Keep up with the latest from the East Tennessee Historical Society
From the artifact of the month and book reviews to the latest news and announcements from the East Tennessee Historical Society.
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Independence in the Backcountry: What July 1776 Meant in East Tennessee
While Americans celebrate July 4, 1776, as the birth of the nation, the story of independence unfolded very differently on the Appalachian frontier. In what is now East Tennessee, settlers and Cherokee communities faced years of conflict, diplomacy, and uncertainty as the American Revolution reshaped the region. This article explores how the fight for independence was experienced beyond Philadelphia, where the meaning of freedom was forged in frontier cabins, forts, and contested lands.
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From Frontier to Statehood: Tennessee at 230
As Tennessee marks the 230th anniversary of its admission to the Union, it is worth remembering that statehood was neither simple nor inevitable. From the failed State of Franklin to the creation of the Southwest Territory and eventual statehood in 1796, Tennessee's story reflects the challenges and opportunities of building a new nation on the Appalachian frontier.
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Planting the Corn and Hunting the British: The Treaty of the Long Island of the Holston and the American Revolution
By Kristin Brig published in the Journal of East Tennessee History, Vol 88, 2016
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Order, Diplomacy, and the Making of East Tennessee
After the Revolution, East Tennessee remained a volatile frontier where the U.S., the Cherokee, and settlers all claimed authority. The 1791 Treaty of Holston tried to bring order, but its promises quickly unraveled—even as it marked the moment when the region’s political foundations began to take shape.
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East Tennessee Historical Society honors history initiatives across the region with Awards of Excellence
Thirty-six awards were presented to recipients representing 15 East Tennessee counties, as well as two out-of-state projects.
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From Frontier to Cause: How the Revolution Reached East Tennessee
The American Revolution reached East Tennessee gradually, carried west from coastal centers like Boston. For settlers, distant political debates mattered less than survival, land, and relations with the Cherokee. Over time, local militias and growing fears drew the frontier into the wider conflict.
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Federal Distilling "Whiskey" Tax in Tennessee
This list of names, drawn from tax records, offers a unique snapshot of early Tennesseans—many of whom left no other trace in land, court, or marriage records. It may be the only record of their lives and locations during this time. Explore the digitized Federal Distillery Tax Book for Tennessee 1796–1801.
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Beneath the Gilding: Knoxville's Million Dollar Fire of 1897 and Fire Safety Reform in the Marble City
By Dr. William E. Hardy published in the Journal of East Tennessee History, Vol 85, 2013
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Native Americans in East TN during the revolutionary period
In the eighteenth century, East Tennessee was a homeland for Indigenous nations, particularly the Cherokee. European trade and colonial interference reshaped regional politics and Cherokee society, creating new pressures within their communities. During the American Revolution, Patriot militias launched campaigns that destroyed Cherokee towns, turning the conflict in Appalachia into a struggle that threatened Indigenous land, sovereignty, and survival.
