Tennessee Facts Learning About US States in Special Ed

Welcome to Tennessee

If you are teaching about the US states, here are some facts about Tennessee you may want to know.

Tennessee is part of the southeastern region of the United States. It has the abbreviation TN.

It is one of only two states bordered by eight different states. It borders Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. Nashville is the capital.

Let’s learn a little more about this great state.

Scroll to the end for a free picture recipe for a delicious fudge pie.

A brief history of Tennessee

Tennessee became a state in 1796 and was the 16th state to join the United States.

Most historians believe Tennessee was named after a Cherokee Indian Village, Tanasi.

In 1540, Hernando de Soto was the first explorer to reach this area and claimed the area for Spain.

From 1754 to 1763, French and British troops fought over this land and the surrounding territories during the French and Indian War. The British won in 1763, and Tennessee became part of what is now North Carolina.

The Revolutionary War lasted from 1775 to 1783. After the war, in 1796, Tennessee became its own state.

In 1830, Andrew Jackson passed the Indian Removal Act, forcing all Native Americans to leave their territories and states east of the Mississippi River. This included Tennessee. There are still no federally recognized tribes living in this state.

From 1861 to 1865, the US was involved in the Civil War. Tennessee was the last state to secede from the Union (North) and join the Confederacy (South). After the war, in 1866, Tennessee was the first state to rejoin the United States.

The geography of Tennessee

Tennessee is often separated into three main regions: the east, the middle, and the west. This is even represented on its state flag, which displays three stars in the center.

These three areas are made up of 6 distinct geographical regions.

Unaka Mountains (east)
Valley and Ridge Region (east)
Cumberland Plateau (east)
Central Basin (middle)
Highland Rim (middle)
Gulf Coastal Plain (west)

The Unaka Mountains region is the most rugged in the state. It sits along the state’s eastern border and is covered with forests and high peaks. This is where you will find the highest point in the state, Clingman’s Dome. It is 6643 feet high.

The Valley and Ridge Region is just to the west. It has low, fertile valleys covered with farmland and long, tree-covered ridges called folds.

The Cumberland Plateau is covered with streams, deep valleys, and gorges. Lookout Mountain is also in this region.

The Central Basin is in the center of the state. This area was formed by erosion and contains much fertile farmland.

The Highland Rim surrounds the Central Basin and has more rolling hills and valleys. You can detect a change in elevation as you enter and exit the Central Basin area and enter the Highland Rim region.

Finally, the Gulf Coastal Plain covers the western third of the state. Where it is closest to the Mississippi River, this fertile swampland forms an area called “the Delta.”

This area actually lies on a fault line and is the site of the worst earthquake in the history of the 48 contiguous states. The earthquake occurred in 1812 along this fault line in Missouri and was felt in Tennessee. It was so strong, the land actually dropped several feet. It also caused the Mississippi river to flow backwards forming a new lake, Reelfoot Lake.

Tennessee's resources and industries

The leading natural resource in this state is the fertile soil. More than half the state is covered with farmland.

Soybeans and corn are the most prevalent crops grown in this state. Cotton and tobacco are also important to the state’s economy.

However, beef cattle are the state’s number one agricultural resource. More than half of the state is used for cattle grazing.

Mining minerals is also common here. Fluorite, calcite, pyrite (fool’s gold), marble, and zinc are all pulled from the ground and shipped across the country.

As for industries, the automotive manufacturing industry and transportation equipment have been some of the main contributors to Tennessee’s economy.

Finally, tourism brings in much money to this state. Tennessee is the 11th most visited state in the US, and 126 million people visit this state each year.

Fun places to visit in Tennessee

If you plan to visit Tennessee, there are some things you will want to know and make sure you get to see. This state has a rich history and fun sites to see.

Lookout Mountain is a popular tourist destination in Tennessee. It is located on a mountain ridge where Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee meet. Part of the Appalachian mountain range, it is located in the Cumberland Plateau region in the eastern part of the state. There are several sites to see when you visit here.

Sunset Rock is on the northwest side of the mountain. It is part of the US’s oldest and largest Civil War National Park. On November 24, 1863, Union forces defeated Confederate forces here at the Battle of Lookout Mountain.

Your next stop could be the Smoky Mountain National Park. Established in 1934, it is the most visited national park in the country. The park is split between Tennessee and North Carolina and sits on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. It got its name from the Cherokee people, who called it the Place of Blue Smoke. You can often see a soft, bluish mist around the mountain peaks.

This is where you will find Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the state with over 800 miles of hiking trails, camping, fishing, and even cross-country skiing.

The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music concert held in Nashville. Many famous country singers have performed here. It started as the WSM Barn Dance on the 5th floor of a radio station in 1925. It grew in popularity and had to move to a larger location more than once before ending up where it is today.

Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, is the US’s second most visited home (after the White House). Elvis Presley bought the home in 1957 and lived there with his family and parents for 20 years until he died in 1977. He is buried on the grounds.

Graceland was declared a historic landmark in 2006. You can tour the house and grounds and see how Elvis lived. You can even visit the Jungle room that has green shag carpet on the floor and ceiling. There is rainbow lighting and an artificial waterfall. Elvis recorded 16 songs in this room.

Finally, Dollywood is an amusement park in Pigeon Forge. It was originally named the Rebel Railroad and contained a steam engine, general store, blacksmith shop, and saloon. Over the next few decades, it underwent several transformations and name changes.

In 1986, it became Dollywood when Dolly Parton became a partner in the company. When you visit today, you can ride various amusement park rides and even order a 25-pound apple pie made in a cast iron skillet using 35 apples. The steam engines used in the Dollywood Express were used in World War 2 to move supplies.

Fun facts about Tennessee

Here are a few fun facts about Tennessee: The Iris is the state flower, and the Mockingbird is the state bird.

Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State. When soldiers were needed for the War of 1812, thousands of men from Tennessee volunteered and helped defeat the British troops at the Battle of New Orleans.

This is the state flag of Tennessee. It was adopted in 1905 and designed by Captain LeRoy Reeves. The three stars represent the three main regions of the state: east, middle, and west. They are surrounded by a circle to signify their unity.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not only the most visited national park in the US but also the salamander capital of the world. More than 30 different species can be found here.

Tennessee is home to the first miniature golf course. Garnet Garter created the Tom Thumb Golf Course in the 1920s to attract people to his hotel in Lookout Mountain.

In the 1940s, Barney and Ally Hartman developed Mountain Dew. This drink grew in popularity, and Pepsi-Cola bought it in 1964 and started selling it all over the world.

Finally, the sweet treat cotton candy was developed in 1904 when a dentist and candy maker worked together to figure out how to blow liquid sugar through a screen, creating delicate strands that could be spun together.