Tennessee

Tennessee is a state in the Southeastern part of the United States. It is next to Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri. Nashville is the capital and the biggest city. Tennessee is known for its beautiful places, like the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in the country.

The state has a long history, starting with the Watauga Association, one of the first governments west of the Appalachian Mountains. Tennessee became part of the United States in 1796 as the 16th state. During the American Civil War, the state was split, with some parts supporting the Confederacy and others staying loyal to the Union.

Today, Tennessee has a strong economy. Important jobs come from health care, music, finance, automotive, and tourism. The state is famous for its music, including country, blues, rock and roll, soul, and gospel. Tennessee also grows important crops like cattle, soybeans, poultry, corn, and cotton.

Etymology

Main article: Name of Tennessee

Detail of Tanasi (spelled "Tennessee") on Henry Timberlake's Draught of the Cherokee Country

Tennessee is named after an old Cherokee town called Tanasi. This town was in what is now Monroe County, Tennessee, near the Little Tennessee River. Spanish explorers found a place called Tanasqui nearby long ago, but we do not know if it was the same place. The Cherokees might have taken the name from a Yuchi word meaning "brother-waters-place" or "where-the-waters-meet". The spelling "Tennessee" came from a governor of South Carolina in the 1700s. In 1788, North Carolina made "Tennessee County", and in 1796, Tennessee became a state.

History

Pre-European era

The first people in Tennessee were Paleo-Indians. They arrived about 12,000 years ago. They hunted animals and gathered food. Over time, many different groups lived there, like the Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian peoples. They grew plants like squash and corn and built places for ceremonies.

Reconstruction of Fort Loudoun, the first British settlement in Tennessee

Exploration and colonization

Spanish explorers came to the area in the 1500s. Later, English and French explorers arrived. By the 1700s, French traders had set up settlements. British settlers began arriving in the late 1700s. They made their own small governments and later joined the United States.

Statehood and antebellum era

Tennessee became a state in 1796. It was part of the War of 1812 and the Texas Revolution. The state had both enslaved and free people. East Tennessee often opposed slavery more than other parts of the state.

Civil War

When the Civil War began, Tennessee was divided. Some people wanted to stay in the Union, and some wanted to leave. It was an important state in the war, with many battles there. After the war, slavery ended, and Tennessee was the first Southern state to rejoin the Union.

Surveyor Daniel Smith's "Map of the Tennassee State" (1796)

Reconstruction and late 19th century

After the Civil War, Tennessee had challenges with racial tensions. It was one of the few Southern states without a military governor during Reconstruction. Cities like Chattanooga and Memphis grew, but the state also had problems like sickness and labor disputes.

Early 20th century

In the early 1900s, many African Americans moved north for better jobs. Tennessee became known for making illegal alcohol during Prohibition. The state also had important events like the Scopes Trial, which talked about teaching evolution in schools.

Mid-20th century to present

Tennessee helped in World War II by making materials for atomic bombs. After the war, the state worked to end racial segregation in schools. Important court cases helped change voting rights and environmental laws. The state also celebrated its history with events like the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville.

Geography

Mount Le Conte in the Great Smoky Mountains is the tallest mountain in eastern North America, measured from base to summit

Tennessee is in the Southeastern United States. It covers about 42,143 square miles (109,150 km²), with a little water. Tennessee touches eight states: Kentucky and Virginia to the north, North Carolina to the east, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi to the south, and Arkansas and Missouri to the west. The state has three parts: East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

Tennessee’s land changes a lot, with mountains, valleys, and plains. The highest point is Kuwohi, which is 6,643 feet (2,025 m) tall. Tennessee has many caves, with more than 10,000 found. The weather is usually warm, with hot summers and mild winters, and it gets a good amount of rain each year.

City	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Tennessee Cities (F)
Bristol	44/25	49/27	57/34	66/41	74/51	81/60	85/64	84/62	79/56	68/43	58/35	48/27
Chattanooga	50/31	54/33	63/40	72/47	79/56	86/65	90/69	89/68	82/62	72/48	61/40	52/33
Knoxville	47/30	52/33	61/40	71/48	78/57	85/65	88/69	87/68	81/62	71/50	60/41	50/34
Memphis	50/31	55/36	63/44	72/52	80/61	89/69	92/73	92/72	86/65	75/52	62/43	52/34
Nashville	47/28	52/31	61/39	70/47	78/57	85/65	89/70	89/69	82/61	71/49	59/40	49/32

Cities, towns, and counties

Tennessee is divided into 95 counties, each with its own main town called a county seat. There are 340 municipalities in the state. The Office of Management and Budget identifies ten metropolitan areas in Tennessee, and some of these areas reach into nearby states.

