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Sunday, June 1, 2014

TENNESSEE BECOMES 16TH STATE

TENNESSEE BECAME STATE 218 YEARS AGO 

Knoxville, Tennessee (37920) 218 years ago today, June 1st, 1796, Tennessee became the 16th state in the Union and the first territory of the United States to attain statehood.




US Postage Stamp of 1946
150th Anniversary of Tennessee Statehood

Originally part of North Carolina, the residents of the western counties of that
state were cut off from the eastern counties by the Appalachian mountains.


The first effort to create the State of Franklin failed as its petition was turned down.



The more recent attempt for statehood was begun when Territorial Governor William Blount (pronounced BLUNT in East Tennessee) called for a constitutional convention to be held in Knoxville* and a model state constitution was drawn up.


*Knoxville, home to John Sevier, Tennessee's first governor, served as the state capital from 1796 to 1812.

Source

  "Tennessee and the Long, Hard Road to Statehood" by David Gorgani, www.prstatehood.com



Tennessee State Seal
State Capitol Building
Nashville, Tennessee
Photo by John White (2011)


JFK AND JACKIE "LOVE PARIS IN THE SPRINGTIME"

Paris, France (JFK+50) President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, enjoyed a second busy day here in Paris 53 years ago today, June 1, 1961.

In the morning, JFK spoke to the Members of the Bureau of the Municipal Council at the Hotel de Ville (City Hall).

Afterwards, there was a luncheon given by President and Mrs. Kennedy for President Charles de Gaulle and Madame de Gaulle at the American Embassy.

JFK told the audience that American interest in France goes to our "common interests" and the preservation of freedom around the world. 

President Kennedy said the "long tradition (of France) gives the representatives of this country a special distinction around the world."



             American Embassy, Paris

Afterwards JFK spoke to the Parliament Council of NATO.

The grand finale came in the evening when JFK and Mrs. Kennedy were honored at another dinner and a ballet at Louis XI Theater.