Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Tennessee shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Tennessee offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Tennessee at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Tennessee? Wrong! If the Tennessee is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Tennessee then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Tennessee? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Tennessee and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Tennessee wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Tennessee then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Tennessee site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Tennessee, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Tennessee, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

{{US state |Name = Tennessee | Fullname = State of Tennessee | Flag = Flag of Tennessee.svg || Seal = Tennesseestateseallrg.png | Map = Map of USA TN.svg | Nickname = Volunteer State | Motto = Agriculture and commerce | Capital = [Nashville, Tennessee | OfficialLang = [English language | LargestCity = [Memphis, Tennessee | LargestMetro = [Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area | Governor = [Phil Bredesen (D)| Senators = [Lamar Alexander (R)[Bob Corker (R) | PostalAbbreviation = TN | TradAbbreviation = Tenn. | AreaRank = 36th |TotalAreaUS = 42,169| TotalArea = 109,247 | LandAreaUS = 41,243 | LandArea = 106,846 | WaterAreaUS = 926 | WaterArea = 2,400 | PCWater = 2.2 | PopRank = 17th | 2000Pop = 5,689,283 | DensityRank = 19th | 2000DensityUS = 138.0 | 2000Density = 53.29 | AdmittanceOrder = 16th | AdmittanceDate = June 1, [ | TimeZone = [Eastern Standard Time Zone: [UTC-5/[Daylight saving time | TZ1Where = [East Tennessee | TimeZone2 = [Central Standard Time Zone: [UTC-6/[Daylight saving time | TZ2Where = [Middle Tennessee and [West Tennessee | Latitude = 34° 59′ N to 36° 41′ N | Longitude = 81° 39′ W to 90° 19′ W | WidthUS = 120 | Width = 195 | LengthUS = 440 | Length = 710 | HighestPoint = Clingmans Dome{{cite web [ | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 7 | accessyear = 2006--> | HighestElevUS = 6,643 | HighestElev = 2,026 | MeanElevUS = 900 | MeanElev = 280 | LowestPoint = [Mississippi River | LowestElevUS = 178 | LowestElev = 54 | ISOCode = US-TN | Website = www.tennessee.gov -->

Tennessee () is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States. Tennessee is known as the "Volunteer State", a nickname it earned during the War of 1812, in which volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role, especially during the Battle of New Orleans. Brief History of Tennessee in the War of 1812 from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Retrieved April 30, 2006. Other sources differ on the origin of the state nickname; according to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the name refers to volunteers for the Mexican-American War. The capital city is Nashville, and the largest city is Memphis, Tennessee.

Geography Tennessee lies adjacent to eight other states: Kentucky and Virginia to the north; North Carolina to the east; Georgia (U.S. state), Alabama and Mississippi on the south; and Arkansas and Missouri on the Mississippi River to the west. Tennessee ties Missouri as the states bordering the most other states. The state is trisected by the Tennessee River. The highest point in the state is the peak of Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet (2,025 m), which lies on Tennessee's eastern border, and is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. The lowest point is the Mississippi River at the Mississippi state line. The geographical center of the state is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Old Lascassas Pike (just down the road from Middle Tennessee State University) and is marked by a roadside monument.

The state of Tennessee is geographically and constitutionally divided into three Grand Divisions (Tennessee): East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

Tennessee features six principal physiographic regions: the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians Region, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, the Nashville Basin, and the Gulf Coastal Plain.

See also: List of counties in Tennessee

East Tennessee The Blue Ridge Mountains area lies on the eastern edge of Tennessee, bordering North Carolina. This region of Tennessee is characterized by high mountains, including the Great Smoky Mountains, the Chilhowee Mountains, the Unicoi Range, and the Iron Mountains. The average elevation of the Blue Ridge area is 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. Clingman's Dome is located in this region.

Stretching west from the Blue Ridge for approximately 55 miles (88 km) is the Ridge and Valley region, in which numerous tributaries join to form the Tennessee River in the Tennessee Valley. This area of Tennessee is covered by fertile valleys separated by wooded ridges, such as Bays Mountain and Clinch Mountain. The western section of the Tennessee valley, where the depressions become broader and the ridges become lower, is called the Great Appalachian Valley. In this valley are numerous towns and the region's two urban areas, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

Middle Tennessee To the west of East Tennessee lies the Cumberland Plateau. This area is covered with flat-topped mountains separated by sharp valleys. The elevation of the Cumberland Plateau ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 feet (450 to 550 m) above sea level.

To the west of the Cumberland Plateau is the Highland Rim, an elevated plain that surrounds the Nashville Basin. The northern section of the Highland Rim, known for its high tobacco production, is sometimes called the Pennyroyal Plateau and is located in primarily in Southwestern Kentucky. The Nashville Basin is characterized by rich, fertile farm country and high natural wildlife diversity.

Many biologists study the area's salamander species because the diversity is greater there than anywhere else in the U.S. This is thought to be because of the clean Appalachian Mountains foothill springs that abound in the area. Some of the last remaining large American Chestnut trees still grow in this region and are being used to help breed blight resistant trees. Middle Tennessee was a common destination of settlers crossing the Appalachians in the late 1700s and early 1800s. An important trading route called the Natchez Trace connected Middle Tennessee to the lower Mississippi River town of Natchez, Mississippi. Today the route of the Natchez Trace is a scenic highway called the Natchez Trace Parkway.

West Tennessee West of the Highland Rim and Nashville Basin is the Gulf Coastal Plain, which includes the Mississippi embayment. The Gulf Coastal Plain is, in terms of area, the predominant land region in Tennessee. It is part of the large geographic land area that begins at the Gulf of Mexico and extends north into southern Illinois. In Tennessee, the Gulf Coastal Plain is divided into three sections that extend from the Tennessee River in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. The easternmost section consists of hilly land that runs along the western bank of the Tennessee River. This section of the Gulf Coastal Plain is about 10 miles (16 km) wide. To the west of this narrow strip of land is a wide area of rolling hills and streams that stretches all the way to Memphis Tennessee. This area is called the Tennessee Bottoms or bottom land. In Memphis, the Tennessee Bottoms end in steep bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. To the west of the Tennessee Bottoms is the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, less than 300 feet (90 m) above sea level. This area of lowlands, flood plains, and swamp land is sometimes referred to as Mississippi Delta region.

Most of West Tennessee remained Indian land until the Chickasaw Cession of 1818, when the Chickasaw ceded their land between the Tennessee River and the Mississippi River. The portion of the Chickasaw Cession that lies in Kentucky is known today as the Jackson Purchase.

Public lands Areas under the control and management of the National Park Service include:

Fifty-four state parks, covering some 13-2,000 acres (534 kilometer) as well as parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park are in Tennessee. Sportsmen and visitors are attracted to Reelfoot Lake, originally formed by an New Madrid earthquake; stumps and other remains of a once dense forest, together with the lotus bed covering the shallow waters, give the lake an eerie beauty.

See also: List of Tennessee state parks

Climate Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, with the exception of the higher mountains, which have a humid continental climate. The Gulf of Mexico is the dominant factor in the climate of Tennessee, with winds from the south being responsible for most of the state's annual precipitation. Generally the state has hot summers and mild to cool winters with generous precipitation throughout the year. On average the state receives 50 inches (130 cm) of precipitation throughout the year. Snowfall ranges from 5 inches (13 cm) in West Tennessee to over 16 inches (41 cm) in the higher mountains in East Tennessee. A look at Tennessee Agriculture. Agclassroom.org. Last accessed November 1, 2006.