Nashville is the capital and largest city in Tennessee. Its 13-county metropolitan area has been the biggest in the state since the early 1990s and is growing quickly. Memphis used to be the largest city until 2016 when Nashville became bigger. Memphis is located in Shelby County, the largest county in Tennessee. Other important cities include Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, and Murfreesboro, the largest suburb of Nashville. The Tri-Cities area, made up of Kingsport, Bristol, and Johnson City, is also a notable place.

Largest cities or towns in Tennessee Source:
Rank	Name	County	Pop.
1	Nashville	Davidson	689,447
2	Memphis	Shelby	633,104
3	Knoxville	Knox	190,740
4	Chattanooga	Hamilton	181,099
5	Clarksville	Montgomery	166,722
6	Murfreesboro	Rutherford	152,769
7	Franklin	Williamson	83,454
8	Johnson City	Washington	71,046
9	Jackson	Madison	68,205
10	Hendersonville	Sumner	61,753

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Tennessee

In 2020, Tennessee had 6,910,840 people. This was 564,735 more people than in 2010. Between 2010 and 2019, more babies were born than people who died, and many people moved to Tennessee from other places. People moved there from places like California, the Northeast, and the Midwest because it has a low cost of living and many jobs.

In 2020, about 5.7% of people in Tennessee were under age 5, 22.1% were under 18, and 17.1% were 65 or older. In 2019, about 5.5% of the people were born in another country. The most common countries they came from were Mexico, India, Honduras, China, and Egypt.

Ethnicity

In 2020, 6.9% of Tennessee’s people were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Most people in Tennessee are Non-Hispanic or Latino Whites, making up 70.9% of the population.

Religion

Since the beginning, Tennessee has had many Christian people. About 81% of the people say they are Christian, with many being Protestants. Other groups include Roman Catholics, Mormons, and small numbers of Muslims and Jews. About 14% of people in Tennessee are non-religious.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1790	35,691	—
1800	105,602	195.9%
1810	261,727	147.8%
1820	422,823	61.6%
1830	681,904	61.3%
1840	829,210	21.6%
1850	1,002,717	20.9%
1860	1,109,801	10.7%
1870	1,258,520	13.4%
1880	1,542,359	22.6%
1890	1,767,518	14.6%
1900	2,020,616	14.3%
1910	2,184,789	8.1%
1920	2,337,885	7.0%
1930	2,616,556	11.9%
1940	2,915,841	11.4%
1950	3,291,718	12.9%
1960	3,567,089	8.4%
1970	3,923,687	10.0%
1980	4,591,120	17.0%
1990	4,877,185	6.2%
2000	5,689,283	16.7%
2010	6,346,105	11.5%
2020	6,910,840	8.9%
2025 (est.)	7,315,076	5.8%
Source: 1910–2020

Ethnic composition as of the 2020 census
Race and Ethnicity	Alone
White (non-Hispanic)	70.9%	74.6%
African American (non-Hispanic)	15.7%	17.0%
Hispanic or Latino	—	6.9%
Asian	1.9%	2.5%
Native American	0.2%	2.0%
Pacific Islander	0.1%	0.1%
Other	0.1%	0.3%

Historical racial composition	1940	1970	1990	2000	2010	2020
White	82.5%	83.9%	83.0%	80.2%	77.6%	72.2%
Black	17.4%	15.8%	16.0%	16.4%	16.7%	15.8%
Asian	-	0.1%	0.7%	1.0%	1.4%	2.0%
Native	-	0.1%	0.2%	0.3%	0.3%	0.4%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander	-	-	–	–	0.1%	0.1%
Other race	-	-	0.2%	1.0%	2.2%	3.6%
Two or more races	-	-	–	1.1%	1.7%	6.0%

**Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition**
*Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	4,505,930	4,800,782	4,900,246	79.20%	75.65%	70.91%
Black or African American alone (NH)	928,204	1,049,391	1,083,772	16.31%	16.54%	15.68%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	13,820	16,302	15,539	0.24%	0.26%	0.22%
Asian alone (NH)	56,077	90,311	134,302	0.99%	1.42%	1.94%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1,810	2,767	3,594	0.03%	0.04%	0.05%
Other race alone (NH)	4,780	6,422	23,977	0.08%	0.10%	0.35%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	54,824	90,071	270,223	0.96%	1.42%	3.91%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	123,838	290,059	479,187	2.18%	4.57%	6.93%
Total	5,689,283	6,346,105	6,910,840	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Economy

Main article: Economy of Tennessee

In 2025, Tennessee had a big economy worth $589.8 billion. The average income for a person was $69,131, and the average household made $54,833. About 13.6% of people lived below the poverty line. In 2019, there were over 2.7 million jobs and around 140,000 businesses in the state. Tennessee is known for having lower taxes than many other states and is often considered one of the best states for its financial health. It does not collect general income tax, relying instead on sales tax to fund government services. Property taxes are the main source of money for local governments.

