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The land now known as Tennessee was once home to many indigenous peoples prior to European settlement.
The earliest people were mound builders and hunter-gatherers. Later tribes included the Cherokee,
Creek, Chickasaw, and Shawnee.
Europeans first encountered the land under explorer Hernando De Soto in 1540. Later, the French
arrived and attempted the establishment of trading posts. Eventually English people hunted throughout
the rugged areas of the eastern part of the state, and gained land from the Cherokee peoples.
In 1769, a permanent settlement was established along the Watauga River of East Tennessee by
Virginians and later North Carolinians. Eventually these people’s efforts led to the establishment
of Jonesboro, Tennessee’s oldest town. The American Revolution led many Tennesseans into battle,
with John Sevier as one of the more famous soldiers. Following the war, Sevier and some of his
followers formed an independent government, what is now known as the "lost state of Franklin", which
dissolved. Tennessee became a state in 1796, with Knoxville as its original capital, and was
considered a slave state.
The early 19th century brought about tremendous support by Tennesseans of Andrew Jackson, a lead
politician of the day. In 1829, Jackson became a U.S. president. This century witnessed increased
immigration, leading to the extirpation of the Cherokee and Chickasaw peoples, who would suffer
mightily on their westward march along what became the Trail of Tears.
The Civil War revealed friction in the state between supporters for the Union and those for the
Confederacy. Tennessee suffered mightily during the war, as it was a site of many battles.
Following the Civil War, Tennessee became the first Confederate state to be readmitted to the Union,
and while the state did not endure the worst of the Reconstruction period, racial tensions remained
high, leading to the formation of white supremacy groups.
The 20th century witnessed increased industrialization in Tennessee. The state continued a legacy
of volunteering for battle during World War I. In 1933, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) formed,
sweeping in a new era for the state via the construction of hydroelectric facilities. This led to an
inexpensive power supply and subsequent improvement for the quality of life of many people.
Additionally, power was provided for secret atomic projects at Oak Ridge National Laboratory during
and following World War II. The end of the 20th century heralded continued growth in diverse
economic sectors, with services ranking among the most important contributors. The Volunteer State
has entered the 21st century with a robust economy, a somewhat moderate political base, and a
continued reliance upon the determined spirit found in residents throughout the state.
Many famous individuals have called Tennessee their home. Among these are Presidents Andrew
Jackson and James K. Polk; Vice President Al Gore, Jr.; Senator Bill Frist; singers Eddy Arnold,
Tennessee Ernie Ford, Justin Timberlake, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes, Anita Kerr, Dolly Parton,
Minnie Pearl, Tina Turner, and Dinah Shore; director Quentin Tarantino; actors Morgan Freeman, Fred
Thompson, George Hamilton, Annie Potts, Kathy Bates, Dixie Carter, Cybil Shepherd, Johnny Knoxville;
musicians Chet Atkins and Lester Flatt; writer James Agee; World War I hero Alvin C. York; the
Cherokee scholar Sequoyah; frontiersman Davy Crockett; and many others.
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