The lost state of franklin
What was the state of franklin?
In 1784, settlers in upper east Tennessee decided to form their own government to protect themselves from the Indians and to escape the hold of North Carolina. The land from Bristol to Fort Loudoun became the State of Franklin and was organized with Revolutionary War hero John Sevier as governor.
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Franklin's proposed source of leadership, the Houston Constitution, called for a unicameral legislature, guaranteed religious freedom, and required that legislation be submitted to residents for approval. It was a radical new approach to self-government and demonstrated Franklin's forward thinking.
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The state of Franklin failed to get approval from Congress, the N.C. legislature, or any national public figure in order to affirm their statehood. Three things threatened the community on the home front: the Cherokee Indians, competing state bureaucracies, and tense local factionalism.
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