Semiquincentennial Celebration Lecture Series with Dr. Magra: 1776 and Tennessee: The 250th Anniversary

These lectures are sponsored by The National Society of Colonial Dames Knoxville Town Committee to honor America’s 250th Anniversary!

1776 and Tennessee: The 250th Anniversary - The formation of Tennessee was inextricably linked to the Declaration of Independence through shared Enlightenment ideals and westward expansion. Appalachian settlers established independent western governments like the Watauga Association (1772) and the State of Franklin (1784) by applying the principle of popular sovereignty. The Revolutionary War and the efforts of the Overmountain Men at Kings Mountain provided settlers with the leverage they needed to demand statehood as a reward for their defense of American liberty. Settler sovereignty culminated in the 1796 Tennessee Constitution, which Thomas Jefferson hailed as a masterpiece that codified the democratic spirit of 1776.

Dr. Chris Magra is a professor of Early American History and the Director of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War at the Department of History at The University of Tennessee.

Lecture will start at 3pm
The special speaking event will be at Blount Mansion Visitors Center, 200 West Hill Avenue, Knoxville TN 37902.
Limited free parking onsite
$10 Donation suggested at the door. Cash and card accepted
RSVP to Rose@BlountMansion.org