August 23, 2010

The State of Franklin Established – 1784

Did you know that part of the land that now makes up Tennessee was once the state of Franklin?

The pioneers who had settled this land, which originally belonged to North Carolina but had been given to Congress and then taken back again, became upset with the government of North Carolina and decided to set up their own independent state. On this date in 1784, representatives of four North Carolina counties declared their lands independent of North Carolina.

The first proposed name was Frankland, but when the Continental Congress wouldn't admit the tiny state to the union, leaders changed the name to Franklin. They were hoping that fans of Benjamin Franklin would look on their state with favor. However, Congress never did admit the state to the union, and after four years, Franklin folded. The counties went scuttling back to North Carolina, wanting protection from the state militia.

Like I said, the counties became part of Tennessee in 1796.

There are still a few remnants of the State of Franklin: there is a State of Franklin Bank and a State of Franklin Road in modern-day Tennessee.

Did you know...?

• In 1854, the California State Assembly passed a plan to cut the state into three parts, Colorado (the name wasn't in use as a state name then), Shasta, and California.

• The State of Jefferson, created from Northern California and Southern Oregon, was ceremonially declared in 1941.

• In 1969, some people ran for city government in New York City under the platform that NYC should secede from New York State and become the 51^st state!

• There are a few groups today that want to secede from the United States? The Alaskan Independence Party, famous because Sarah Palin's husband Todd was a registered member for seven years, wants Alaska to become an independent nation, and there are petitions for California's secession on the internet.