A Guide to Treasure in Tennessee

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Tt is believed the name Tennessee came from the Cherokee Indian word Tanase or Tenese, which means "The Bends" or "Great Bend" in the Tennessee River. The first white man to visit Tennessee was the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto in 1540. No important exploration was done until 1673 when both the British and French penetrated the area. Father Marquette and Joliet laid claim to all of the Mississippi Valley for France. James Needham and Gabrial Arthur laid the claims for England the same year by exploring upper East Tennessee for Virginia. The leading settlements were made by pioneers from Virginia and North Carolina in the 1760's. The greatest influence over the Indians were the British and French traders with their guns, powder, lead, metal knives and tools. During the Revolution, several pioneers from the region fought at Kings Mountain, South Carolina, which was the turning point of the American War for Independence in the southern colonies. Tennessee was named the Southwest Territory in 1780. It was also called the three states, West, Middle and East Tennessee. The State of Franklin was established in 1784, with the capital at Jonesboro and lasted four years.