The current constitution of Georgia went into effect in 1983. It was ratified in a general election the previous year, but did not go into effect until July 1, 1983.
They travelled great distances by sea.
Loss of factory jobs led to less in the middle class or you needed to work a white collar job to be middle class.
Industrial jobs moved overseas leaving those working in factories without jobs. Middle class jobs no longer included factory work but rather service jobs many requiring college degrees.
Mary Anne Evans went by the pen name of George Eliot.