Summers in the state are generally hot, with most of the state averaging a high of around 90 °F (32 °C) during the summer months. Summer nights tend to be cooler in East Tennessee. Winters tend to be mild to cool, increasing in coolness at higher elevations and in the east. Generally, for areas outside the highest mountains, the average overnight lows are near freezing for most of the state.

Tennessee does have its share of severe weather. While the state is far enough from the coast to avoid any direct impact from a hurricane, the location of the state makes it likely to be impacted from the remnants of tropical cyclones which weaken over land and eventually dump tremendous amounts of rain. The state averages around 50 days of thunderstorms per year, and some of them can be quite severe. Tornadoes are not uncommon, with West Tennessee slightly more vulnerable to tornadoes. US Thunderstorm distribution. src.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006. On average, the state has 15 tornadoes per year. Mean Annual Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953-2004. ncdc.noaa.gov. Accessed November 1, 2006. Tornadoes in Tennessee can be severe, and Tennessee leads the nation in the percentage of total tornadoes which have fatalities. Top ten list. tornadoproject.com. Accessed November 1, 2006. Winter storms are an occasional problem—made worse by a lack of snow removal equipment and a population which might not be accustomed to travel in large amounts of snow—although sleet are a more likely occurrence. Fog is a persistent problem in parts of the state, especially in much of the Smoky Mountains.

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Tennessee Cities|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Chattanooga| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/30| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 54/33| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/33|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Knoxville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/29| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 52/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 60/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/67| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/48| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50/32|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Memphis| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/31| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 54/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/61| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/34|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Nashville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/28| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 51/31| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 61/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/57| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 85/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 49/32|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Oak Ridge| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 46/27| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/30| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/37| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/53| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 59/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/30|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"||}

History The area now known as Tennessee was first settled by Paleo-Indians nearly 11,000 years ago. The names of the cultural groups that inhabited the area between first settlement and the time of European contact are unknown, but several distinct cultural phases have been named by archaeologists, including Archaic period, Woodland period, and Mississippian culture, whose chiefdoms were the cultural predecessors of the Creek people who inhabited the Tennessee River Valley prior to Cherokee migration into the river's headwaters.

When Conquistador first visited the area, led by Hernando de Soto (explorer) in 1539–43, it was inhabited by tribes of Creek people and Yuchi people. Possibly because of European diseases devastating the Native tribes, which would have left a population vacuum, and also from expanding European settlement in the north, the Cherokee moved south from the area now called Virginia. As European colonists spread into the area, the native populations were forcibly displaced to the south and west, including all Muscogee and Yuchi peoples, the Chickasaw, and Choctaw.

Early during the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War, Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals (in present day Elizabethton, Tennessee) was attacked in 1776 by Dragging Canoe and his warring faction of Cherokee (also referred to by settlers as the Chickamauga) opposed to the Transylvania (colony) and aligned with the British Loyalists. The lives of many settlers were spared through the warnings of Dragging Canoe's cousin Nancy Ward. The frontier fort on the banks of the Watauga River later served as a 1780 staging area for the Overmountain Men in preparation to trek over the Great Smoky Mountains, to engage, and to later defeat the British Army at the Battle of Kings Mountain in North Carolina.

Eight counties of western North Carolina (and now part of Tennessee) broke off from that state in the late 1780s and formed the abortive State of Franklin. Efforts to obtain admission to the Union failed, and the counties had re-joined North Carolina by 1790. North Carolina ceded the area to the federal government in 1790, after which it was organized into the Southwest Territory. In an effort to encourage settlers to move west into the new territory of Tennessee, in 1787 the mother state of North Carolina ordered a road to be cut to take settlers into the Cumberland Settlements—from the south end of Clinch Mountain (in East Tennessee) to French Lick (Nashville). the Trace was called the “North Carolina Road” or “Avery’s Trace,” and sometimes “The Wilderness Road” (not to be confused with Daniel Boone's road through Cumberland Gap).

Tennessee was admitted to the Union in 1796 as the 16th state. The state boundaries, according to the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, Article I, Section 31, stated that the beginning point for identifying the boundary was the extreme height of the Stone Mountain, at the place where the line of Virginia intersects it, and basically ran the extreme heights of mountain chains through the Appalachian Mountains separating North Carolina from Tennessee past the Indian towns of Cowee and Old Chota, thence along the main ridge of the said mountain (Unicoi Mountain) to the southern boundary of the state; all the territory, lands and waters lying west of said line are included in the boundaries and limits of the newly formed state of Tennessee. Part of the provision also stated that the limits and jurisdiction of the state would include future land acquisition, referencing possible land trade with other states, or the acquisition of territory from west of the Mississippi River.

The word Tennessee comes from the Cherokee town Tanasi, which along with its neighbor town Chota (Cherokee town) was one of the most important Cherokee towns and often referred to as the capital city of the Overhill Cherokee. The meaning of the word "tanasi" is lost (Mooney, 1900). Some believe that Tanasi may mean "River with a big bend," referring to the Tennessee River, or that the word Tanasi may have meant "gathering place", as a reference to government or worship for the Native American tribes pre-existent to the pioneer era.

During the administration of Martin Van Buren, nearly 17,000 Cherokees were uprooted from their homes between 1838 and 1839 and were forced by the U.S. military to march from "emigration depots" in Eastern Tennessee (such as Fort Cass) toward the more distant Indian Territory west of Arkansas, and during this relocation an estimated 4,000 Cherokees died along the way west.Satz, Ronald. Tennessee's Indian Peoples. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1979. ISBN 0-87049-285-3 In the Cherokee language, the event is called Nunna daul Isunyi—"the Trail Where We Cried." The Cherokees were not the only Native Americans forced to emigrate as a result of the Indian Removal efforts of the United States, and so the phrase "Trail of Tears" is sometimes used to refer to similar events endured by other Native American peoples, especially among the "Five Civilized Tribes." The phrase originated as a description of the earlier emigration of the Choctaw nation.

Many major battles of the American Civil War were fought in Tennessee—most of them Union victories. It was the last border state to secede from the Union when it joined the Confederate States of America on June 8, 1861. Ulysses S. Grant and the U.S. Navy captured control of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers in February 1862, and they held off the Confederate counterattack at Shiloh in April. Memphis fell to the Union in June following a Battle of Memphis on the Mississippi River in front of the city. Capture of Memphis and Nashville gave the Union control of the western and middle sections; this control was confirmed at the battle of Murfreesboro in early January 1863. But the Confederates held East Tennessee despite the strength of Unionist sentiment there, with the exception of extremely pro-Confederate Sullivan County, Tennessee. The Confederates besieged Chattanooga in early fall 1863, but were driven off by Grant in November. Many of the Confederate defeats can be attributed to the poor strategic vision of General Braxton Bragg, who led the Army of Tennessee from Battle of Perryville to Confederate defeat at Chattanooga. The last major battles came when the Confederates invaded in November 1864 and were checked at Battle of Franklin, then totally destroyed by George Thomas at Battle of Nashville, in December. Meanwhile Andrew Johnson, a civilian, was appointed military governor by President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, and History of slavery in the United States was abolished.

