Tennessee History Facts
Tennessee is a state rich with history dating back thousands of years. Most people think of the American Civil War and country music when they think of Tennessee history, but in fact, it goes much deeper then that. There are stories untold and Indian artifacts yet to be unearthed. Continue reading for some of the top Tennessee History Facts.
Fact #1 - Paleo-Indians are believed to have hunted and camped in what is now Tennessee as early as 12,000 years ago.
It’s hard to even imagine what the country was like 12,000 years ago. That’s before the time of the Egyptian Pyramids! Researchers still debate today how and when humans first got to the Americas. Some say they crossed a frozen land bridge over the Bering Strait. Whatever the method, they eventually made it to what is now Tennessee.
Fact #2 - Hernando de Soto, in 1539–43, is credited as being the first European to set foot in what is now Tennessee.
Hernando de Soto’s expedition ranged throughout the entire southeastern United States including up to the Mississippi River, where he eventually died. War and disease from the Europeans evetually wiped out a majority of the Native Indian population living in the Tennessee area.
Fact #3 - Tennessee is an American state and a constituent part of the United States of America. It was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796.
Tennessee was the 16th state to join the union. Tennessee was initially part of the North Carolina territory, but when North Carolina petitioned for statehood, the broke off at the Smokey Mountain border and gave the Tennessee land to the federal government.
Fact #4 - Having ratified by popular vote its connection with the fledgling Confederacy, Tennessee became the last state to withdraw from the Union.
After only being a state for 60 years, Tennessee left the union in 1861. Tennessee’s cities and farms were home to more Civil War battles than any other state, except Virginia.
Fact #5 - National attention came Tennessee’s way during the trial of John T. Scopes, the so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial.” In 1925, the General Assembly, as part of a general education bill, passed a law that forbade the teaching of evolution in the public schools.
Tennessee is known for their strong religion values, so it’s no surprise that they passed a law to forbid the teaching of evolution in public schools. After eight days of trial, it took the jury only nine minutes to deliberate. Scopes was found guilty on July 21 and ordered to pay a $100.00 fine.
