Essay Sample on The History of Tennessee State

The history of the state of Tennessee, like any other state in America, is an exciting topic to learn for both visitors and Tennesseans. It does not only enrich one intellectually but also opens the room to learning development as well as creating a place to re-discovering compelling facts that could be added to the learning systems of history. Tennessee boasts of a vibrant blend of collections of history that document the journey of development and activities that formed the state to its present. This paper will delve into a narrative experience of how the history of Tennessee state is captured in the new Tennessee Museum located at Bicentennial Mall. It will further point out learnings from the experiences that significantly explain American history before 1877.

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The Bicentennial Mall is a unique landmark in the state of Tennessee. My visit was moved by the theoretical learnings we had in class about the new Tennessee museum in the mall. The experience in the mall was exciting as the museum itself sits on 137,000 square feet on Rosa parks Boulevard and Jefferson street. Such capacity was an assurance of gathering more information on the story of the state to its present. Upon getting into the entrance of the museums, visitors are welcomed to the Tennessees Time Tunnel. It combines all artifacts, stories, and exhibits that have been permanently mounted with the information given on each. The most captivating experience is when one gets to view stories chronologically in galleries without getting tired. I learned that from the broad range of the presentations shown, there were several categories.

The first category was showing the natural history of Tennessee state. No history would be written of a state without the natural diversity of the state. The museum had pictorials and maps of the state's landscape and vast animal and plant life. It was thrilling to learn about the red panda whose picture was shown in the exhibit and had lived in the state five million years ago. Fossils and the fantastic formation of the landscape were further shown as I proceeded further to the digital platform as I sought to learn more about the grey fossils. Nonetheless, I approached the second category of getting to know the first people of Tennessee. It was evident that the present time had incorporated mixed groups, and therefore it was difficult to establish the natives of the state.

I was happy to learn that this state had its first occupants in the town of Eva during the ice age. Major activities were hunting and farming, as shown by the tools, fossils, and excavations in the exhibit. However, the state had Spanish and European visitors around 1500, which further changed the native cultures and activities and further lead fear as natives sought to protect their homelands from visitors. There was resistance from some parts; remarkable exhibits showed how the Indians in southeastern parts of the state resisted the encroachment. It explained the emergence of slavery and the formation of a nation later. As I looked into the exhibits, there were swords; one which belonged to John coffee, a then commander to Andrew Jackson. Other significant artifacts that drew meaning to history included; a mold, the American light artillery uniform coat, and the American flag. I had learned about Andrew Jackson, the greatest slaveholder in the state in 1801. Still, whose contribution to the state later gained popularity to him becoming the president of America from 1829 to 1837.

It is also worth noting that the artifacts like those of mold and swords represented tools used at war to counter slavery and oppression. It leads me to the civil war and civil rights category artifacts. The gallery that holds this category is impressive as it further explains what happened as Tennesseans were exposed to conflict in abuse of their rights and the fightback causing the war. In this gallery, I note the native attire worn during the war by soldiers, the armed groups organized in the state, and further divisions among the people. It was a clear indication of how the nation was shaped. My focus was also drawn to the plight of women, as shown on the artifacts (Rogers 7). I felt more associated with this category as I sought to understand the struggles and personalities in recreating the system of education, civil rights, and ending slavery among African Americans in Tennessee state. In the reconstruction gallery, I was happy with the stories shown after 1945, through the struggle and transformation in the state. The transformation showed advancement in technology shown in the digital pictures, the formation of civil movements, and cultural changes in music and sports.

I had learned a lot in the Times Tunnel, as i proceeded in the museum, I learned about the digitized documentary films for every category that had been displayed on the tunnel. It was beneficial as it expanded my knowledge of each class. At least I watched the films for every class and had a lot to share. It was an experience worth giving a second chance. I would not hesitate to go back to learn more.

Generally, my visit to the new Tennessee Museum in Bicentennial mall to learn and understand the history of Tennessee state was awesome. The entrance on the Times Tunnel showing permanent artifacts and stories gives satisfying information from the growth of the state, landscape, the emergence of the first people and their activities in settling, nation-building, and transformation to independence. It is a reflection of the history of Tennessee drawn from its native state to the current 36th state of the United States.

Works Cited

Rogers, Holly. "Woman's Place on Exhibit." Women at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, 1897 1.1 (2018): 1-80.