After the war, Tennessee adopted Tennessee State Constitution, which abolished slavery effective February 22, 1865, and also ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on July 18, 1866. Andrew Johnson had been elected Vice President with Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and became President after Lincoln's assassination in 1865. Under the lenient re-admission policy of President Johnson, Tennessee was the first seceded state readmitted to the Union, being admitted back into the Union on July 24, 1866. Because it ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, Tennessee was the only state formerly seceded from the Union which did not have a military governor during the Reconstruction period.

In 1897, the state celebrated its centennial of statehood (though one year late of the 1896 anniversary) with a great Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition (1897) in Nashville. A Parthenon (Nashville) of the Parthenon was constructed for the celebration, located in what is now Nashville's Centennial Park (Nashville).

On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth and final state necessary to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provided women the right to vote.

The need to create work for the unemployed during the Great Depression, a desire for rural electrification, and the need to control annual spring floodings and shipping abilities on the Tennessee River drove the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933. Tennessee, through the power of TVA, quickly became the nation's largest public utility supplier.

During World War II, the availability of abundant TVA electrical power led the Manhattan Project to locate one of the principal sites for production and isolation of weapons-grade fissile material in East Tennessee. The planned community of Oak Ridge, Tennessee was built from scratch to provide accommodations for the facilities, which are now the sites of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the East Tennessee Technology Park.

Tennessee celebrated its bicentennial in 1996, and with a yearlong statewide celebration entitled "Tennessee 200", opened a new state park (Bicentennial Mall State Park) at the foot of Capitol Hill in Nashville, Tennessee.

Demographics {{USCensusPop|1790 = 35691|1810 = 261727|1820 = 422823|1830 = 681904|1840 = 829210|1870 = 1258520|1880 = 1542359|1900 = 2020616|1910 = 2184789|1920 = 2337885|1930 = 2616556|1940 = 2915841|1950 = 3291718|1960 = 3567089|1970 = 3923687|1980 = 4591120|1990 = 4877185|2000 = 5689283-->

The center of population of Tennessee is located in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee .

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2006, Tennessee has an estimated population of 6,038,803, which is an increase of 83,058, or 1.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 349,541, or 6.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 142,266 people (that is 493,881 births minus 351,615 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 219,551 people into the state. Immigration to the United States from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 59,385 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 160,166 people.In 2000, the five most common self-reported ethnic groups in the state were: American ancestry (17.3%), African American (16.4%), Irish American (9.3%), English American (9.1%), and German-American (8.3%).

The state's African-American population is concentrated mainly in rural West and Middle Tennessee and the cities of Memphis, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Knoxville, Tennessee. Memphis has the largest percentage of African-American residents for any metropolitan area in the U.S.

6.6% of Tennessee's population were reported as under 5 years of age, 24.6% under 18, and 12.4% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.3% of the population.

Religion As with all Southern states except perhaps Louisiana, residents of Tennessee overwhelmingly prefer an evangelicalism Protestant religious affiliation. The religious affiliations of the people of Tennessee are:

Source: American Religious Identification Survey (2001). 5% of the people surveyed refused to answer.

Tennessee is home to several Protestant denominations, such as the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Southern Baptist Convention maintains its general headquarters in Nashville, where its Sunday School Board, along with publishing houses of several other denominations, is also located.

The state's small Roman Catholic and Jewish American communities are mainly centered in the metropolitan areas of Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville.

Economy According to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2005 Tennessee's gross state product was $226.502 billion, making Tennessee the 18th largest economy in the nation.In 2003, the per capita income was $28,641, 36th in the nation, and 91% of the national per capita personal income of $31,472. In 2004, the Household income in the United States was $38,550, 41st in the nation, and 87% of the national median of $44,472.

Major outputs for the state include textiles, cotton, cattle, and electrical power.As proof of interest in beef production, Tennessee has over 82,000 farms, and beef cattle are found in roughly 59 percent of the farms in the state. Although cotton was an early crop in Tennessee, large-scale cultivation of the fiber did not begin until the 1820s with the opening of the land between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. The upper wedge of the Mississippi Delta extends into southwestern Tennessee, and it was in this fertile section that cotton took hold. Currently West Tennessee is also heavily planted in soybeans, focusing on the northwest corner of the state. USDA 2002 Census of Agriculture, Maps and Cartographic Resources.

Major corporations with headquarters in Tennessee include FedEx Corporation, AutoZone Incorporated and International Paper, all based in Memphis.

The Tennessee income tax does not apply to salaries and wages, but most income from stocks, bonds and notes receivable is taxable. All taxable dividends and interest which exceed the $1,250 single exemption or the $2,500 joint exemption are taxable at the rate of 6%. The state's sales tax and use tax rate for most items is 7%. Food is taxed at a lower rate of 6%, but candy, dietary supplements and prepared food are taxed at the full 7% rate. Local sales taxes are collected in most jurisdictions, at rates varying from 1.5% to 2.75%, bringing the total sales tax to between 8.5% and 9.75%, one of the highest levels in the nation. Intangible property is assessed on the shares of stock of stockholders of any loan company, investment company, insurance company or for-profit cemetery companies. The assessment ratio is 40% of the value multiplied by the tax rate for the jurisdiction. Tennessee imposes an inheritance tax on decedents' estates that exceed maximum single exemption limits ($1,000,000 for deaths 2006 and after; ).

Tennessee is a Right-to-work law state, as are most of its Southern neighbors. Unionization has historically been low and continues to decline as in most of the U.S. generally.

Transportation Interstate highways Interstate 40 crosses the state in an east-west orientation. Its branch interstate highways include Interstate 240 (Tennessee) in Memphis; Interstate 440 (Tennessee) and Interstate 840 (Tennessee) in Nashville; and Interstate 140 (Tennessee) and I-640 in Knoxville. Interstate 26, although technically an east-west interstate, runs from the North Carolina border below Johnson City, Tennessee to its terminus at Kingsport, Tennessee. Interstate 24 is the other east-west interstate crossing Tennessee.

In a north-south orientation are highways I-55, I-65, I-75, and I-81. Interstate 65 crosses the state through Nashville, while Interstate 75 serves Knoxville and Interstate 55 serves Memphis. Interstate 81 enters the state at Bristol and terminates at its junction with I-40 near Jefferson City, Tennessee. Interstate 155 (Missouri-Tennessee) is a branch highway from I-55.

Airports Major airports within the state include Nashville International Airport (BNA), Memphis International Airport (MEM), McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), and Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI). Because Memphis International Airport is the major hub for FedEx Corporation, it is the World's busiest airport.

Railroads Memphis is served by the famed Amtrak train, the City of New Orleans on its run between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. The City of New Orleans also stops near Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Law and government on the Hernando De Soto Bridge over the Mississippi River leaving from Arkansas.Tennessee's governor holds office for a four-year term and may serve a maximum of two terms. The governor is the only official who is elected statewide, making him one of the more powerful chief executives in the nation. The state does not elect the Lieutenant-governor#United States directly, contrary to most other states; the Tennessee Senate elects its Speaker who serves as lieutenant governor.

The Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature, consists of the 33-member Tennessee State Senate and the 99-member Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, and House members serve two-year terms. Each chamber chooses its own speaker. The speaker of the state Senate also holds the title of lieutenant-governor. Most executive officials are elected by the legislature.

The highest court in Tennessee is the state Supreme Court. It has a chief justice and four associate justices. No more than two justices can be from the same Grand Division. The Court of Appeals has 12 judges. The Court of Criminal Appeals has nine judges.

Tennessee State Constitution was adopted in 1870. The state had two earlier constitutions. The first was adopted in 1796, the year Tennessee joined the union, and the second was adopted in 1834. The Tennessee Constitution outlaws martial law within its jurisdiction. This may be a result of the experience of Tennessee residents and other Southerners during the period of military control by Union (Northern) forces of the U.S. government after the American Civil War.

Lethal injection ban On September 20, 2007, United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Judge Aleta Trauger ruled that prisoners were not properly anesthetized before lethal injection administration. She banned this execution as a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Tennessee is among 11 states which has delayed executions because of controversy over injections. BBC NEWS, Tennessee bans lethal injection

Politics Tennessee politics, like that of most U.S. states, is dominated by the Democratic Party (United States) and Republican Party (United States) Parties. Like practically all Southern states, Tennessee tends to be politically conservative and currently tilts towards the Republican Party. However, it has often prided itself on its more moderate attitudes about matters of economics and race than some states of the Deep South.

While the Republicans control slightly more than half of the state, Democrats have strong support in the cities of Memphis and Nashville and in parts of Middle Tennessee (although declining, due to the growth of suburban Nashville) and West Tennessee north of Memphis, where a large rural African-American population resides. The Republicans historically had their greatest strength in East Tennessee, one of the few areas of the South with a Republican voting history that predates the 1960s. Such voting habits were a legacy from the region's support for the Union during the American Civil War; much of East Tennessee has not elected a Democrat to United States Congress since then. In contrast, the Democrats generally dominated politics in the rest of the state until the 1960s; the GOP was essentially a sectional party. In the decades following the Civil Rights Movement and a concomitant revulsion against cultural liberalism, the Republicans have gained strength in the conservative suburbs of Memphis and Nashville and increasing support among rural voters elsewhere in West and Middle Tennessee (especially the former Grand Division). These patterns are largely in keeping with the South generally and do not generally reflect local idiosyncrasies.

In the U.S. presidential election, 2000, the majority of Tennessee voters voted for Republican George W. Bush rather than Vice President Al Gore, a former United States Senate from Tennessee. Tennessee support for Bush increased in 2004, with his margin of victory in the state increasing from 4% in 2000 to 14% in 2004. This occurred quite possibly because the nominee, John Kerry, was a Northerner; Southern nominees (e.g., Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton) usually fare better for the Democrats in Tennessee, especially among split-ticket voters outside the metropolitan areas.

Tennessee sends nine members to the United States House of Representatives, currently consisting of five Democrats and four Republicans. The Baker v. Carr decision of the Supreme Court of the United States (1962), which established the principle of one man, one vote was based on a lawsuit over rural-biased malapportionment in the Tennessee legislature. The ruling led to an increased prominence in state politics by urban and, eventually, suburban, legislators and statewide officeholders.

See also: List of Tennessee Governors, U.S. Congressional Delegations from Tennessee

Law enforcement The State of Tennessee maintains two dedicated law enforcement entities, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, as well as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee State Parks department.

The Highway Patrol is the primary law enforcement entity that concentrates on highway safety regulations and general non-game state law enforcement and is under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Department of Safety. The TWRA is an independent agency tasked with enforcing all wild game and fisheries regulations outside of state parks. The TBI maintains state-of-the-art investigative facilities and is the primary state-level criminal investigative department. Tennessee State Park Rangers are responsible for all activities and law enforcement inside the Tennessee State Parks system.

Important cities and towns : 607,413 (2005): 672,277 (2005)

The capital is Nashville, Tennessee, though Knoxville, Tennessee, Kingston, Tennessee, and Murfreesboro, Tennessee have all served as list of current and former capital cities within U.S. states in the past. Memphis, Tennessee has the largest population of any city in the state, but Nashville has had the state's largest metropolitan area since circa 1990; Memphis formerly held that title. Chattanooga, Tennessee and Knoxville, both in the eastern part of the state near the Great Smoky Mountains, each has approximately a third of the population of Memphis or Nashville. The city of Clarksville, Tennessee is the fifth significant population center, some 45 miles (70 km) northwest of Nashville. The Johnson City, Tennessee-Kingsport, Tennessee-Bristol, Tennessee metropolitan area (known as Northeast Tennessee and "Tri-Cities") is the state's fourth largest metropolitan area and is located in the extreme northeastern part of the state, straddling the Virginia state line.

{||valign="top"|Major cities |valign="top"|Secondary cities |}

Education

Colleges and universities

Sports Professional teams {| class="wikitable"!Club!Sport!League|-|Memphis Grizzlies|[National Basketball Association|[American Football|National Football League|[Ice hockey|-|[Nashville Kats|-|[Knoxville Ice Bears|-|[Chattanooga Lookouts|[Minor League Baseball (AA)]|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (Rookie)|-|Greeneville Astros|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (Rookie)|-|[Kingsport Mets|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (AAA)|-|[Nashville Sounds|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (AA)|-|[West Tenn Diamond Jaxx|Basketball|[American Basketball Association|Basketball|[World Basketball Association|[Soccer|-|[Nashville Metros|Football|[Indoor Football League which features [NASCAR Nextel Cup racing two weekends a year, routinely selling out more than 160,000 seats both times.

Miscellaneous topics Name origin The earliest variant of the name that became Tennessee was recorded by Captain Juan Pardo, the Spain explorer, when he and his men passed through a Native Americans in the United States village named "Tanasqui" in 1567 while traveling inland from South Carolina. European settlers later encountered a Cherokee town named Tanasi (or "Tanase") in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. The town was located on a river of the same name (now known as the Little Tennessee River). It is not known whether this was the same town as the one encountered by Juan Pardo.

The meaning and origin of the word are uncertain. Some accounts suggest it is a Cherokee modification of an earlier Yuchi word. It has been said to mean "meeting place", "winding river", or "river of the great bend". {{US state |Name = Tennessee | Fullname = State of Tennessee | Flag = Flag of Tennessee.svg || Seal = Tennesseestateseallrg.png | Map = Map of USA TN.svg | Nickname = Volunteer State | Motto = Agriculture and commerce | Capital = [Nashville, Tennessee | OfficialLang = [English language | LargestCity = [Memphis, Tennessee | LargestMetro = [Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area | Governor = [Phil Bredesen (D)| Senators = [Lamar Alexander (R)[Bob Corker (R) | PostalAbbreviation = TN | TradAbbreviation = Tenn. | AreaRank = 36th |TotalAreaUS = 42,169| TotalArea = 109,247 | LandAreaUS = 41,243 | LandArea = 106,846 | WaterAreaUS = 926 | WaterArea = 2,400 | PCWater = 2.2 | PopRank = 17th | 2000Pop = 5,689,283 | DensityRank = 19th | 2000DensityUS = 138.0 | 2000Density = 53.29 | AdmittanceOrder = 16th | AdmittanceDate = June 1, [ | TimeZone = [Eastern Standard Time Zone: [UTC-5/[Daylight saving time | TZ1Where = [East Tennessee | TimeZone2 = [Central Standard Time Zone: [UTC-6/[Daylight saving time | TZ2Where = [Middle Tennessee and [West Tennessee | Latitude = 34° 59′ N to 36° 41′ N | Longitude = 81° 39′ W to 90° 19′ W | WidthUS = 120 | Width = 195 | LengthUS = 440 | Length = 710 | HighestPoint = Clingmans Dome{{cite web [ | url =http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest| title =Elevations and Distances in the United States| publisher =U.S Geological Survey| accessmonthday = November 7 | accessyear = 2006--> | HighestElevUS = 6,643 | HighestElev = 2,026 | MeanElevUS = 900 | MeanElev = 280 | LowestPoint = [Mississippi River | LowestElevUS = 178 | LowestElev = 54 | ISOCode = US-TN | Website = www.tennessee.gov -->

