What was the first state university?

Answer 1

There are many institutions in the United States that claim to be America's first state university. After the Declaration of Independence and eventually the United States, many of the Founding Fathers settled in the original 13 colonies. One such founder, Abraham Baldwin, moved to Georgia in the early 1780s and he believed education was the most important aspect a state should provide it citizens.

On January 27, 1785, Abraham Baldwin helped the University of Georgia become the first state chartered university in America. UGA admitted its first students in 1801 and they would go on to graduate in 1804.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was founded in 1789 but admitted its first student in 1795. UNC claims to be 'first state university' by the fact it has the oldest public university building in the U.S., had the first public university student, had the first public university classes, and had the first public university graduating classes.

Though it is debatable on how one interprets 'first state university', UGA was the first in retrospect since most institutions date their existence by charter. Therefore, UGA by default is America's first state university. UNC is the second state university but the first to open.

Answer 2

georgia university