Message 28529 in TODAY.WW
From: KF5JRV
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 26 07:21:00 Z
Newsgroups: TODAY.WW
Subject: Today in History - Aug 23
Message-ID: <30231_KF5JRV>
Path: N2NOV|K5DAT|W0ARP|KF5JRV
R:260823/0722z @:N2NOV.#RICH.NY.USA.NOAM $:30231_KF5JRV
R:260823/0722Z 50462@K5DAT.#NEWI.WI.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.25
R:260823/0721Z 45618@W0ARP.#NCO.CO.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.25
R:260823/0721Z 30231@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA BPQ6.0.24
On August 23, 1784, four counties in western North Carolina declare their independence as the state of Franklin. The counties l
ay in what would eventually become Tennessee.
The previous April, the state of North Carolina had ceded its western land claims between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mis
sissippi River to the United States Congress. The settlers in this area, known as the Cumberland River Valley, had formed their
own independent government from 1772 to 1777 and were concerned that Congress would sell the territory to Spain or France as a
means of paying off some of the government’s war debt. As a result, North Carolina retracted its cession and began to organi
ze an administration for the territory.
Simultaneously, representatives from Washington, Sullivan, Spencer (modern-day Hawkins) and Greene counties declared their inde
pendence from North Carolina. The following May, the counties petitioned for statehood as “Frankland” to the United States
Congress. A simple majority of states favored acceptance of the petition, but it fell short of the two-thirds majority needed t
o pass, even after the counties changed their proposed name to “Franklin” in an attempt to curry Benjamin Franklin’s and
others’ favor.
In defiance of Congress, Franklin survived as an independent nation for four years with its own constitution, Indian treaties a
nd legislated system of barter in lieu of currency, though after only two years, North Carolina set up its own parallel governm
ent in the region. Finally, Franklin’s weak economy forced its governor, John Sevier, to approach the Spanish for aid. North
Carolina, terrified of having a Spanish client state on its border, arrested Sevier. When Cherokee, Chickamauga and Chickasaw b
egan to attack settlements within Franklin’s borders in 1788, it quickly rejoined North Carolina to gain its militia’s prot
ection from attack.
73 de Scott KF5JRV
Pmail: KF5JRV@KF5JRV.#NWAR.AR.USA.NA
Email KF5JRV@gmail.com
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