Tennessee () is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States. Tennessee is known as the "Volunteer State", a nickname it earned during the War of 1812, in which volunteer soldiers from Tennessee played a prominent role, especially during the Battle of New Orleans. Brief History of Tennessee in the War of 1812 from the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Retrieved April 30, 2006. Other sources differ on the origin of the state nickname; according to the Columbia Encyclopedia, the name refers to volunteers for the Mexican-American War. The capital city is Nashville, and the largest city is Memphis, Tennessee.

Geography Tennessee lies adjacent to eight other states: Kentucky and Virginia to the north; North Carolina to the east; Georgia (U.S. state), Alabama and Mississippi on the south; and Arkansas and Missouri on the Mississippi River to the west. Tennessee ties Missouri as the states bordering the most other states. The state is trisected by the Tennessee River. The highest point in the state is the peak of Clingmans Dome at 6,643 feet (2,025 m), which lies on Tennessee's eastern border, and is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail. The lowest point is the Mississippi River at the Mississippi state line. The geographical center of the state is located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Old Lascassas Pike (just down the road from Middle Tennessee State University) and is marked by a roadside monument.

The state of Tennessee is geographically and constitutionally divided into three Grand Divisions (Tennessee): East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.

Tennessee features six principal physiographic regions: the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians Region, the Cumberland Plateau, the Highland Rim, the Nashville Basin, and the Gulf Coastal Plain.

See also: List of counties in Tennessee

East Tennessee The Blue Ridge Mountains area lies on the eastern edge of Tennessee, bordering North Carolina. This region of Tennessee is characterized by high mountains, including the Great Smoky Mountains, the Chilhowee Mountains, the Unicoi Range, and the Iron Mountains. The average elevation of the Blue Ridge area is 5,000 feet (1,500 m) above sea level. Clingman's Dome is located in this region.

Stretching west from the Blue Ridge for approximately 55 miles (88 km) is the Ridge and Valley region, in which numerous tributaries join to form the Tennessee River in the Tennessee Valley. This area of Tennessee is covered by fertile valleys separated by wooded ridges, such as Bays Mountain and Clinch Mountain. The western section of the Tennessee valley, where the depressions become broader and the ridges become lower, is called the Great Appalachian Valley. In this valley are numerous towns and the region's two urban areas, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.

Middle Tennessee To the west of East Tennessee lies the Cumberland Plateau. This area is covered with flat-topped mountains separated by sharp valleys. The elevation of the Cumberland Plateau ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 feet (450 to 550 m) above sea level.

To the west of the Cumberland Plateau is the Highland Rim, an elevated plain that surrounds the Nashville Basin. The northern section of the Highland Rim, known for its high tobacco production, is sometimes called the Pennyroyal Plateau and is located in primarily in Southwestern Kentucky. The Nashville Basin is characterized by rich, fertile farm country and high natural wildlife diversity.

Many biologists study the area's salamander species because the diversity is greater there than anywhere else in the U.S. This is thought to be because of the clean Appalachian Mountains foothill springs that abound in the area. Some of the last remaining large American Chestnut trees still grow in this region and are being used to help breed blight resistant trees. Middle Tennessee was a common destination of settlers crossing the Appalachians in the late 1700s and early 1800s. An important trading route called the Natchez Trace connected Middle Tennessee to the lower Mississippi River town of Natchez, Mississippi. Today the route of the Natchez Trace is a scenic highway called the Natchez Trace Parkway.

West Tennessee West of the Highland Rim and Nashville Basin is the Gulf Coastal Plain, which includes the Mississippi embayment. The Gulf Coastal Plain is, in terms of area, the predominant land region in Tennessee. It is part of the large geographic land area that begins at the Gulf of Mexico and extends north into southern Illinois. In Tennessee, the Gulf Coastal Plain is divided into three sections that extend from the Tennessee River in the east to the Mississippi River in the west. The easternmost section consists of hilly land that runs along the western bank of the Tennessee River. This section of the Gulf Coastal Plain is about 10 miles (16 km) wide. To the west of this narrow strip of land is a wide area of rolling hills and streams that stretches all the way to Memphis Tennessee. This area is called the Tennessee Bottoms or bottom land. In Memphis, the Tennessee Bottoms end in steep bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. To the west of the Tennessee Bottoms is the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, less than 300 feet (90 m) above sea level. This area of lowlands, flood plains, and swamp land is sometimes referred to as Mississippi Delta region.

Most of West Tennessee remained Indian land until the Chickasaw Cession of 1818, when the Chickasaw ceded their land between the Tennessee River and the Mississippi River. The portion of the Chickasaw Cession that lies in Kentucky is known today as the Jackson Purchase.

Public lands Areas under the control and management of the National Park Service include:

Fifty-four state parks, covering some 13-2,000 acres (534 kilometer) as well as parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cherokee National Forest, and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park are in Tennessee. Sportsmen and visitors are attracted to Reelfoot Lake, originally formed by an New Madrid earthquake; stumps and other remains of a once dense forest, together with the lotus bed covering the shallow waters, give the lake an eerie beauty.

See also: List of Tennessee state parks

Climate Most of the state has a humid subtropical climate, with the exception of the higher mountains, which have a humid continental climate. The Gulf of Mexico is the dominant factor in the climate of Tennessee, with winds from the south being responsible for most of the state's annual precipitation. Generally the state has hot summers and mild to cool winters with generous precipitation throughout the year. On average the state receives 50 inches (130 cm) of precipitation throughout the year. Snowfall ranges from 5 inches (13 cm) in West Tennessee to over 16 inches (41 cm) in the higher mountains in East Tennessee. A look at Tennessee Agriculture. Agclassroom.org. Last accessed November 1, 2006.

Summers in the state are generally hot, with most of the state averaging a high of around 90 °F (32 °C) during the summer months. Summer nights tend to be cooler in East Tennessee. Winters tend to be mild to cool, increasing in coolness at higher elevations and in the east. Generally, for areas outside the highest mountains, the average overnight lows are near freezing for most of the state.

