A landlocked state in the southeast of the US, with a centrally located capital of Nashville (Music City), is the ‘Volunteer State’ of Tennessee.Ever wondered where the name Tennessee hails from? Though we are not sure about the word origin, there were two Native American villages of Tanasi and Tanasqui which evolved to Tennessee in the passages of time.By 1812, with the Mexican-American War, Tennessee had its name enlisted with the volunteers who jolted for the war. Topped with fertile soil, half the state of Tennessee is farmland. You read it right! This resourceful land is known for its rich occupation of minerals like Fluorites, Calcite, Pyrite, marble, and zinc.Tennessee is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, officially known as the State of Tennessee. Tennessee is the 36th largest state in terms of area and the 16th most population.It is bordered on the north by Kentucky, the northeast by Virginia, the east by North Carolina, the south by Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, the southwest by Arkansas, and the northwest by Missouri. East, Middle, and West Tennessee are the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee in terms of geography, culture, and law. Nashville is the state’s capital and largest city, as well as the center of the state’s most populous metropolitan area(commercial region). Tennessee’s population is estimated to be 6.9 million people according to the United States Census Bureau in 2020.Tennessee became the first Southern state to abolish slavery after the legislature enacted an amendment to the state constitution prohibiting slavery on February 22, 1865. The amendment was approved by voters the following month, making Tennessee the only Southern state to do so. When Lincoln was re-elected, Johnson became vice president, and after Lincoln’s assassination in May 1865, he became president. Tennessee became the first Confederate state to have its elected members readmitted to Congress on July 24, 1866.Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis by James Earl Ray on April 4, 1968. King had gone to show his support for African American sanitation workers who were on strike. Nashville, Tennessee’s capital and largest city, with a population of roughly 700,000 people.Memphis was the largest city of the volunteer state until 2016 when Nashville surpassed it with over 630,000 residents. It is located in Shelby County, Tennessee’s most populous and largest county in terms of land area. Knoxville, with 190,000 people, and Chattanooga, with 180,000, are the third and fourth most populous cities, respectively. Clarksville, with a population of around 170,000 people, is a large population hub.On October 24, 1864, Andrew Johnson declared all slaves in Tennessee free after he became the military governor. The Amtrak City of New Orleans line, which runs between Chicago and New Orleans, stops at Memphis and Newbern for passenger rail service.Some of the major attractions in the state are the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, which exhibits costumes, instruments, and artifacts of stars like Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Miranda Lambert. Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, The Parthenon in Nashville, Oak Ridge, the American Museum of Science and Energy, Chattanooga and Tennessee Valley Railroad, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Lookout Mountain, the Museum of Appalachia, The Lost Sea Adventure, and many more. Tennessee River, Cumberland River, and Mississippi River drain Tennessee. The Tennessee River starts in Knoxville at the confluence of the Holston and French Broad rivers, travels southwest to Chattanooga, and then exits into Alabama before reemerging in the state’s western section and continuing north into Kentucky. Did you know that Tennessee is home to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the country’s most visited national park?A radio music show ‘The Grand Ole Opry’, kicked off in 1925 is popular among the people for its live broadcast from Nashville, featuring stars like Carrie Underwood and those from Alabama Shakes and a lot more. Due to new regulations forcing them out of their old home at New Echota, the Cherokee transferred their capital from Georgia to the Red Clay Council Grounds in southeastern Tennessee in 1832.Read on for some more interesting facts about the volunteer state of Tennessee. Afterwards, also check Pennsylvania facts and Chile facts.Geography And LandformsThe US state of Tennessee is neighboured by Kentucky and Virginia in the north, North Carolina in the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi in the south, and ‘the wonder state’ of Arkansas and the Bullion state of Missouri to the West.Bordered by ‘Old Man River- the ever-graceful Mississippi River in the west, the land of Tennessee is divided into six major divisions.Did you know Oak Ridge in Tennessee is known as the Energy Capital of the World!Tennessee is sheltered by the jagged mountains of the Unaka region rising along the eastern border. The verdant region is packed with forests and high peaks such as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Clingman’s Dome; the highest point in Tennessee. To the west of the Unaka mountains is the Valley and Ridge region, empathic with low, green-soaked fertile valleys and tree-patched enthralling ridges, often called folds.Lounging from the north to farther west is the Cumberland Plateau, dotted with tepid turbulent streams, vast valleys, and picturesque gorges beneath the flattish mountains. To the center of the state is the Central Basin, fenced by Highland Rim. formed out of erosion, this doughnut-hole-shaped basin is enveloped by fertile farmland, hills, and ridges.Law And GovernmentThe Constitution of Tennessee, adopted in 1796, laid down the provisions for a government in Tennessee in 1870. The government has judicial, executive, and legislative branches.The Constitution specifies, Tennessee’s governor as the supreme executive of power; who is responsible for the execution of laws and the state constitution.Daring a child to purchase alcohol is illegal in Tennessee. Hands Holding at school is a big no. it is illegal for those below 18 years of age to play pinball. Roller Skating while listening to your personal CD player also is an offense.Colleges And UniversitiesIf you have plans to pursue your higher education here, then Tennessee is never a bad option and you will never regret it; for their colleges and universities, are ranked among the best globally.University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, and the University of Memphis are a few of the remarkable choices for higher education from Tennessee.There are around 40 community and technical colleges in the state. The liberal arts colleges, midsize colleges, and research universities across Chattanooga, Memphis, and Knoxville are equally renowned centers of education.Flora And FaunaThis enchanting beauty s blessed with diverse flora and fauna. Read ahead!One can spot black bears, mountain lions, grey foxes, bobcats, and white-tailed deers wandering in the jungles of Tennessee. Also, you can catch sight of bird species like sprays, pileated woodpeckers, eastern screech-owls, red-winged blackbirds, and summer tanagers gliding with their vibrantly colored plumages.The rich fauna here also boasts of species of eastern fence lizards, southern painted turtles, pygmy rattlesnakes, southern leopard frogs, red salamanders, and lesser sirens; which are the widely found reptiles and amphibians.Marked with dense flora, Tennessean forests are home to native trees of sugar maples, pecans, eastern red cedars, loblolly pines, swamp chestnut oak, and bald cypress. Sprightly colored wildflowers like the rare yellow and white Tennessee glade cress, brightly purpled American blueberry, wild bleeding heart, and the autumn sneezeweed doll up the regions of Kentucky.Tourism In TennesseeWith diverse landforms, pioneering studios, blue clubs, serene scenic nature, and towering sky-scrapers, who doesn’t love to spend a vacation in this beautified land-locked state of the US? Here are a few mind-blowing facts on tourism in Tennessee.You will be left aghast to learn that ‘Graceland’, the mansion of the singer Elvis Presley in Memphis has the second-highest visitors after the White House. The mansion displays his costumes, Cadillac, and his airplane with gold-seated belts.Then comes the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, which exhibits costumes, instruments, and artifacts of stars like Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, and Miranda Lambert. Founded in 1961, the museum is one of the world’s largest.A radio music show ‘The Grand Ole Opry’, kicked off in 1925 is popular among the people for its live broadcast from Nashville, featuring stars like Carrie Underwood and those from Alabama Shakes and a lot more. A trip to Tennessee would be incomplete without a visit to the Great Smoky Mountains aka ‘Salamander Capital of the World’.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for Tennessee facts then why not take a look at Suriname fun facts, or Colorado history facts.
A landlocked state in the southeast of the US, with a centrally located capital of Nashville (Music City), is the ‘Volunteer State’ of Tennessee.