Taxation

Agriculture

Tennessee has many farms, covering over 40% of the state’s land. The main farming products include beef cattle, broilers, poultry, soybeans, corn, and cotton. Tennessee is also known for growing tobacco, especially burley tobacco, as well as tomatoes and other plants. The state is a top producer of hardwood and has a famous horse breed called the Tennessee Walking Horse. Other important farm products include hay, wheat, eggs, snap beans, mules, goat meat, and timber.

Industry

Before World War II, Tennessee was mostly a farming state. However, with help from government projects in the 1930s and 1940s, it grew into an industrial state. Today, Tennessee has many factories making goods worth over $29 billion each year. The automotive industry is very important, with large factories from Nissan, General Motors, Volkswagen, and Ford. Other key industries include food and drink products, chemicals, metals, electrical equipment, and consumer electronics.

Business and technology

Tennessee has many different kinds of businesses. Big companies include FedEx, AutoZone, International Paper, and others. Most businesses in Tennessee are small. Since the 1990s, the area around Oak Ridge and Knoxville has become a center for technology companies. Oak Ridge National Laboratory does important research in many areas, including energy and materials science. Tennessee is also becoming a place for advanced nuclear power technology and technology companies, especially around Nashville.

Energy and mineral production

Further information: List of power stations in Tennessee and List of power stations operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority

Most of Tennessee’s electricity comes from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Nuclear power is the biggest source, followed by coal, natural gas, and hydroelectric power. Tennessee was an early leader in hydroelectric power and is still one of the top states for it. The state has small amounts of coal and oil, but it is a major producer of ball clay and other minerals like sand, gravel, and marble.

Tourism

Tennessee is a popular place to visit, welcoming over 126 million tourists in 2019. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States. Other top attractions include Dollywood, the Tennessee State Museum, Graceland, Lookout Mountain, and many historic sites. The state also has beautiful parks, rivers, and scenic byways that attract visitors from around the world.

Culture

Further information: Literature of Tennessee

Tennessee has a rich culture that mixes Appalachian and Southern traditions. These traditions come from the state's history with English, Scotch-Irish, and African roots. The state's three main areas, called Grand Divisions, each have their own cultural flavors. East Tennessee is known for its Appalachian heritage, while Middle and West Tennessee are linked to Upland Southern culture, and sometimes even Deep Southern culture. Memphis in West Tennessee is often thought of as part of the Deep South.

Tennessee is famous for its music. The state helped shape many kinds of popular music, especially country. Well-known writers from Tennessee include Cormac McCarthy, Peter Taylor, James Agee, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Thomas S. Stribling, Ida B. Wells, Nikki Giovanni, Shelby Foote, Ann Patchett, Ishmael Reed, and Randall Jarrell. Tennessee foods that many people love are Memphis-style barbecue, Nashville hot chicken, and Tennessee whiskey.

Music

Main articles: Music of Tennessee and Music of East Tennessee

Tennessee has been very important for many types of American music, like blues, country, rock and roll, rockabilly, soul, bluegrass, Contemporary Christian, and gospel. Many think of Memphis's Beale Street as a key place for the blues. Memphis was home to Sun Records, where famous musicians such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, and Charlie Rich started their careers. This is where rock and roll began in the 1950s. Stax Records in Memphis became a top label for soul music. The 1927 Victor recording sessions in Bristol are thought to be the start of country music, and the Grand Ole Opry helped make Nashville famous as the heart of country music.

Many museums and historic sites in Tennessee show the state's role in music. These include Sun Studio, Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, and Blues Hall of Fame in Memphis, the Ryman Auditorium, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, National Museum of African American Music, and Music Row in Nashville, the International Rock-A-Billy Museum in Jackson, the Mountain Music Museum in Kingsport, and the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol. The Rockabilly Hall of Fame, an online museum, is also in Nashville. Tennessee hosts many music festivals, with big ones like the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, the CMA Music Festival in Nashville, Bonnaroo in Manchester, and Riverbend in Chattanooga.

Education

Education in Tennessee is managed by the Tennessee Department of Education. The state Board of Education has 11 members. They include one person from each area, a student, and the director of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Public schools are run by local districts in counties and cities. They follow rules set by the state. About 1 million students in grades K–12 go to school across 137 districts. Tennessee spends money on each student every year, which is less than in many other states.

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Tennessee

The Tennessee Higher Education Commission helps manage public colleges and universities. The University of Tennessee system has main campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, and Pulaski. The Tennessee Board of Regents runs many community colleges and technical schools across the state.

In 2014, Tennessee started the Tennessee Promise. This program lets local high school graduates attend community colleges or trade schools for free. The state lottery pays for it. This idea came from Governor Bill Haslam. Many other states have started similar programs.

