, with campuses in Savannah, Atlanta, Hong Kong, and Lacoste, France.