Tennessee, US state nicknamed Volunteer State. According to ablogtophone, the state has an area of 109,247 km² and approximately 6.3 million inhabitants. Nashville is the state capital.
Tennessee was inhabited by Native Americans such as the Cherokee and Shawnee before the arrival of settlers. It is believed that the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto was the first white person to visit the area of the present state in 1541. However, the real exploration of the area took place at the end of the seventeenth century. This was done by the French who entered the area by descending the Mississippi and by the English from the east.
At the end of the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), the entire area fell into English hands. The first permanent settlement in Tennessee was founded in 1769: Virginia. In 1784, a group of settlers founded a separate state in the east of the present state of Tennessee: Franklin. This state lasted until 1789.
According to bestitude, Tennessee acceded to the United States as a state on June 1, 1796, as the sixteenth state.
Tennessee flag
The state flag of Tennessee shows a red field with a narrow blue band at the end. The blue band is separated from the red field by a white line. In the center of the flag is a blue circle with three white stars. These represent the three regions of the state: East Tennessee, Central Tennessee, and West Tennessee. The blue circle symbolizes the unity of these three areas. The flag was designed by Tennessee soldier LeRoy Reeves and was adopted on April 17, 1905.
Stones River National Battlefield
One of the very important battles of the American Civil War was also the Battle of Stones River, which took place here from December 31, 1862 to January 2, 1863. It is considered one of the bloodiest battles because it had perhaps the highest percentage of casualties on both sides – the Union and Confederation. Although the battle was ultimately inconclusive, the Union army repulsed 2 Confederate attacks here. The Confederate armies eventually withdrew after this battle, ceding dominion and control of the state of Tennessee to the Union.
Today, the site of this battle is the Stones River National Battlefield. It is located near the town of Nashville, Tennessee, in the place where the Stones River meanders. Here you will find remnants from the American Civil War, bringing visitors closer to the history of the United States of America. This vast park was established on March 3, 1927 and has been under the management of the National Park Service since 1933. It was renamed the National Battlefield on April 22, 1960. Like all other historic areas and monuments managed by the National Park Service, this battlefield has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1966.
This protected area also includes a portion of Fort Rosecrans, which is actually a fort that was built here on the orders of Unionist General William Rosecrans. The battlefield covers an area of 2.87 km2, of which 1.99 km2 is owned by the state. Also under the protection of the park is the Stones River National Cemetery from 1864, where 6,850 soldiers who died in this battle are buried. However, 2,562 of them have never been identified. The burial of the victims began in 1865 and the last one was carried out only two years later. The Hazen Brigade Monument stands in the cemetery. The cemetery was established by order of Major General George H. Thomas and under the supervision of Chaplain William Earnshaw. Since 1933, this 81.3 km2 cemetery has also been under the patronage of the National Park Service.
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
The original inhabitants of Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia and other areas of North America were the Cherokee Indians, whose culture was among the most advanced in this part of America. The members of this tribe were mainly engaged in agriculture and their culture was so developed that they even had their own writing. At the beginning of the 19th century, these Indians were granted the status of a sovereign nation that had its own rights and obligations and was completely self-sufficient.
In 1838, during the administration of President Andrew Jackson, they were all forcibly removed to Oklahoma. The route they had to take involuntarily was called the Trail of Tears. It was an arduous march for a new home to an unknown landscape, to nowhere, during which more than 5,000 members of the tribe perished. Thanks to this inhumane act, the USA was able to seize more territory and greatly expand its land.
Those who were more fortunate managed to flee to the mountains and find a peaceful place to live. Their descendants live today in the number of several thousand individuals on the Qualla Indian Reservation. Here you will find an informational tourist center where you can get to know the life of simple Indians who achieved great cultural and general education for their time, and for which they paid in the end. There is even an Indian Village in the Oconaluftee area today.