Tennessee has many private colleges, including Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The state also has historic colleges that focus on supporting Black students. Nashville is sometimes called the "Athens of the South" because of its many schools and universities.

Media

Tennessee has many newspapers. Some big ones are The Tennessean in Nashville, The Commercial Appeal in Memphis, and The Knoxville News Sentinel. There are also many television stations and radio stations. A famous radio show, the Grand Ole Opry, has been on the air in Nashville since 1925.

Transportation

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) looks after Tennessee's roads, airports, railroads, and waterways. Tennessee is one of only five states without any debts for transportation.

Tennessee has many miles of roads, with 96,167 miles in total. About 14,109 miles of these roads are kept up by the state. One thousand two hundred thirty-three miles are part of the Interstate Highway System. While Tennessee has no roads or bridges that charge fees, it has many lanes for cars, especially around Nashville and Memphis. The state sees a lot of traffic, especially from trucks.

Interstate 40 (I-40) is the longest interstate highway in Tennessee, stretching 455 miles. It connects major cities like Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville. Other important interstate highways include I-24, I-26, I-55, I-65, I-75, and I-81.

Airports

Main article: List of airports in Tennessee

Tennessee has several important airports, such as Nashville International Airport, Memphis International Airport, and McGhee Tyson Airport near Knoxville. Memphis International Airport is very busy for cargo flights because it is a major hub for FedEx. The state also has many smaller airports for private planes and 148 places where helicopters can land.

Railroads

Main article: List of Tennessee railroads

For train travel, Memphis and Newbern have service from Amtrak’s City of New Orleans line, which runs between Chicago and New Orleans. Nashville has its own commuter rail service called WeGo Star. Tennessee has many miles of tracks for freight trains, mostly owned by CSX Transportation, with Norfolk Southern Railway also operating in parts of the state. BNSF runs a big freight center in Memphis.

Waterways

Tennessee has 976 miles of rivers that can be used for boats, ranking 11th in the United States. These include the Mississippi, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers. The Port of Memphis is one of the biggest ports in the country, and the second largest on the Mississippi River.

Law and government

Main article: Government of Tennessee

The Constitution of Tennessee was adopted in 1870. Before that, Tennessee had two earlier constitutions. The first was made in 1796 when Tennessee joined the United States, and the second in 1834. Since 1826, Nashville has been the capital of Tennessee. The capital was in other cities before that.

Tennessee’s government, like the national government, has three parts. The leader is the governor, who serves for four years and can be re-elected once. The current governor is Bill Lee, a Republican. The governor works with many departments to help run the state.

The state’s lawmakers are called the Tennessee General Assembly. It has two groups: the 33-member Senate and the 99-member House of Representatives. Senators serve four years, and House members serve two years. They meet for about 90 days every two years.

Tennessee’s highest court is the state Supreme Court. It has a chief justice and four other judges. The state has many courts to handle different types of cases.

Tennessee has several law enforcement groups, such as the Tennessee Highway Patrol for road safety and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for solving crimes.

The state has 95 counties. Most cities and towns have their own local governments.

Tennessee sends nine representatives to the United States House of Representatives. The state’s U.S. senators are Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, both Republicans.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is Tennessee’s only federally recognized Native American tribe.

Politics

The politics of Tennessee is led mainly by the Republican Party. Right now, Republicans hold both of the state's U.S. Senate seats, eight out of nine Congressional seats, 75 of 99 state House seats, and 27 of 33 state Senate seats. The Democratic Party has more support in cities like Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Clarksville, as well as some suburban areas.

Tennessee is one of thirteen states that holds its presidential primaries on Super Tuesday. Voters need to show a photo ID. Tennessee also has some people who cannot vote because of legal issues.

Historical political alignment

In the past, Tennessee was mostly Democratic, but it also had many Republicans. After the Civil War, many African Americans joined the Republican Party. But later, laws were passed that made it harder for African Americans to vote. It wasn't until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that African Americans got their voting rights back.

In the 20th century, Tennessee sometimes voted for Democratic and sometimes for Republican presidents. In recent years, Tennessee has become more strongly Republican, especially in rural areas.

State elections

Federal elections

Tennessee used to be a state that could go either way in presidential elections, but it has voted Republican in every election since 2000. The Republican Party has become stronger in Tennessee over the past few decades.

Tennessee's two U.S. senators are in classes 1 and 2. Tennessee has nine U.S. House of Representatives seats since the 1980 census, and control has changed hands three times since then. Right now, eight representatives are Republican and one is a Democrat.

Sports

Tennessee has many popular sports teams and events. The state has four major professional teams: the Tennessee Titans in football, the Nashville Predators in hockey, the Memphis Grizzlies in basketball, and Nashville SC in soccer.

Besides these, Tennessee has many smaller teams and college programs. The state also hosts exciting racing events, like those at the Bristol Motor Speedway, and a golf tournament in Memphis.