Tennessee
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Bill Hagerty (R) |
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Tennessee officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th largest state by area and the 16th most populous among the 50 states. It is bordered to the north by Kentucky, to the northeast by Virginia, to the east by North Carolina, to the south by Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, to the southwest by Arkansas, and to the northwest by Missouri. Geographically, culturally, and legally, Tennessee is divided into three Grand Divisions: East, Middle, and West Tennessee. Nashville serves as the capital and the largest city of the state, anchoring its largest metropolitan area. Other significant cities include Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville. According to the 2020 United States census, Tennessee's population is approximately 6.9 million.
Tennessee is rooted in the Watauga Association, a 1772 frontier pact generally regarded as the first constitutional government west of the Appalachian Mountains. Its name derives from "Tanasi," a Cherokee town in the eastern part of the state that existed before the first European American settlement. Tennessee was initially part of North Carolina and later the Southwest Territory before its admission to the Union as the 16th state on June 1, 1796. It earned the nickname "The Volunteer State" early in its history due to a strong tradition of military service. A slave state until the American Civil War, Tennessee was politically divided, with its western and middle parts supporting the Confederacy and the eastern region harboring pro-Union sentiment. As a result, Tennessee was the last state to secede and the first readmitted to the Union after the war.
During the 20th century, Tennessee transitioned from a predominantly agrarian society to a more diversified economy. This was aided in part by massive federal investment in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the city of Oak Ridge, which was established during World War II to house the Manhattan Project's uranium enrichment facilities for the construction of the world's first atomic bombs. These were dropped on Imperial Japan at the end of the war. After the war, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory became a key center of scientific research. In 2016, the element tennessine[Note 1] was named for the state, mainly in recognition of the roles played by Oak Ridge, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Tennessee in its discovery. Tennessee has also played a significant role in developing many forms of popular music, including country, blues, rock and roll, soul, and gospel.
Tennessee features diverse terrain and landforms, and from east to west, it contains a mix of cultural characteristics typical of Appalachia, the Upland South, and the Deep South. The Blue Ridge Mountains along the eastern border reach some of the highest elevations in eastern North America, while the Cumberland Plateau boasts many scenic valleys and waterfalls. The central part of the state is marked by cavernous bedrock and irregular rolling hills, and level, fertile plains define West Tennessee. The state is bisected twice by the Tennessee River, and the Mississippi River forms its western border. Its economy is dominated by the healthcare, music, finance, automotive, chemical, electronics, and tourism sectors, with cattle, soybeans, corn, poultry, and cotton as its primary agricultural products. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the nation's most visited national park, is located in eastern Tennessee.
Etymology
Tennessee derives its name most directly from the Cherokee town of Tanasi (or "Tanase", in syllabary: ᏔᎾᏏ) in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee, on the Tanasi River, now known as the Little Tennessee River. This town appeared on British maps as early as 1725. In 1567, Spanish explorer Captain Juan Pardo and his men encountered a Native American village named "Tanasqui" in the area while traveling inland from modern-day South Carolina; however, it is unknown whether this was the same settlement as Tanasi. Recent research suggests that the Cherokees adapted the name from the Yuchi word Tana-tsee-dgee, meaning "brother-waters-place" or "where-the-waters-meet." The modern spelling, Tennessee, is attributed to Governor James Glen of South Carolina, who used this spelling in his official correspondence during the 1750s. In 1788, North Carolina created "Tennessee County", and in 1796, a constitutional convention, organizing the new state out of the Southwest Territory, adopted "Tennessee" as the state's name.
Attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Tennessee
A complex interplay of legal policies, public opinion, and active community organizations shapes attitudes toward the LGBTQ+ community in Tennessee.
- Legal Landscape
Statewide Protections: Tennessee lacks comprehensive statewide laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, or public accommodations. Although the 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County extends federal employment protections to LGBTQ+ individuals, state-level protections remain limited.
- Local Ordinances: Some municipalities, including Knoxville, Memphis, Franklin, Chattanooga, and the Metropolitan Area of Nashville and Davidson County, have enacted ordinances prohibiting discrimination in public employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity. However, these ordinances do not apply to private employers.
