The Mysterious State of Franklin

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Njaco

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Feb 19, 2007
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State of Franklin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland (the latter being the name submitted to the Continental Congress when it considered the territory's application for statehood[1]), was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered, by North Carolina, as a cession to the federal government (to help pay off debts related to the American Revolutionary War). Its first capital was Jonesborough. Later, the area legally became, once again, part of North Carolina. Franklin encompassed what ultimately comprised a large share of the Tennessee Eastern Division of the Southwest Territory. Franklin was never admitted into the United States — falling two votes short for admission. The extra-legal state existed for only about four and a half years, ostensibly as a republic, before largely being abandoned.

On May 16, 1785, a delegation submitted a petition for statehood to the Continental Congress. Seven states voted to admit what would have been the 14th federal state under the proposed name "Frankland". The number of states voting in favor of statehood, however, fell short of the two-thirds majority required under the Articles of Confederation. Late the following month, the government convened to address their options and to replace the vacancy at Speaker of the House, which had been held by William Cage. They elected Joseph Hardin to the position of Speaker of the House. To curry favor for their cause, delegation leaders changed the official name back to "Franklin" (ostensibly after Benjamin Franklin). They tried to persuade him to support their cause. Franklin refused.
 

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In a strangely dis-connected way, the state of N.C. has two towns named "Franklin", The one near Raleigh is named for Ben, while the one I live in got it's name from the Tennessee connection. Only state in the union to have this problem; we regularly have to make sure that the zip code is clearly understood to recieve packages.
 
Are you sure its the only state with that problem. I know here in Jersey we have several Franklins...and Washingtons....and Monroes...... We also have a Bellmawr and a Belmar.....a Morristown and a Moorestown.

Goofy stuff.
 
Did watch a program, a 2 hour one, about the US states, their names, how they got their shapes and many other weird things, bl**dy good it was! :thumbright:
 

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