TENNESSEE (ante) for civil purposes is divided into east, west, and middle Ten nessee, and comprises 8 great natural divisions. On its eastern borders rises, in huge, ridge-like masses and treeless domes, the Appalachian chain, the loftiest peaks of which attain an elevation of more than 6,000 ft. above the sea. These mountains are called the Unakas, and they form one of the natural divisions of the state. Adjoining this chain on the w., and inclosed between the and what is known as the Cumber land table-land, is the valley of East Tennessee, which is one of the most important agricultural regions. Next comes the Cumberland table-land, an elevated plateau 2,000 ft. above the sea and 1000 ft. above the valley of east Tennessee. Then, resting against the western edge of the Cumberland table-laud and extending to the Tennessee river, with an average elevation of 1000 ft. above the sea, are the highlands, rimlands, or ter race lands. In the center of these is the great central basin, elliptical in shape, and resembling the bed of a drained lake. Its soil is productive of all the crops suited to the latitude, and it is called sometimes the the garden of the state. The western valley forms the sixth natural division, which is comparatively narrow, with spurs from the highlands pointing in toward it and here and there running down to the margin of the Tennessee river. The seventh division is a plateau or slope of west Tennessee, and differs from all the others in having only a few rocks. Its soil is light, porous, siliceous, and very fertile. The eighth division is the bottom of the Mississippi, a low, flat, allu vial plain, which has a rank luxuriance of vegetable life that is almost tropical. The eastern mountain-border consists mainly of silurian rocks, and in part is believed to be of the azoic age. It affords asbestus, kaolin, and red, green, and other granites. Valu able copper mines are also found in this region, and the foot hills abound in iron ore, including rich pyrites, limonite, hematite, magnetite, and iron-manganese ores. In the valley of east Tennessee are lithographic shale, heavy-spar, millstone, slate, potter's clay, limestone, native blue vitriol, marble, and ores of lead and zinc. Coal-measures occupy about 5,100 sq.m., mainly occupying the Cumberland mountain plateau, from which an product of 400,000 tons is usually derived. Middle Tennessee contains petroleum, alum, gypsum, glass-sand, marble, copperas, fictile clay, and iron. In west Tennessee lignite is found in abundance, and there are beds of green-sand marl. The forests of the state have a large variety of timber-trees. In the east the white and other
pines grow across extensive tracts; in the west the larch, cypress, and cottonwood, and nearly everywhere may be found the tulip-tree, hickory, magnolia, sweet and black gum, black and white walnut, cherry, pecan, ash, maple, locust, beech, and several kinds of oak. The general elevation of the state secures it from the oppressive summer heat of the Gulf states, and the winters are in no parts severe. Along a line running e. and w. through the middle of the state the mean temperature is 57° in east Tennessee, 58° in middle, and 59° in west Tennessee. On the southern boundary it is about 1' higher, and on the northern 1° lower. The only sickly region is the swampy part.
The name of the state is derived from Tanuassee, the Indian name of the Little Tennes see river. It was permanently colonized in 1754 by settlers from North Carolina, of which province the present state was a part. In 1776, however, it was officially designated the District of Washington; and after the revolution, the people having expressed dissatis faction with the government of North Carolina, the whole region was ceded to the United States and became an organized territory. In June, 1796, it was admitted into the Union as a state with its capital at Knoxville. At that time there were no settle ments in west Tennessee and only a few scattered here and there in middle Tennes see. But the westward tendency of emigration soon led to encroachment on portions occupied by Indians, who were finally removed to the Indian territory in 1819, from which time the growth of the state was rapid. During the rebellion, 1861-65, nearly the whole state was a battle ground. Severe battles took place at fort Pillow, Stone river, Island No. 10, Nashville, Chickamauga, Lookout mountain, Missionary ridge, Knox ville, Franklin, and other places. In April, 1865, the state legislature met in Nashville, ratified the thirteenth amendment to the federal constitution, and reorganized the state government, and the following year the state was readmitted to the union. Though it has been politically disturbed at times since, the state has, for the most part, succeeded well in returning to its former prosperity. In 1870 there were 267,020 persons engaged in agricultural pursuits; 54,396 in professional; 17,510 in trade and transportation, and 29,061 in manufactures and in mechanical and mining industries. By the census of 1880 the total population was 1,542,463, of which 1,139,120 were white, and 403,343 colored.