Tennessee is a state in the eastern United States of America. It is also known as the Volunteer State. The capital is Nashville.
According to Acronymmonster, Tennessee is a state in the United States of America. Its capital is Nashville. The name comes from an Indian language and is derived from the Indian settlement of Tanasi. Tennessee is also known as the Volunteer State. Many citizens of the state volunteered for their country in the British-American War.
Tennessee and its native people
The Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto stayed in the area east of the Mississippi River, which also includes Tennessee, from 1539 to 1543. In the 18th century, the territory was exclusively inhabited by the Cherokee tribe. When the first colonists from Europe moved to Tennessee, the aborigines were pushed out of their homes and had to relocate to the west or south. Before the state was established, the region was under the administration of North Carolina. The official name at that time was Southwest Territory.
Tennessee between the Confederates and the United States of America
In 1784 the state of Franklin was founded in East Tennessee, which only existed until 1788 and then came back under the administration of North Carolina. Tennessee joined the United States of America on June 1, 1796. In 1838 and 1839 the rest of the Cherokee were deported to Arkansas. On June 8, 1861, Tennessee broke away from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America the following month. After the end of the civil war, a new constitution came into force in 1865, which included the abolition of slavery, among other things. Tennessee rejoined the United States on July 24, 1866.
Economic recovery in Tennessee and role in the civil rights movement
Economic growth shaped the situation in Tennessee in the 20th century. The state developed into one of the most important industrial locations in the USA, which it owed mainly to the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In the course of the civil rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s, Tennessee belonged to the conservative states and did not repeal the ban on mixed marriages until 1967 under duress.
Largest Counties in Tennessee by Area
According to Countryaah, the biggest counties in Tennessee are listed as below:
Ranking | County | Area |
1 | Shelby County | 1,955 km2 |
2 | Wayne County | 1,901 km2 |
3 | Fayette County | 1,826 km2 |
4 | Cumberland County | 1,766 km2 |
5 | Hardeman County | 1,730 km2 |
6 | Monroe County | 1,645 km2 |
7 | Greene County | 1,611 km2 |
8 | Rutherford County | 1,603 km2 |
9 | Lawrence County | 1,598 km2 |
10 | Hickman County | 1,588 km2 |
11 | Maury County | 1,588 km2 |
12 | Giles County | 1,582 km2 |
13 | Gibson County | 1,562 km2 |
14 | Carroll County | 1,551 km2 |
15 | Sevier County | 1,533 km2 |
16 | Williamson County | 1,507 km2 |
17 | Weakley County | 1,502 km2 |
18 | Hardin County | 1,497 km2 |
19 | Wilson County | 1,479 km2 |
20 | Lincoln County | 1,476 km2 |
21 | Henry County | 1,456 km2 |
22 | McNairy County | 1,450 km2 |
23 | Blount County | 1,448 km2 |
24 | Madison County | 1,443 km2 |
25 | Franklin County | 1,432 km2 |
26 | Obion County | 1,412 km2 |
27 | Hamilton County | 1,406 km2 |
28 | Montgomery County | 1,396 km2 |
29 | Haywood County | 1,380 km2 |
30 | Humphreys County | 1,378 km2 |
31 | Scott County | 1,378 km2 |
32 | Sumner County | 1,370 km2 |
33 | Morgan County | 1,352 km2 |
34 | Henderson County | 1,347 km2 |
35 | Dyer County | 1,321 km2 |
36 | Knox County | 1,318 km2 |
37 | Davidson County | 1,300 km2 |
38 | Marion County | 1,295 km2 |
39 | Fentress County | 1,292 km2 |
40 | Dickson County | 1,269 km2 |
41 | Hawkins County | 1,261 km2 |
42 | Campbell County | 1,243 km2 |
43 | Robertson County | 1,235 km2 |
44 | Bedford County | 1,228 km2 |
45 | Lauderdale County | 1,217 km2 |
46 | Tipton County | 1,189 km2 |
47 | Stewart County | 1,186 km2 |
48 | Polk County | 1,127 km2 |
49 | Claiborne County | 1,124 km2 |
