First
visited by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1540, the Tennessee area would
later be claimed by both France and England as a result of the 1670s and 1680s
explorations of Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet, Sieur de la Salle, and James
Needham and Gabriel Arthur. Great Britain obtained the area after the French and
Indian Wars in 1763.
During
1784–1787, the settlers formed the “state” of Franklin, which was
disbanded when the region was allowed to send representatives to the North Carolina
legislature. In 1790 Congress organized the territory south of the Ohio River,
and Tennessee joined the Union in 1796.
Although
Tennessee joined the Confederacy during the Civil War, there was much pro-Union
sentiment in the state, which was the scene of extensive military action.
The
state is now predominantly industrial; the majority of its population lives in
urban areas. Among the most important products are chemicals, textiles, apparel,
electrical machinery, furniture, and leather goods. Other lines include food processing,
lumber, primary metals, and metal products. The state ranks high in the production
of marble, zinc, pyrite, and ball clay.
Tennessee
is a leading tobacco-producing state. Other farming income is derived from livestock
and dairy products, as well as greenhouse and nursery products and cotton.
With
six other states, Tennessee shares the extensive federal reservoir developments
on the Tennessee and Cumberland River systems. The Tennessee Valley Authority
operates a number of dams and reservoirs in the state.
Among
the major points of interest are the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site at
Greeneville, the American Museum of Atomic Energy at Oak Ridge, Great Smoky Mountains
National Park, the Hermitage (home of Andrew Jackson near Nashville), Rock City
Gardens near Chattanooga, and three National Military Parks.
Coming
Soon!
See
more on Tennessee: Encyclopedia: Tennessee Encyclopedia: Geography Encyclopedia:
Economy Encyclopedia: Government Encyclopedia: History Monthly Temperature
Extremes
Accredited
Colleges and Universities
Selected
famous natives and residents:
James Agee writer; Eddy Arnold singer;
Chet Atkins guitarist; Julian Bond Georgia legislator; Davy Crockett
frontiersman; David G. Farragut first American admiral; Lester Flatt bluegrass
musician; Tennessee Ernie Ford singer; Abe Fortas jurist; Aretha Franklin
singer; Nikki Giovanni poet; Al Gore, Jr. vice president; Red Grooms
artist; Isaac Hayes composer; Benjamin L. Hooks civil rights activist;
Cordell Hull secretary of state; Andrew Jackson president; Andrew
Johnson president; Estes Kefauver legislator; Anita Kerr singer; Grace
Moore soprano; Dolly Parton singer; Minnie Pearl singer and comedienne;
James K. Polk president; Grantland Rice sportswriter; Carl Rowan journalist;
Wilma Rudolph sprinter; Sequoyah Cherokee scholar and educator; Cybil
Shepherd actress; Dinah Shore actress and singer; Tina Turner singer;
Alvin York World War I hero.
Capital:
Nashville
State
abbreviation/Postal code: Tenn./TN
Governor:
Phil Bredesen, D (to Jan. 2007)
Lieut.
Governor: John S. Wilder, D (to Jan. 2007)
Senators:
Lamar Alexander, R (to Jan. 2009); William Frist, R (to Jan. 2007)
U.S.
Representatives: 9
Secy.
of State: Riley C. Darnell, D (to Jan. 2007)
Origin
of name: Of Cherokee origin; the exact meaning is unknown
10
largest cities (2003 est.): Memphis, 645,978; Nashville-Davidson,1 544,765;
Knoxville, 173,278; Chattanooga, 154,887; Clarksville, 107,953; Murfreesboro,
78,074; Jackson, 61,110; Johnson City, 57,394; Franklin, 46,528; Kingsport, 44,231
Land
area: 41,217 sq mi. (106,752 sq km)
Geographic
center: In Rutherford Co., 5 mi. NE of Murfreesboro
Number
of counties: 95
Largest
county by population and area: Shelby, 908,175 (2004); Shelby, 755 sq mi.
State
forests: 15 (162,371 ac,)
State
parks: 54
Residents:
Tennessean, Tennesseean
2004
resident population est.: 5,900,962
2000
resident census population (rank): 5,689,283 (16). Male: 2,770,275 (48.7%);
Female: 2,919,008 (51.3%). White: 4,563,310 (80.2%); Black: 932,809 (16.4%); American
Indian: 15,152 (0.3%); Asian: 56,662 (1.0%); Other race: 56,036 (1.0%); Two or
more races: 63,109 (1.1%); Hispanic/Latino: 123,838 (2.2%). 2000 percent population
18 and over: 75.4; 65 and over: 12.4; median age: 35.9.
1.
The city is part of a consolidated city-county government and is coextensive with
Davidson County.
