United States, Georgia, Clarke County, Athens, 33.96095, -83.37794Baldwin, Abraham, 1754-18071785-01-27This collection consists of the original University of Georgia charter, dated January 27, 1785, the founding document of the University of Georgia, and a significant document in American history for codifying the principle of public higher education in the United States. Its approval by the Georgia General Assembly made the University of Georgia the first state chartered in the nation. It was authored by Abraham Baldwin, the University of Georgia's founder and first president. The text conveys the philosophy and purpose of establishing the University and outlines its governing bylaws, whereby specific powers are afforded to the Board of Visitors and the Board of Trustees--collectively referred to as the Senatus Academicus--as well as the president.After the charter's signing in Savannah, it traveled with state records over many years as the state capital changed from Augusta, Louisville, Milledgeville, and Atlanta. In 1920, the the charter was sent by Samuel Guyton McLendon, Secretary of State, to Peter Meldrim, University of Georgia trustee, to be archived at the University of Georgia.image/jp2enghttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/Charters--GeorgiaEducation, Higher--GeorgiaEducation, Higher--HistoryUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia charterText