Jimmy Roberts.. age 13, of Winston‑Sal em, .SC., for his question:

How did Tennessee get its name?

Tennessee was once the heart of the Cherokee Indian nation. The name of the old Indian capital was Tenassee. When the War of Independence broke outs the region was the western frontier of the states. In 1769 a Virginian named William Bean had organized a permanent settlement near the Watauga river. Other settlements followed and in 1772 a meeting was held to organize the territory. The Watauga Association was formed under the 'leadership of John Sevier and James Robertson.

The Watauga region was 'taken over by North Carolina and renamed Washington Count, in the year 1777. After the wary North Carolina wanted to return the area to the federal government. This did not work and in 1784 the settlers met to organize their territory and named it Franklands or Franklin

The new state was at first ignored by her neighbor North Carolina and by Congress. However, things were straightened out in the year 1790. The federal government organized the area under the name of the Territory South of Ohio River. The name and the situation were simplified in the year 1796. The territory was recognized as a state, the state of Tennessee.