Facts About Our State: Tennessee

Second Grade Social Studies

Tennessee

• Tennessee was the 16th state to join the United States on June 1, 1796. The United States was 20 years old the year Tennessee became a state. Tennessee is known as the “Volunteer State” because of all the “volunteers” that came from the state during the Civil War. Tennessee is the 36th biggest state in the US.

Tennessee’s State Bird

• The mocking bird was selected as the state bird in 1933. One of the finest singers among North American birds, it has a melodious song of its own, and is especially noted for its skill in mimicking the songs of other birds.

Tennessee’s State Insect

• The lady bug is one of the official insects of Tennessee. It helps farmers by controlling insect pests.

• The firefly is also a state insect.

Tennessee’s State Tree

• The tulip poplar was adopted as the state tree by the State Legislature in 1947. It was chosen because it was used by pioneers to build their homes, barns, and other buildings. The tree sometimes reaches 200 feet. The bark is smooth and brownish gray. The leaves are very smooth with a broad notch at the tip. The flowers are tulip-like, green-orange in color, and are 1-3 inches deep.

Tennessee’s State Flower

• The iris was designated as the state cultivated flower by the Legislature in 1933. While there are several different colors among the iris, the purple is commonly accepted as the state flower.

Tennessee’s State Flag

• Adopted in 1905, the flag features three stars representing the grand divisions of the state: East, Middle and West. The stars are bound together in indissoluble unity by an unending white band.

Tennessee’s Three Grand Divisions

• Tennessee is divided into three grand divisions: West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and East Tennessee. West and Middle Tennessee are divided by the Tennessee River.

West Tennessee

• West Tennessee has flat land ending at the Mississippi River. The major city found in West Tennessee is Memphis.

Middle Tennessee

• Middle Tennessee is known for its low rolling hills and pastures for grazing. Nashville, Tennessee’s capital city and the home of country music, is found in Middle Tennessee.

East Tennessee

• In East Tennessee you will find mountainous land, home of the Great Smoky Mountains. Major cities are Knoxville and Chattanooga.

Three Major Rivers of Tennessee

• There are three major rivers in Tennessee: the Mississippi River, the Tennessee River, and the Cumberland River. The Mississippi River runs along the west border of West Tennessee. The Tennessee River divides West and Middle Tennessee and flows through East Tennessee, and the Cumberland flows through Middle Tennessee.

Products of Tennessee

• A product is something that people grow or make to sell. Tennessee has many important products.

• Products of West Tennessee include: cotton, poultry, corn, cars, and dairy.

• Products of Middle Tennessee include: corn, clothes, dairy, and poultry.

• Products of East Tennessee include: coal, poultry, chemicals, and dairy.

Famous TennesseansDavy Crockett, Elvis Presley, Al Gore, Andrew Jackson

More Famous TennesseansAndrew Johnson, Buford Pusser, Wilma Rudolph, Tina Turner