50 | Cocke County | 1,124 km2 |
51 | Overton County | 1,121 km2 |
52 | Warren County | 1,121 km2 |
53 | McMinn County | 1,114 km2 |
54 | Coffee County | 1,111 km2 |
55 | Perry County | 1,075 km2 |
56 | Sullivan County | 1,070 km2 |
57 | Bledsoe County | 1,052 km2 |
58 | Putnam County | 1,039 km2 |
59 | Benton County | 1,020 km2 |
60 | White County | 976 km2 |
61 | Marshall County | 971 km2 |
62 | Grundy County | 935 km2 |
63 | Roane County | 935 km2 |
64 | Carter County | 883 km2 |
65 | Anderson County | 875 km2 |
66 | Decatur County | 862 km2 |
67 | Bradley County | 852 km2 |
68 | Washington County | 844 km2 |
69 | Rhea County | 818 km2 |
70 | Smith County | 813 km2 |
71 | Jackson County | 800 km2 |
72 | Macon County | 795 km2 |
73 | DeKalb County | 787 km2 |
74 | Cheatham County | 785 km2 |
75 | Johnson County | 774 km2 |
76 | Chester County | 749 km2 |
77 | Lewis County | 730 km2 |
78 | Grainger County | 725 km2 |
79 | Jefferson County | 710 km2 |
80 | Cannon County | 689 km2 |
81 | Sequatchie County | 689 km2 |
82 | Crockett County | 686 km2 |
83 | Van Buren County | 640 km2 |
84 | Clay County | 611 km2 |
85 | Loudon County | 593 km2 |
86 | Union County | 580 km2 |
87 | Hancock County | 575 km2 |
88 | Houston County | 518 km2 |
89 | Meigs County | 505 km2 |
90 | Unicoi County | 482 km2 |
91 | Lake County | 422 km2 |
92 | Pickett County | 422 km2 |
93 | Hamblen County | 417 km2 |
94 | Moore County | 334 km2 |
95 | Trousdale County | 295 km2 |
Tennessee Landmarks
Tennessee Aquarium
The Tennessee Aquarium is located in Chattanooga and is the largest freshwater marine aquarium in the world. It is housed in the River Journey building and opened in 1992. More than 12,000 animals, including numerous species of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, penguins, butterflies and invertebrates, live here. Visitors have the opportunity to get to know the animals living there in various themed areas and to explore the underwater world.
Tennessee State Museum
The “Tennessee State Museum” is a huge museum building in Nashville that shows the history of the state of Tennessee in extensive exhibitions. It was opened in 1937 and documents the history from prehistoric colonization to the 20th century. It also provides insights into the American Civil War as well as the time of the Wild West and the presidency of Andrew Jackson. In addition, the “Tennessee State Museum” shows a wide range of collections of uniforms, weapons and war flags. The museum’s collection also includes paintings, silverware, weapons, furnishings and a replica of an old flour mill. Part of the museum is the smaller “Military Museum”, which shows Tennessee’s involvement in military conflicts.
Tennessee State Capitol
The Tennessee State Capitol is the seat of the legislature and is located in Nashville. It was built from 1845 to 1859 in the Greek Revival style and impresses with its beautiful facade and the overall architectural structure. The State Capitol, designed by William Strickland, is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture and is one of eleven state capitols in the United States that does not have a dome. The “Tennessee State Capitol” was designated a National Historic District and included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Travelers Rest Plantation & Museum
“Travelers Rest” is a historic plantation in Nashville. The plantation house was originally built in 1799 for the judge John Overton. Overton first named it “Golgotha” as numerous skulls were found on the property when construction began. In the early 19th century, he finally renamed it “Travelers Rest”, since people passing by could rest in this house. The old plantation was extensively restored in 1954 and opened as a museum. Today in this historic house museum you can find exhibitions on the life and work of John Overton as well as the history of the “Overton Plantation” and Nashville during the civil war. The Greek Revival style house was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.