Tennessee does have its share of severe weather. While the state is far enough from the coast to avoid any direct impact from a hurricane, the location of the state makes it likely to be impacted from the remnants of tropical cyclones which weaken over land and eventually dump tremendous amounts of rain. The state averages around 50 days of thunderstorms per year, and some of them can be quite severe. Tornadoes are not uncommon, with West Tennessee slightly more vulnerable to tornadoes. US Thunderstorm distribution. src.noaa.gov. Last accessed November 1, 2006. On average, the state has 15 tornadoes per year. Mean Annual Annual Average Number of Tornadoes 1953-2004. ncdc.noaa.gov. Accessed November 1, 2006. Tornadoes in Tennessee can be severe, and Tennessee leads the nation in the percentage of total tornadoes which have fatalities. Top ten list. tornadoproject.com. Accessed November 1, 2006. Winter storms are an occasional problem—made worse by a lack of snow removal equipment and a population which might not be accustomed to travel in large amounts of snow—although sleet are a more likely occurrence. Fog is a persistent problem in parts of the state, especially in much of the Smoky Mountains.

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:120%;background:#E8EAFA;"|Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Tennessee Cities|-! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" | City! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Chattanooga| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/30| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 54/33| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/47| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 79/56| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 86/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 90/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 89/68| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 82/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/48| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/40| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/33|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Knoxville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/29| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 52/32| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 60/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 69/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 76/56| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 84/64| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 87/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 86/67| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 81/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/48| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 50/32|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Memphis| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/31| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 54/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 63/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 72/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 80/61| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/69| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 92/73| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 91/71| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/64| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 75/52| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 62/43| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/34|-! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Nashville| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 46/28| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 51/31| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 61/39| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 70/47| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 78/57| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 85/65| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 89/70| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 88/68| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 82/61| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 71/49| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 59/40| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | 49/32|-! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" | Oak Ridge| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 46/27| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 52/30| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 61/37| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 70/44| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 78/53| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 85/62| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 88/66| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 87/65| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 81/59| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 71/46| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 59/36| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | 49/30|-| colspan="13" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;background:#E8EAFA;"||}

History The area now known as Tennessee was first settled by Paleo-Indians nearly 11,000 years ago. The names of the cultural groups that inhabited the area between first settlement and the time of European contact are unknown, but several distinct cultural phases have been named by archaeologists, including Archaic period, Woodland period, and Mississippian culture, whose chiefdoms were the cultural predecessors of the Creek people who inhabited the Tennessee River Valley prior to Cherokee migration into the river's headwaters.

When Conquistador first visited the area, led by Hernando de Soto (explorer) in 1539–43, it was inhabited by tribes of Creek people and Yuchi people. Possibly because of European diseases devastating the Native tribes, which would have left a population vacuum, and also from expanding European settlement in the north, the Cherokee moved south from the area now called Virginia. As European colonists spread into the area, the native populations were forcibly displaced to the south and west, including all Muscogee and Yuchi peoples, the Chickasaw, and Choctaw.

Early during the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War, Fort Watauga at Sycamore Shoals (in present day Elizabethton, Tennessee) was attacked in 1776 by Dragging Canoe and his warring faction of Cherokee (also referred to by settlers as the Chickamauga) opposed to the Transylvania (colony) and aligned with the British Loyalists. The lives of many settlers were spared through the warnings of Dragging Canoe's cousin Nancy Ward. The frontier fort on the banks of the Watauga River later served as a 1780 staging area for the Overmountain Men in preparation to trek over the Great Smoky Mountains, to engage, and to later defeat the British Army at the Battle of Kings Mountain in North Carolina.

Eight counties of western North Carolina (and now part of Tennessee) broke off from that state in the late 1780s and formed the abortive State of Franklin. Efforts to obtain admission to the Union failed, and the counties had re-joined North Carolina by 1790. North Carolina ceded the area to the federal government in 1790, after which it was organized into the Southwest Territory. In an effort to encourage settlers to move west into the new territory of Tennessee, in 1787 the mother state of North Carolina ordered a road to be cut to take settlers into the Cumberland Settlements—from the south end of Clinch Mountain (in East Tennessee) to French Lick (Nashville). the Trace was called the “North Carolina Road” or “Avery’s Trace,” and sometimes “The Wilderness Road” (not to be confused with Daniel Boone's road through Cumberland Gap).

Tennessee was admitted to the Union in 1796 as the 16th state. The state boundaries, according to the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, Article I, Section 31, stated that the beginning point for identifying the boundary was the extreme height of the Stone Mountain, at the place where the line of Virginia intersects it, and basically ran the extreme heights of mountain chains through the Appalachian Mountains separating North Carolina from Tennessee past the Indian towns of Cowee and Old Chota, thence along the main ridge of the said mountain (Unicoi Mountain) to the southern boundary of the state; all the territory, lands and waters lying west of said line are included in the boundaries and limits of the newly formed state of Tennessee. Part of the provision also stated that the limits and jurisdiction of the state would include future land acquisition, referencing possible land trade with other states, or the acquisition of territory from west of the Mississippi River.

The word Tennessee comes from the Cherokee town Tanasi, which along with its neighbor town Chota (Cherokee town) was one of the most important Cherokee towns and often referred to as the capital city of the Overhill Cherokee. The meaning of the word "tanasi" is lost (Mooney, 1900). Some believe that Tanasi may mean "River with a big bend," referring to the Tennessee River, or that the word Tanasi may have meant "gathering place", as a reference to government or worship for the Native American tribes pre-existent to the pioneer era.

During the administration of Martin Van Buren, nearly 17,000 Cherokees were uprooted from their homes between 1838 and 1839 and were forced by the U.S. military to march from "emigration depots" in Eastern Tennessee (such as Fort Cass) toward the more distant Indian Territory west of Arkansas, and during this relocation an estimated 4,000 Cherokees died along the way west.Satz, Ronald. Tennessee's Indian Peoples. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1979. ISBN 0-87049-285-3 In the Cherokee language, the event is called Nunna daul Isunyi—"the Trail Where We Cried." The Cherokees were not the only Native Americans forced to emigrate as a result of the Indian Removal efforts of the United States, and so the phrase "Trail of Tears" is sometimes used to refer to similar events endured by other Native American peoples, especially among the "Five Civilized Tribes." The phrase originated as a description of the earlier emigration of the Choctaw nation.

Many major battles of the American Civil War were fought in Tennessee—most of them Union victories. It was the last border state to secede from the Union when it joined the Confederate States of America on June 8, 1861. Ulysses S. Grant and the U.S. Navy captured control of the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers in February 1862, and they held off the Confederate counterattack at Shiloh in April. Memphis fell to the Union in June following a Battle of Memphis on the Mississippi River in front of the city. Capture of Memphis and Nashville gave the Union control of the western and middle sections; this control was confirmed at the battle of Murfreesboro in early January 1863. But the Confederates held East Tennessee despite the strength of Unionist sentiment there, with the exception of extremely pro-Confederate Sullivan County, Tennessee. The Confederates besieged Chattanooga in early fall 1863, but were driven off by Grant in November. Many of the Confederate defeats can be attributed to the poor strategic vision of General Braxton Bragg, who led the Army of Tennessee from Battle of Perryville to Confederate defeat at Chattanooga. The last major battles came when the Confederates invaded in November 1864 and were checked at Battle of Franklin, then totally destroyed by George Thomas at Battle of Nashville, in December. Meanwhile Andrew Johnson, a civilian, was appointed military governor by President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, and History of slavery in the United States was abolished.

