Tennessee was originally part of North Carolina but became the Southwest Territory after North Carolina ceded its western lands to the federal government in 1790. Settlers in the region had earlier attempted to form their own state called Franklin (1784–1788), which failed to gain Congressional recognition.

By the mid-1790s, Tennessee's population had grown significantly, and the territory petitioned for statehood. On June 1, 1796, it was admitted to the Union as the 16th state.