- Recent Legislation: In recent years, Tennessee has passed several laws affecting the LGBTQ+ community:
In 2023, the state enacted a law banning gender-affirming healthcare for minors, including treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
The Tennessee Senate passed SB 1440, which has been criticized for codifying discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals into law.
Legislation has been introduced aiming to remove non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students from the Teacher Code of Ethics.
- Public Opinion
Public sentiment in Tennessee reflects a mix of views on LGBTQ+ rights:
- A 2023 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) indicated that a majority of Tennesseans support nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.
However, support for specific policies, such as gender-affirming care for minors, remains more divided.
- Community and Support Networks
Despite legal challenges, Tennessee hosts a vibrant network of organizations advocating for and supporting the LGBTQ+ community:
- Tennessee Equality Project: Focuses on legislative advocacy to promote equal rights for LGBTQ+ individuals in Tennessee.
- OUTMemphis: Provides resources, support, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ individuals in the Mid-South region.
- Just Us at Oasis Center: Offers support and advocacy services for LGBTQ+ youth, including resources for families and agencies.
- PFLAG Chapters: Multiple PFLAG chapters across Tennessee, such as in Nashville and Franklin, offer support for LGBTQ+ individuals, their families, and allies.
In summary, while Tennessee has made strides in fostering community support and some local protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, significant legal gaps and challenges persist. Ongoing advocacy and public engagement remain essential to advancing equality and safeguarding rights within the state.
History of the Tennessee Flag
The Tennessee State Flag features a crimson red background with a blue circle outlined in white prominently placed in the center. Inside the circle are three 5-pointed white stars. On the right side of the flag is a thin vertical strip of white, followed by a thicker vertical stripe of blue. These stripes on the right side of the flag do not serve any symbolic meaning but were included to add variety to the design and make it more visually appealing. The three white stars signify the "three grand divisions" of the state, which are East, West, and Middle Tennessee. These divisions, which follow the geographical and topographical features of the state, have been recognized since the first Europeans settled in the area. The three stars are bound together by the circle, representing the unity of the three divisions as one. The three stars may also signify that Tennessee was the third state, following the original 13, to enter the United States of America. The Tennessee State flag was adopted on April 17th, 1905.
Tennessee is located in the Southeastern region of the United States of America. It shares borders with Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. Only Tennessee and Missouri share borders with this many states. The capital and largest city of Tennessee is Nashville, and the second-largest city is Memphis. Tennessee is known as "The Volunteer State," a nickname that has been in place since the War of 1812, when Tennessee was home to a large number of volunteer soldiers who contributed valiantly during the Battle of New Orleans. Others claim that the state was given this nickname following the Mexican-American War, where Tennessee also contributed many volunteer soldiers. The state is also sometimes referred to as "The Big Bend State," in reference to the Tennessee River, which features a big bend. The Native American word for the Tennessee River translates to: "The river with the big bend."
Tennessee was first inhabited approximately 12,000 years ago by Paleo-Indians. Before Europeans arrived, it was home to many different tribes, including the Archaic, Cherokee, and Chickasaw. The first European to arrive in the area was Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541, who claimed the land for Spain. He was followed by Tristan de Luna in 1559 and Juan Pardo in 1567. It was Juan Pardo who named the area "Tanasqui." Despite these visits by Spanish explorers, permanent settlements were not established until over a hundred years after the land was claimed. The first settlement, known as "Fort Lick," was built by Charles Charleville in 1714. In 1763, following the French and Indian War, Britain took control of Tennessee and incorporated it into the North Carolina colony. After the American Revolutionary War, in 1789, Tennessee became a territory of the United States of America, and on June 1st, 1796, Tennessee officially became the 16th state.
Notes
- ↑ Tennessine ↗ is a synthetic chemical element with the symbol Ts and atomic number 117. It was created in 2017 and is the second-heaviest known element and the penultimate element of the 7th period of the periodic table.
External links
- Wikipedia article: Tennessee
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