After the war, Tennessee adopted Tennessee State Constitution, which abolished slavery effective February 22, 1865, and also ratified the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution on July 18, 1866. Andrew Johnson had been elected Vice President with Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and became President after Lincoln's assassination in 1865. Under the lenient re-admission policy of President Johnson, Tennessee was the first seceded state readmitted to the Union, being admitted back into the Union on July 24, 1866. Because it ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, Tennessee was the only state formerly seceded from the Union which did not have a military governor during the Reconstruction period.

In 1897, the state celebrated its centennial of statehood (though one year late of the 1896 anniversary) with a great Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition (1897) in Nashville. A Parthenon (Nashville) of the Parthenon was constructed for the celebration, located in what is now Nashville's Centennial Park (Nashville).

On August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth and final state necessary to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provided women the right to vote.

The need to create work for the unemployed during the Great Depression, a desire for rural electrification, and the need to control annual spring floodings and shipping abilities on the Tennessee River drove the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933. Tennessee, through the power of TVA, quickly became the nation's largest public utility supplier.

During World War II, the availability of abundant TVA electrical power led the Manhattan Project to locate one of the principal sites for production and isolation of weapons-grade fissile material in East Tennessee. The planned community of Oak Ridge, Tennessee was built from scratch to provide accommodations for the facilities, which are now the sites of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the Y-12 National Security Complex, and the East Tennessee Technology Park.

Tennessee celebrated its bicentennial in 1996, and with a yearlong statewide celebration entitled "Tennessee 200", opened a new state park (Bicentennial Mall State Park) at the foot of Capitol Hill in Nashville, Tennessee.

Demographics {{USCensusPop|1790 = 35691|1810 = 261727|1820 = 422823|1830 = 681904|1840 = 829210|1870 = 1258520|1880 = 1542359|1900 = 2020616|1910 = 2184789|1920 = 2337885|1930 = 2616556|1940 = 2915841|1950 = 3291718|1960 = 3567089|1970 = 3923687|1980 = 4591120|1990 = 4877185|2000 = 5689283-->

The center of population of Tennessee is located in Rutherford County, Tennessee, in the city of Murfreesboro, Tennessee .

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2006, Tennessee has an estimated population of 6,038,803, which is an increase of 83,058, or 1.4%, from the prior year and an increase of 349,541, or 6.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 142,266 people (that is 493,881 births minus 351,615 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 219,551 people into the state. Immigration to the United States from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 59,385 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 160,166 people.In 2000, the five most common self-reported ethnic groups in the state were: American ancestry (17.3%), African American (16.4%), Irish American (9.3%), English American (9.1%), and German-American (8.3%).

The state's African-American population is concentrated mainly in rural West and Middle Tennessee and the cities of Memphis, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee, and Knoxville, Tennessee. Memphis has the largest percentage of African-American residents for any metropolitan area in the U.S.

6.6% of Tennessee's population were reported as under 5 years of age, 24.6% under 18, and 12.4% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.3% of the population.

Religion As with all Southern states except perhaps Louisiana, residents of Tennessee overwhelmingly prefer an evangelicalism Protestant religious affiliation. The religious affiliations of the people of Tennessee are:

Source: American Religious Identification Survey (2001). 5% of the people surveyed refused to answer.

Tennessee is home to several Protestant denominations, such as the Church of God in Christ, the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The Southern Baptist Convention maintains its general headquarters in Nashville, where its Sunday School Board, along with publishing houses of several other denominations, is also located.

The state's small Roman Catholic and Jewish American communities are mainly centered in the metropolitan areas of Memphis, Nashville, and Knoxville.

Economy According to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, in 2005 Tennessee's gross state product was $226.502 billion, making Tennessee the 18th largest economy in the nation.In 2003, the per capita income was $28,641, 36th in the nation, and 91% of the national per capita personal income of $31,472. In 2004, the Household income in the United States was $38,550, 41st in the nation, and 87% of the national median of $44,472.

Major outputs for the state include textiles, cotton, cattle, and electrical power.As proof of interest in beef production, Tennessee has over 82,000 farms, and beef cattle are found in roughly 59 percent of the farms in the state. Although cotton was an early crop in Tennessee, large-scale cultivation of the fiber did not begin until the 1820s with the opening of the land between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. The upper wedge of the Mississippi Delta extends into southwestern Tennessee, and it was in this fertile section that cotton took hold. Currently West Tennessee is also heavily planted in soybeans, focusing on the northwest corner of the state. USDA 2002 Census of Agriculture, Maps and Cartographic Resources.

Major corporations with headquarters in Tennessee include FedEx Corporation, AutoZone Incorporated and International Paper, all based in Memphis.

The Tennessee income tax does not apply to salaries and wages, but most income from stocks, bonds and notes receivable is taxable. All taxable dividends and interest which exceed the $1,250 single exemption or the $2,500 joint exemption are taxable at the rate of 6%. The state's sales tax and use tax rate for most items is 7%. Food is taxed at a lower rate of 6%, but candy, dietary supplements and prepared food are taxed at the full 7% rate. Local sales taxes are collected in most jurisdictions, at rates varying from 1.5% to 2.75%, bringing the total sales tax to between 8.5% and 9.75%, one of the highest levels in the nation. Intangible property is assessed on the shares of stock of stockholders of any loan company, investment company, insurance company or for-profit cemetery companies. The assessment ratio is 40% of the value multiplied by the tax rate for the jurisdiction. Tennessee imposes an inheritance tax on decedents' estates that exceed maximum single exemption limits ($1,000,000 for deaths 2006 and after; ).

Tennessee is a Right-to-work law state, as are most of its Southern neighbors. Unionization has historically been low and continues to decline as in most of the U.S. generally.

Transportation Interstate highways Interstate 40 crosses the state in an east-west orientation. Its branch interstate highways include Interstate 240 (Tennessee) in Memphis; Interstate 440 (Tennessee) and Interstate 840 (Tennessee) in Nashville; and Interstate 140 (Tennessee) and I-640 in Knoxville. Interstate 26, although technically an east-west interstate, runs from the North Carolina border below Johnson City, Tennessee to its terminus at Kingsport, Tennessee. Interstate 24 is the other east-west interstate crossing Tennessee.

In a north-south orientation are highways I-55, I-65, I-75, and I-81. Interstate 65 crosses the state through Nashville, while Interstate 75 serves Knoxville and Interstate 55 serves Memphis. Interstate 81 enters the state at Bristol and terminates at its junction with I-40 near Jefferson City, Tennessee. Interstate 155 (Missouri-Tennessee) is a branch highway from I-55.

Airports Major airports within the state include Nashville International Airport (BNA), Memphis International Airport (MEM), McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA), and Tri-Cities Regional Airport (TRI). Because Memphis International Airport is the major hub for FedEx Corporation, it is the World's busiest airport.

Railroads Memphis is served by the famed Amtrak train, the City of New Orleans on its run between Chicago, Illinois and New Orleans, Louisiana. The City of New Orleans also stops near Dyersburg, Tennessee.

Law and government on the Hernando De Soto Bridge over the Mississippi River leaving from Arkansas.Tennessee's governor holds office for a four-year term and may serve a maximum of two terms. The governor is the only official who is elected statewide, making him one of the more powerful chief executives in the nation. The state does not elect the Lieutenant-governor#United States directly, contrary to most other states; the Tennessee Senate elects its Speaker who serves as lieutenant governor.

The Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature, consists of the 33-member Tennessee State Senate and the 99-member Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators serve four-year terms, and House members serve two-year terms. Each chamber chooses its own speaker. The speaker of the state Senate also holds the title of lieutenant-governor. Most executive officials are elected by the legislature.

The highest court in Tennessee is the state Supreme Court. It has a chief justice and four associate justices. No more than two justices can be from the same Grand Division. The Court of Appeals has 12 judges. The Court of Criminal Appeals has nine judges.

Tennessee State Constitution was adopted in 1870. The state had two earlier constitutions. The first was adopted in 1796, the year Tennessee joined the union, and the second was adopted in 1834. The Tennessee Constitution outlaws martial law within its jurisdiction. This may be a result of the experience of Tennessee residents and other Southerners during the period of military control by Union (Northern) forces of the U.S. government after the American Civil War.

Lethal injection ban On September 20, 2007, United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee Judge Aleta Trauger ruled that prisoners were not properly anesthetized before lethal injection administration. She banned this execution as a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Tennessee is among 11 states which has delayed executions because of controversy over injections. BBC NEWS, Tennessee bans lethal injection

Politics Tennessee politics, like that of most U.S. states, is dominated by the Democratic Party (United States) and Republican Party (United States) Parties. Like practically all Southern states, Tennessee tends to be politically conservative and currently tilts towards the Republican Party. However, it has often prided itself on its more moderate attitudes about matters of economics and race than some states of the Deep South.

While the Republicans control slightly more than half of the state, Democrats have strong support in the cities of Memphis and Nashville and in parts of Middle Tennessee (although declining, due to the growth of suburban Nashville) and West Tennessee north of Memphis, where a large rural African-American population resides. The Republicans historically had their greatest strength in East Tennessee, one of the few areas of the South with a Republican voting history that predates the 1960s. Such voting habits were a legacy from the region's support for the Union during the American Civil War; much of East Tennessee has not elected a Democrat to United States Congress since then. In contrast, the Democrats generally dominated politics in the rest of the state until the 1960s; the GOP was essentially a sectional party. In the decades following the Civil Rights Movement and a concomitant revulsion against cultural liberalism, the Republicans have gained strength in the conservative suburbs of Memphis and Nashville and increasing support among rural voters elsewhere in West and Middle Tennessee (especially the former Grand Division). These patterns are largely in keeping with the South generally and do not generally reflect local idiosyncrasies.

In the U.S. presidential election, 2000, the majority of Tennessee voters voted for Republican George W. Bush rather than Vice President Al Gore, a former United States Senate from Tennessee. Tennessee support for Bush increased in 2004, with his margin of victory in the state increasing from 4% in 2000 to 14% in 2004. This occurred quite possibly because the nominee, John Kerry, was a Northerner; Southern nominees (e.g., Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton) usually fare better for the Democrats in Tennessee, especially among split-ticket voters outside the metropolitan areas.

Tennessee sends nine members to the United States House of Representatives, currently consisting of five Democrats and four Republicans. The Baker v. Carr decision of the Supreme Court of the United States (1962), which established the principle of one man, one vote was based on a lawsuit over rural-biased malapportionment in the Tennessee legislature. The ruling led to an increased prominence in state politics by urban and, eventually, suburban, legislators and statewide officeholders.

See also: List of Tennessee Governors, U.S. Congressional Delegations from Tennessee

Law enforcement The State of Tennessee maintains two dedicated law enforcement entities, the Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, as well as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee State Parks department.

The Highway Patrol is the primary law enforcement entity that concentrates on highway safety regulations and general non-game state law enforcement and is under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Department of Safety. The TWRA is an independent agency tasked with enforcing all wild game and fisheries regulations outside of state parks. The TBI maintains state-of-the-art investigative facilities and is the primary state-level criminal investigative department. Tennessee State Park Rangers are responsible for all activities and law enforcement inside the Tennessee State Parks system.

Important cities and towns : 607,413 (2005): 672,277 (2005)

The capital is Nashville, Tennessee, though Knoxville, Tennessee, Kingston, Tennessee, and Murfreesboro, Tennessee have all served as list of current and former capital cities within U.S. states in the past. Memphis, Tennessee has the largest population of any city in the state, but Nashville has had the state's largest metropolitan area since circa 1990; Memphis formerly held that title. Chattanooga, Tennessee and Knoxville, both in the eastern part of the state near the Great Smoky Mountains, each has approximately a third of the population of Memphis or Nashville. The city of Clarksville, Tennessee is the fifth significant population center, some 45 miles (70 km) northwest of Nashville. The Johnson City, Tennessee-Kingsport, Tennessee-Bristol, Tennessee metropolitan area (known as Northeast Tennessee and "Tri-Cities") is the state's fourth largest metropolitan area and is located in the extreme northeastern part of the state, straddling the Virginia state line.

{||valign="top"|Major cities |valign="top"|Secondary cities |}

Education

Colleges and universities

Sports Professional teams {| class="wikitable"!Club!Sport!League|-|Memphis Grizzlies|[National Basketball Association|[American Football|National Football League|[Ice hockey|-|[Nashville Kats|-|[Knoxville Ice Bears|-|[Chattanooga Lookouts|[Minor League Baseball (AA)]|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (Rookie)|-|Greeneville Astros|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (Rookie)|-|[Kingsport Mets|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (AAA)|-|[Nashville Sounds|Baseball|Minor League Baseball (AA)|-|[West Tenn Diamond Jaxx|Basketball|[American Basketball Association|Basketball|[World Basketball Association|[Soccer|-|[Nashville Metros|Football|[Indoor Football League which features [NASCAR Nextel Cup racing two weekends a year, routinely selling out more than 160,000 seats both times.

Miscellaneous topics Name origin The earliest variant of the name that became Tennessee was recorded by Captain Juan Pardo, the Spain explorer, when he and his men passed through a Native Americans in the United States village named "Tanasqui" in 1567 while traveling inland from South Carolina. European settlers later encountered a Cherokee town named Tanasi (or "Tanase") in present-day Monroe County, Tennessee. The town was located on a river of the same name (now known as the Little Tennessee River). It is not known whether this was the same town as the one encountered by Juan Pardo.

The meaning and origin of the word are uncertain. Some accounts suggest it is a Cherokee modification of an earlier Yuchi word. It has been said to mean "meeting place", "winding river", or "river of the great bend".

Tennessee.gov
The Official Web Site of the State of Tennessee

Tennessee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tennessee (IPA: /ˌtɛnɨˈsiː/) is a state located in the Southern United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the Union. The capital city is Nashville, and the ...

Tennessee whiskey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tennessee whiskey is a type of American whiskey . This whiskey is generally similar to bourbon , in that it is composed of a mash of at least 51% corn ( maize ) and is aged in new ...

Legal Resources
Tennessee Open Records Statute

Legal Resources
Tennessee Code Annotated

The University of Tennessee
Gateway to all University of Tennessee campuses and programs.

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Tennessee Club - the home of live Rock 'n' Roll. Welcome to the Tennessee Club - the home of live Rock'n'Roll! At the Tennessee Club you are guaranteed a good time - live ...

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Employment
The University of Tennessee is a statewide system of higher education that has a presence in each of Tennessee's 95 counties.

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